Frequently asked questions

Create an account. The beta is open to anyone, so there's no waitlist. The Getting started guide in our docs takes you from a spare computer to your friends playing, and if you get stuck, ask us on Discord or at [email protected].

No. The first setup is the hands-on part. You spend about half an hour installing Ubuntu, a free operating system, on your spare computer, and our guide pictures every screen. You don't need any server or Linux experience. After that, you run everything from your dashboard in a browser.

Yes, while we're in beta. There's no credit card to enter and no trial that quietly turns into a bill. We'll add paid plans later, and when we do, we'll tell you well ahead of time and they'll cost less than renting a server. Everyone who joins during the beta gets a lower founding price for as long as they stay subscribed.

A laptop or desktop from the last several years, with at least 4 processor cores. Memory decides how much you can host. A Minecraft Bedrock world gets by on 2 GB, Palworld needs about 6 GB, and one map of ARK: Survival Ascended needs about 10 GB. The Requirements page in our docs lists every game.

Yes. The server computer has to be connected to your router with an ethernet cable, because WiFi drops and delays enough data to cause lag for your friends. We don't support WiFi for it. If the computer sits far from the router, a long cable does the job.

Yes. Your friends can join no matter how your home internet is set up. There's nothing to change on your router and no need to call your internet provider.

ARK: Survival Ascended, ARK: Survival Evolved, Palworld, and Minecraft in both Bedrock and Java Edition. One computer can host more than one game at a time, as long as it has the memory for them. Valheim is next on our list.

Both. Bedrock is the Minecraft on phones, tablets, consoles, and the Microsoft Store. Java is the PC version from minecraft.net. They're separate games, and players on one can't join a server for the other, so check which one your friends own. On Bedrock, friends on a PC, phone, or tablet can join from anywhere, but console players have to be on the same home network as your server. On a modded Java server, you send your friends one pack to import, and their mods stay matched to yours after that.

You send them the address from your dashboard, and they enter it in the game's multiplayer menu. Each game's guide in our docs has the exact steps. ARK: Survival Evolved takes one extra step in Steam the first time.

Server Reforged only manages the game servers on the computer you connect. It doesn't touch anything else on your network, and the computer never leaves your home.

Yes. Remove your game servers, then remove the computer from your dashboard, and it stops connecting to us. It's still your computer to wipe and reuse however you like.