Project Zomboid Server Hosting- Setup & Multiplayer Guide (2026)

Game Published on : February 16, 2026

The popular survival RPG Project Zomboid is a multiplayer-focused survival game set during a devastating zombie outbreak. While many players are already members of a public server, owning a Project Zomboid Server takes your multiplayer experience to the next level with customized gameplay, persistent worlds, and control over mods and settings.

In this blog, we will walk you through everything from setting up the Project Zomboid server to choosing the best Project Zomboid server hosting provider, mod recommendations, and common server issues. This read is the tool for you, whether you are hosting with friends or building a larger community.

What is Project Zomboid Server Hosting?

Project Zomboid server hosting is a service that allows you to run a dedicated multiplayer server for Project Zomboid without relying on your own computer. Rather than keeping your PC online all the time, which can lead to lag, crashes, or disconnections, the game runs on a remote server that stays live 24/7.

This means your world is always accessible to your friends or community, even when you’re offline. It’s a popular choice for players who want a long-lasting shared world, better performance, easy mod support, and complete control over game settings like zombie difficulty, loot, and PvP rules.

Why Use a Project Zomboid Dedicated Server Hosting?

Running a dedicated Project Zomboid server offers several advantages for both casual groups and serious communities.

1. Persistent world

Players can log in and out while the world continues to run, allowing long‑term survival stories, base building, and community events over weeks or months.

2. Better performance and stability

Offloading game simulation to a dedicated machine (local or hosted) reduces lag spikes caused by a host player’s PC usage and background apps. With enough CPU and RAM, servers can handle more zombies, bigger maps, and more players.

3. Centralized configuration and moderation

Admins can enforce rules, manage whitelists, ban griefers, schedule restarts, and install mods centrally without relying on a particular player being online.

4. Easier access for global players

Hosting in professional data centers with good peering and DDoS protection improves ping and reliability for international players compared with home networks.

5. Modded and roleplay communities

Dedicated servers make it practical to run curated modpacks, custom spawn rules, and RP rulesets for public or whitelisted communities.

Project Zomboid Server Requirements

Exact requirements depend on player count, mods, and map size, but several reputable hosts and technical guides provide realistic benchmarks.

Baseline guidance:

CPU

• Minimum: Quad‑core processor around 2.5 GHz or higher.
• Recommended: 6+ cores at 3.0 GHz+ with strong single‑core performance for larger or heavily modded servers.

RAM

• Minimum: 8 GB RAM, suitable for roughly 2-4 players on modest settings.
• Recommended: 16 GB+ for 8+ players or heavy mod usage to maintain smooth tick rates.

Storage

• Minimum: 20 GB SSD for game files and small worlds.
• Recommended: 50 GB+ SSD for large maps, mod collections, and frequent backups.

Network

• Minimum: Around 5 Mbps upload for small private servers.
• Recommended: 20-50 Mbps upload or more for busy multiplayer servers and public communities.

Operating system

• Supported: Windows 10 64‑bit or modern 64‑bit Linux distributions like Ubuntu 20.04.
• Many admins prefer Linux for 24/7 hosting due to stability and resource efficiency, while Windows is typically easier for beginners.

Required ports

For modern Project Zomboid dedicated servers, you generally need these UDP ports open on your firewall and router:

• 16261 UDP – main server port (Steam queries and server list)
• 16262 UDP – first client connection port (additional ports for more instances or specific setups)

Some panels may still open 8766-8767 UDP for legacy Steam query compatibility, but these are not strictly required for current setups.

Best Project Zomboid Server Hosting Providers

Hosting providers overview

Provider	Typical Positioning (2026)	Notable Strength	Best For
GTXGaming	Established survival game host	Powerful custom panel, daily backups	Feature‑rich medium/large servers
GPORTAL	Beginner‑friendly global host	One‑click setup, strong uptime	New server owners
Nitrado	Large multi‑region provider	High slot counts, many data centers	Large public communities
Host Havoc	Reliability‑focused game host	Backup support, mod support	Stable small/medium groups
Shockbyte	Budget‑oriented game hosting	Lower entry pricing, mod support	Budget and trial servers

1. GTXGaming

Pricing Starts at

• £9.50/Month
• Slots: 10 Players

GTXGaming is a long‑standing game hosting provider with strong support for survival and sandbox titles, including Project Zomboid. They are known for frequent server updates and a flexible control panel tailored for game admins.

Key Features:

• Custom control panel with configuration editors
• Offsite backups and mod support
• NVMe storage
• All the server tools are 64bit supported
• CUSTOM PROJECT ZOMBIE SERVER option available
• Global data center locations and DDoS protection to stabilize multiplayer sessions.

Best for: Players or communities seeking a mature, feature‑rich panel and stable hosting for medium‑to‑large Project Zomboid servers.

2. GPORTAL

Pricing Starts at

• £6.48/30 days
• Slots: 32 Players

GPORTAL is a German‑based Premium Project Zomboid (PC) server hosting provider with a strong reputation for one‑click game server deployment, attractive UI, and high uptime across multiple regions.

Key Features:

• One‑click Project Zomboid setup, making it simpler for beginners to start a server.
• 50GB backup space.
• 24/7 support via ticket system with the fastest possible response.
• Game Cloud includes game switching options.
• Built‑in DDoS protection and high uptime SLAs.
• Easy slot scaling, allowing upgrades as your community grows.

Best for: New server owners who want a user‑friendly panel and hassle‑free setup without deep technical knowledge.

3. Nitrado

Pricing Starts at

• $6.59/30 days
• Slots: 4 Players

Nitrado is a widely recognized game hosting company with many data centers and a long track record in survival games. It supports Project Zomboid servers with configurable slots and runtime options.

Key Features:

• Up to 200 slots available for large Project Zomboid communities.
• Multiple global data centers to reduce latency for international players.
• Customize server option available.
• DDoS protection and flexible runtime to fit your individual needs.
• Automatic backups and integrated mod support.

Best for: Communities expecting higher player counts or long‑term worlds that benefit from broad infrastructure and backup options.

4. Host Havoc

Pricing Starts at

• $12.00/month
• Slots: 8 Players

Host Havoc is a game server provider that focuses on reliable infrastructure and responsive support, with dedicated offerings for Project Zomboid. You will have the capacity to survive the undead apocalypse in Project Zomboid’s immersive survival sandbox

Key Features:

• Support for Steam Workshop mods and custom configurations.
• Full FTP access and 24/7 technical support with less than 10 minutes response time.
• High-performance hardware Xeon and Ryzen CPUs, DDR4 & DDR5 Memory, etc.
• Global locations and automated backups.

Best for: Players who value stability, support, responsiveness, and straightforward management tools for small‑to‑medium servers.

5. Shockbyte

Pricing Starts at

• $9.99/month
• Slots: 10 Players

Shockbyte focuses on affordable game servers with mod support, making them attractive to players launching their first Project Zomboid server.

Key Features:

• Support for extensive modding and configuration changes.
• Short self‑serve refund (72hours).
• Instant server setup available with 99.9% uptime
• Optimized for low latency, no lag
• Automated backups and easy online management.

Best for: New or budget‑conscious players experimenting with dedicated Project Zomboid servers and small communities.

How to Set Up a Project Zomboid Server?

You can deploy a Project Zomboid server using Steam’s dedicated server tool or SteamCMD, on either Windows or Linux. Below is a high‑level outline of best practices.

Install the dedicated server

Windows via Steam Tools:

• Open Steam and go to Library → Tools.
• Search for Project Zomboid Dedicated Server (App ID 380870) and install it.
• Choose a clear installation path, such as C:\PZServer.

Windows or Linux via SteamCMD (manual):

• Download SteamCMD from Valve’s official site and extract it into a folder (for example, C:\PZServer).
• Create and run a script (e.g., FetchServerFiles.bat on Windows) that logs in anonymously and runs:
  +app_update 380870 validate +quit to download the Project Zomboid dedicated server files.

Configure firewall and ports

On Windows, add inbound firewall rules to allow the required UDP ports:

• 16261 UDP for server queries.
• 16262 UDP for client connections.

On your router, forward the same ports to the internal IP address of your server machine so external players can connect.

Run the server for the first time

• Navigate to your server install directory (for example, the dedicated server folder Steam created).
• Run the appropriate startup script (like StartServer64 on Windows) to generate the default configuration and save files.
• On first launch, set an admin password when prompted; this is used to log in as an administrator in‑game.

Edit server settings

Project Zomboid stores server configuration and saves in the Zomboid folder within your user directory.

Key steps:

• Locate the server configuration files (commonly named after your server, such as servertest.ini).
• Adjust gameplay options: zombie count, loot rarity, infection type, PvP, safehouse rules, and server name/description.
• Configure slots and performance‑related settings based on your hardware (e.g., maximum players).

Share connection details

To connect, players typically need:

• The server IP (public IP or hostname if using a managed host).
• The server port (default 16261).
• The password for the server is password‑protected.

From in‑game, they can use the “Join” menu, add the server, and save it as a favorite.

Mods for Project Zomboid

Mods expand gameplay and add features like vehicles, UI improvements, zombie tweaks, and more. Popular mod categories include:

• Quality-of-Life Enhancements: Better UI, inventory improvements
• Gameplay Overhauls: New survival mechanics or profession systems
• Content Additions: Vehicles, weapons, furniture
• Performance & Tools: Sync tools for mods across clients

For servers, mods must be added both to the server config and Workshop subscriptions to ensure players download them automatically.

Common Project Zomboid Server Issues & Fixes

Below are a few common issues you might face when running a Project Zomboid server:

• Mods Not Working: If mods don’t appear, ensure it’s in both the server config and the workshop list. Also, ensure that all clients are using the same mod versions.
• Connection Problems: If you are facing connection problems, check your port forwarding settings and confirm that the required UDP ports are open.
• Server Crashes: In this situation, review the logs for mod conflicts and try reducing the RAM usage by trimming mods.
• Performance Issues: When encountering performance falls, try to upgrade server RAM or CPU and limit unnecessary mods.

Conclusion

Building a Project Zomboid Server in 2026 provides possibilities for custom survival challenges, large-scale multiplayer worlds, and imaginative communities. Whether it is self-hosting or managed hosting, you know how to set up, requirements, mods, and troubleshooting to ensure your server runs correctly. Use this guide to find the right Project Zomboid Server Hosting provider, improve settings, and give your players the best zombie survival experience.

Ready to host? Choose a provider, set up your server, and let the apocalypse begin!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. How many players can a Project Zomboid server support?

Ans. Technically, up to 126 players on dedicated servers, but performance depends on hardware.

Q2. Are Workshop mods supported?

Ans. Yes, most hosts support Steam Workshop mods; just add mod IDs to server configs.

Q3. Is a dedicated server better than hosting through the game menu?

Ans. Yes, a dedicated server stays online without the host being in the game. Self-hosting through the game requires the host’s PC to remain on.

Q4. How do I back up my server?

Ans. Most hosting panels offer automatic backups. For self-hosted servers, schedule script backups of the server directory.