Best Unturned server hosting in 2024
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Learn moreA survival game, Unturned has captivated players for a decade with frequent updates like new map options and reward types. However, surviving in a zombie-infested world alone gets old fast. So, it’s fortunate that Unturned supports various multiplayer scenarios that cater to all player groups.
While Unturned isn’t overly demanding, hosting a server on the same machine used for playing can cause performance bottlenecks, affecting the overall experience. That’s why many turn to dedicated server hosting services.
Choosing the right hosting provider is crucial. For this reason, together with the research team, I tested 55 providers and shortlisted the five best Unturned server hosting solutions based on pricing, resources, performance, ease of use, and more.
5 Best Unturned Hostings
- Bluehost – best Unturned hosting with strong security, high bandwidth, easy setup process
- Hostinger – solid Unturned hosting with a dedicated control panel, low latency, and easy mod installation
- Namecheap – resource-packed Unturned hosting with robust security, SSD storage, and user-friendly setup
- 1&1 IONOS – cheap Unturned hosting for modding, offering good performance and straightforward setup.
- Liquid Web – fully managed Unturned hosting with comprehensive security and scalable resources
📢 LIMITED OFFER: Get up to 81% OFF Bluehost
Should you pay for or host your own Unturned server?
You can either self-host or opt for a dedicated Unturned server hosting solution. While both have pros and cons, the latter offers significant advantages. Here are some of them:
- Improved performance. Premium hosting providers often have hardware optimized for resource-intensive tasks and multiple server locations globally. Both ensure a smooth gaming experience with minimal lag and latency.
- 24/7 uptime. Most hosts guarantee continuous uptime, ensuring the server is always accessible. For instance, Bluehost has a 99.9% uptime guarantee.
- Enhanced security. Reliable hosting providers have comprehensive security suites to protect against Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, data losses, and other threats. They also regularly update the server to patch vulnerabilities, improve features, and more.
- Options to scale. Unlike self-hosting, where you’re limited by hardware and internet bandwidth, paid hosting solutions can be easily scaled to meet increased demands. This ensures that you can accommodate more players and mods if you wish.
Hosting an Unturned community server is the best way to ensure that your gaming group has 24/7 access without relying on one person to host it on their PC. And if everyone contributes to paying the subscription costs, it becomes very affordable, too.
However, you should keep in mind that setting up a VPS can get complicated if your host doesn’t offer servers specifically for Unturned. Luckily, Bluehost makes it easy to set up for Unturned, which is why I chose it for personal use. There are also plenty of detailed setup guides available online to help you through the process.
Best Unturned Hosting Services – detailed list
To identify the best Unturned server hosting, with the research team I tested nine providers. Below, you’ll find my picks based on pricing, resources, security, performance, and ease of use.
1. Bluehost – the best overall provider for Unturned server hosting
Unturned server hosting price: | From $1.99/month |
Latency (ping): | Largely depends on the location of the server and the client |
Uptime guarantee: | 99.9% |
Best deal: | Get up to 81% OFF Bluehost |
Bluehost is the best option for hosting a multiplayer Unturned server without any lagging issues. The provider’s excellent performance and affordability make it the most obvious choice if you need a reliable host for keeping your Unturned server up and running 24/7.
Pricing. Bluehost offers a range of pricing plans to cater to different needs. The entry plan is the Standard plan, which costs $46.99 per month initially and renews at $89.98 per month. For those requiring more power, the Enhanced plan is available for $65.99 per month initially, with a renewal rate of $119.88 per month. Both plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, allowing users to try the service risk-free.
Resources. Bluehost's hosting plans come with varying resources to meet different performance requirements.
Standard Plan | Enhanced Plan |
2 CPU cores | 2 CPU cores |
2GB RAM | 4GB RAM |
120GB SSD storage | 165GB SSD storage |
Security. Both plans include additional features, such as backups, a dedicated IP, and access control, ensuring robust performance and security for your hosting needs. These resources are designed to provide reliable and efficient hosting, suitable for various applications and workloads.
Performance. Bluehost has an impressive 99.9% uptime guarantee to ensure uninterrupted gameplay. However, since it only has servers in Atlanta, US, you may experience higher latency than providers like Hostinger, which has multiple server locations.
Ease of use. Since there’s no dedicated game server hosting panel, server setup and mod installation must be done manually using the command-line interface. This can be challenging for less tech-savvy users.
2. Hostinger – excellent Unturned server hosting
Unturned server hosting price: | From $5.99/month |
Latency (ping): | Largely depends on the location of the server and the client |
Uptime guarantee: | 99.9% |
Best deal: | Get up to 72% OFF Hostinger VPS |
Hostinger is a premium Unturned server host with generous resources, robust security, and excellent server infrastructure. It’s also the only provider on this list with a dedicated game panel.
Pricing. The cheapest option is the Game Panel 1 plan, which costs $5.99 per month initially and renews at $13.99 per month. For a more robust experience, particularly for games like Unturned, you can upgrade to the Game Panel 2 plan. This plan is priced at $8.99 per month initially and renews at $39.99 per month. All plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, ensuring that you can try the service risk-free.
Resources. The resources provided by Hostinger's hosting plans vary to meet different performance needs.
Game Panel 1 | Game Panel 2 |
1 virtual CPU core | 2 virtual CPU cores |
4GB RAM | 8GB RAM |
50GB NVMe SSD storage | 100GB NVMe SSD storage |
Security. Both plans include essential features such as automated backups and DDoS protection, ensuring data security and protection against potential cyber threats. These resources are designed to provide smooth gameplay with minimal lag and latency, making them suitable for various gaming needs.
Performance. With Hostinger’s 99.9% uptime guarantee, your Unturned server is always up and running. Its servers are located in six countries – France, Lithuania, India, the USA, and Brazil – allowing you to choose the closest one to minimize latency.
Ease of use. The setup process is straightforward with Hostinger’s intuitive Game Panel, which also allows easy mod installation. For extra help, it has a detailed guide on how to set up your Unturned server.
3. Namecheap – affordable Unturned server hosting
Unturned server hosting price: | From $6.88/month |
Latency (ping): | Largely depends on the location of the server and the client |
Uptime guarantee: | 100% |
Best deal: | Get up to 30% OFF Namecheap VPS |
Similarly to Hostinger, Namecheap doesn’t offer dedicated gaming plans, but its reliable and affordable VPS plans work well for Unturned server hosting.
Pricing. The cheapest plan available is the Pulsar, priced at $6.88 per month. For those needing more resources, the Quasar plan is available for $12.88 per month. Both plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, allowing users to test the service risk-free.
Resources. The resources offered by these plans are designed to cater to different performance needs:
Pulsar Plan | Quasar Plan |
2 CPU cores | 4 CPU cores |
2GB RAM | 6GB RAM |
40GB SSD (RAID 10) | 120GB SSD (RAID 10, mirrored and striped for improved speed and redundancy) |
1000GB bandwidth | 3000GB bandwidth |
Security. Both plans include essential features such as RAID 10 for data redundancy, server monitoring, and CXS anti-malware protection, ensuring robust performance and security.
Performance. Namecheap promises a 100% uptime guarantee, so you can concentrate on surviving Unturned. Meanwhile, since its servers are in the US, UK, and the Netherlands, players in these regions will enjoy the lowest latency.
Ease of use. Like Bluehost, Namecheap’s setup and mod installation processes are more complicated than with Hostinger as you’ll need to use the command-line interface. The silver lining is that Namecheap’s support team is available 24/7.
4. 1&1 IONOS – cheap Unturned server hosting
Unturned server hosting price: | From $1.00/month |
Latency (ping): | Largely depends on the location of the server and the client |
Uptime guarantee: | 99.99% |
Best deal: | Get up to 91% OFF IONOS |
One of the cheapest hosting providers, IONOS offers VPS plans suitable for Unturned server hosting from just $1.00/month.
Pricing. For hosting Unturned, the VPS Linux S plan is the most affordable at $3.00 per month. For smoother gameplay, consider upgrading to VPS Linux M at $6.00 per month or VPS Linux L at $10.00 per month. All plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee, ensuring you can try the service risk-free.
Resources. The resources offered by these VPS Linux plans are tailored for different performance needs:
VPS Linux S | VPS Linux M | VPS Linux L |
2 virtual CPU cores | 2 virtual CPU cores | 4 virtual CPU cores |
2GB RAM | 4GB RAM | 8GB RAM |
80GB NVMe SSD | 160GB NVMe SSD | 320GB NVMe SSD |
Security. All plans come with essential features such as DDoS protection, SSL, and a firewall, ensuring robust performance and security for your hosting needs.
Performance. IONOS offers the standard 99.99% uptime guarantee to ensure uninterrupted gaming. Meanwhile, its servers in five countries – the US, UK, Germany, France, and Spain – mean players from these regions will see the least latency.
Ease of use. As IONOS lacks a specialized gaming management panel, setup, and modding require manual installation via command line tools.
5. Liquid Web – fully managed Unturned hosting
Unturned server hosting price: | From $5.00/month |
Latency (ping): | Largely depends on the location of the server and the client |
Uptime guarantee: | 100% |
Best deal: | Get up to 85% OFF Liquid Web VPS |
For Unturned server hosting, Liquid Web offers fully managed VPS plans with robust security features and a promise of 100% uptime guarantee.
Pricing. Liquid Web’s cheapest plan is the Essential plan, priced at $5.00 per month. For better performance, the Advanced plan is recommended at $14.85 per month. Both plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, allowing users to test the service risk-free.
Resources. The resources provided by Liquid Web’s plans are designed to meet different performance needs:
Essential Plan | Advanced Plan |
2 virtual CPU cores | 4 virtual CPU cores |
2GB RAM | 4GB RAM |
40GB SSD | 100GB SSD |
10 TB bandwidth | 10 TB bandwidth |
Security. Both plans are configurable and include features such as DDoS protection, 50GB backups, and an integrated firewall, ensuring robust performance and security for your hosting needs.
Performance. Liquid Web’s 100% uptime guarantee lets you focus on surviving, exploring, and fighting without worrying about downtime. Meanwhile, its servers in Michigan, Arizona, and the Netherlands ensure low latency for those in North America and Europe.
Ease of use. Liquid Web also doesn’t have a dedicated gaming panel. So, be prepared to use command line tools for setup and mod installation.
How we tested and ranked Unturned Hosting
At Cybernews, we have a clear and comprehensive testing process to help you find the best Unturned server hosting solutions. Visit our How We Test Web Hosting page for more information about our testing process.
I looked at nine hosting providers to identify the best Unturned server hosting solutions. My first step was to determine if these providers have specific Unturned hosting plans, gaming plans, or suitable plans. From there, I picked five providers for further testing.
- Pricing. I looked for providers with excellent price-to-value ratios and also explored scalability options to ensure they could accommodate growth and resource demands.
- Resources. The providers’ plans must meet Unturned’s minimum requirements: single core, 2GB RAM, 10GB storage, and 10 Mbps. I also considered better specs that could accommodate more players and mods. For this purpose, the plans should offer dual-core at 2.4 GHz (or better) and at least 4GB RAM, 20GB storage, and 10 Mbps.
- Security. I evaluated the providers’ security features, focusing on backups to protect against data loss and DDoS protection to ensure the server remains accessible.
- Performance. To test the providers' reliability, my research team and I monitored uptime using Pingdom. I also scrutinized each provider’s network infrastructure and data center locations. A wider coverage means there’s a bigger chance that the server can be set up closest to the target player base, minimizing latency.
- Ease of use. We examined the providers’ setup, management, and mod installation processes. Additionally, I investigated whether the providers offer a dedicated control panel for hosting game servers. If available, I checked the panel’s ease of use and functionality.
I then ranked these providers from 1 to 5 based on pricing, resource allocation, security, performance, and user-friendliness to help you find the best Unturned server hosting solution.
Conclusion
A dedicated Unturned server offers a long list of perks. For starters, you don’t have to worry about the game straining your personal setup. Additionally, you have full control over your settings, mods, and community. Plus, if you need more resources down the line, most dedicated servers can scale up to meet your needs.
Based on my testing, Bluehost is the best Unturned server hosting solution. It checks all the right boxes with its cheap pricing, abundant resources, robust security, and impressive performance with minimal latency.
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FAQ
Can you host an Unturned server for free?
Yes, you can host an Unturned server for free. You can use the same device you play on or a separate one. Just ensure it has at least 2GB of RAM and one to two CPU cores. However, it’s still recommended to host on a dedicated server to avoid system strain and crashes.
How much does an Unturned server cost?
The cost of an Unturned server depends on the provider. It could cost as little as $3/month and as much as several hundred dollars per month. One of the most affordable options is 1&1 IONOS, which offers Unturned server hosting services starting at just $1.00/month.
What is the server limit for Unturned?
The limit for an Unturned server is generally considered to be 48 players. While the game itself doesn’t specify a fixed limit, most hosting providers cap or recommend keeping the player count below 48 for better gameplay.
Does Ping matter in Unturned?
Yes, ping matters in Unturned – just like in every game. A lower ping translates to a smooth Unturned experience while a higher ping causes lags that diminish the quality of your gaming session.
How much RAM should an Unturned server have?
An Unturned server should have 2GB RAM as the bare minimum. However, it’s recommended to have 4GB RAM for a faster and smoother gaming experience. You may also require additional RAM for modded servers.
Does Unturned dedicated server allow crossplay?
Unturned dedicated servers don’t support crossplay between PC and console ports. This is because the PC and console ports run different versions of the game and are updated at different times, making crossplay unfeasible.
Can you host the Unturned server with mods?
Yes, you can host an Unturned server with mods. Several providers, such as Hostinger, allow you to easily and quickly install mods using their dedicated control panels. Meanwhile, other providers, like Bluehost and Namecheap, also allow mods but require a manual installation.
How much bandwidth does an Unturned dedicated server need?
An Unturned dedicated server generally needs at least 10 Mbps for optimal speed. As for data usage, the minimum bandwidth depends on factors like player count, mods, and more. That said, around 1TB per month should be more than enough for most setups.
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