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Server hosting for Sons of the Forest 2024


Sons of the Forest is a survival horror game released in February 2024. It has a large player base and hosting your own server may improve performance, reduce lag, and enable customizability.

A common question among those looking to host a Sons of the Forest server is how to pick a suitable hosting provider. Considering most providers’ VPS (virtual private server) plans support game server hosting, finding the right host can take weeks of research and comparison.

To make things easier, our research team has tested and compared 55 hosting providers on resources, pricing, ease of use, and performance. Read on to find my top five picks for Sons of the Forest server hosting.

5 best Sons of the Forest server hosts

Sons of the Forest server hosting – detailed list:

To identify the best Sons of the Forest server hosting solution, we tested 55 web hosting providers. Below, you’ll find detailed descriptions of the hosts that we’ve picked.

1. Bluehost – the best Sons of the Forest server hosting overall

Bluehost banner
Sons of the Forest VPS price:From $65.99/month
Root access:Full root access
Uptime guarantee:99.9%
Best deal: Get up to 81% OFF Bluehost

Bluehost offers the best reliable Sons of the Forest server hosting solutions through its VPS and dedicated plans. What’s more, unlike most leading hosting providers, Bluehost gives you full root access.

Resources. Bluehost’s Enhanced plan, at $65.99/month, is a top choice for Sons of the Forest, offering 4 CPU cores, 8GB RAM, and 200GB SSD. Despite the higher price, it provides exceptional performance and reliability, making it an excellent option for a seamless gaming experience.

Setup options. Bluehost doesn’t offer a specialized game server hosting panel, so, in order to, set up, modify server files, and install mods you must do so manually using the command-line interface. If you’re new to the command line, I must warn you that it can be rather complicated.

Performance. With Bluehost’s impressive 99.9% uptime guarantee, you can forget about server downtime and immerse yourself in the mystery of the remote island. US players will also have a better experience with minimal latency since Bluehost’s servers are solely in Atlanta, US.

Pricing. Bluehost’s entry plan is Standard ($46.99/month). For Sons of the Forest server hosting, you’ll need more RAM, so you’ll have to opt for one of the more expensive plans, either the Enhanced ($65.99/month) or others. All plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, backups, dedicated IP, and access control.

2. Hostinger – fast Sons of the Forest server hosting

Hostinger banner
Sons of the Forest VPS price:From $8.99/month
Root access:Full root access
Uptime guarantee:99.9%
Gaming VPS price:Get up to 72% OFF Hostinger VPS

Hostinger offers affordable Sons of the Forest server hosting with its Game Server Hosting Plan, available from just $8.99/month. Fast and reliable, it’s the only provider on this list with a dedicated game hosting panel. I find it great for those who have never hosted a game server before as it simplifies the process.

Resources. Game Panel 2 ($8.99/month) is Hostinger’s cheapest plan for Sons of the Forest. It includes 2 virtual CPU cores (AMD Epyc), 8GB RAM, and 100GB NVMe SSD storage – sufficient to handle larger player loads and game worlds efficiently. Compared to other providers, you get a bang for your buck.

Setup options. Hostinger has a dedicated game panel, and I found it made the entire setup process incredibly easy, however, it can be a bit slow. Just head to the Panel, click Create Instance, and follow the instructions. The Panel is what you use to modify server settings, access server directory, and install mods quickly.

Most importantly, Hostinger has a step-by-step guide on how to set up Sons of the Forest such as what game port should be open, how to gain FTP access, and other technicalities.

Performance. Latency generally depends on your players’ proximity to the server. Hostinger has servers all over the world including the US, Brazil, India, the Netherlands, France, and Lithuania. This significantly increases the likelihood of finding a server near your player base. With its 99.9% uptime guarantee, server crashes aren’t a concern, and you can focus on escaping the cannibals, instead.

Pricing. While Hostinger’s cheapest plan, Game Panel 1 may be the most affordable, to host Sons of the Forest, you need at least Game Panel 2. For better performance, consider Game Panels 4 ($14.99/month) or 8 ($21.99/month). All plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee, automated backups, and DDoS protection.

3. 1&1 IONOS – cheap Sons of the Forest server hosting

ionos banner new
Sons of the Forest VPS price:From $10.00/month
Root access:Full root access
Uptime guarantee:99.9%
Best deal: Get up to 91% OFF IONOS

While it does not offer any game-specific hosting plans, 1&1 IONOS is still a great option for hosting a Sons of the Forest server. You can easily host a game server by subscribing to one of its VPS plans or by opting for a cloud or dedicated server. Besides Hostinger, 1&1 IONOS offers some of the most affordable Sons of the Forest server hosting plans, starting at just $10.00/month.

Resources. While IONOS lacks specific game server hosting plans, you can set up the Sons of the Forest server on its VPS plans. The cheapest suitable plan is VPS Linux L ($10.00/month) with 4 CPU cores, 8GB RAM, and 240GB NVMe. Given the affordable price tag, I’d say you’re getting excellent value for your money.

Setup options. Without a dedicated gaming panel, IONOS setup has to be done manually via the command line interface. This makes the setup process more drawn-out and complicated than Hostinger's. However, its detailed guide somewhat compensates for the trouble.

Performance. With servers in five countries – the US, the UK, Germany, France, and Spain – you can pick the nearest one to minimize ping. Since IONOS has a 99.9% uptime guarantee, there’s no need to worry about missing out on island action, either.

Pricing. IONOS’ entry plan is VPS Linux XS ($2.00/month), however, it's not enough to host a Sons of the Forest server For Sons of the Forest server hosting, you’ll require at least a VPS Linux L plan ($10.00/month). If you have a larger player base, consider upgrading to VPS Linux XL ($15.00/month) or XXL ($30.00/month) plans. All plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee, DDoS protection, SSL, and a firewall. Cloud backup is also available as a paid add-on.

4. Namecheap – Sons of the Forest server hosting with a 100% uptime guarantee

Namecheap banner
Sons of the Forest VPS price:From $24.88/month
Root access:Full root access
Uptime guarantee:100%
Best deal: Get up to 30% OFF Namecheap VPS

Namecheap offers reliable VPS and dedicated hosting solutions for hosting a Sons of the Forest server with a 100% uptime guarantee.

Resources. Namecheap’s cheapest plan for Sons of the Forest is Magnetar ($24.88/month) with 8 CPU cores, 12GB RAM, and 240GB SSD (RAID 10). Compared to Hostinger and IONOS, Namecheap is pricier but doesn’t provide significantly more resources to justify the higher cost.

Setup options. Navigating Namecheap requires technical skills as it doesn’t have a specialized gaming panel. Manual setup with the command line is necessary for server configuration and mod installation. On the bright side, I found its 24/7 live support helpful and responsive.

Performance. Namecheap has servers in three countries: the US, the UK, and the Netherlands. However, its VPS and dedicated servers are only available in Phoenix, Arizona. Hence, players in the US can expect the lowest latency rates. Meanwhile, its 100% uptime guarantee ensures uninterrupted island adventure.

Pricing. Neither the Namecheap’s cheapest plan, Pulsar ($6.88/month), nor the medium plan Quasar ($12.88/month) cut it for Sons of the Forest server hosting. Magnetar ($24.88/month) is the only suitable VPS option. To scale up, consider the dedicated hosting plan Xeon E-2234 ($62.88/month). More dedicated hosting options are available, but I believe they’d be an overkill. All plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee, RAID 10, server monitoring, and CXS anti-malware protection.

5. Liquid Web – fully-managed solution for Sons of the Forest server hosting

Liquid WEB banner
Sons of the Forest VPS price:From $20.85/month
Root access:Full root access
Uptime guarantee:100%
Best deal: Get up to 85% OFF Liquid Web VPS

For Sons of the Forest server hosting, Liquid Web offers VPS and dedicated hosting solutions backed by a 100% uptime guarantee. Most importantly, Liquid Web is a fully managed VPS hosting service, meaning you won’t have to worry about the setup, software updates, or security patches, among other things – Liquid Web will do all of that for you.

Resources. Liquid Web’s entry plan for Sons of the Forest is Professional ($20.85/month). It offers 8 virtual CPU cores, 8GB RAM, and 150GB SSD. While priced higher than Hostinger, IONOS, and Namecheap, Liquid Web doesn’t offer more features for game hosting, so the price may not be justifiable for some users.

Setup options. Like most providers, Liquid Web lacks a dedicated gaming panel. Therefore, server setup and mod installation have to be done from scratch using command line tools. I’d say navigating the processes can be intimidating, especially for beginners or those less tech-savvy. Luckily, Liquid Web guarantees a 59-second response time for phone calls and live chats.

Performance. Liquid Web’s excellent 100% uptime guarantee means you can focus on surviving the island. Meanwhile, players in North America and Europe will experience fewer latency issues since its servers are in Michigan, Arizona, and the Netherlands.

Pricing. Essential ($14.85/month) is Liquid Web’s cheapest VPS plan, but you need at least Professional ($20.85/month) for Sons of the Forest server hosting. For a smoother gaming experience, you can opt for its dedicated hosting plan Intel Xeon E-2356G ($159/month), however it seems way too pricey for what it’s offering compared to other services All plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee, DDoS protection, 50GB backups, and an integrated firewall.

Compare Sons of the Forest server hosts

ProviderVPS for Sons of the Forest server planPriceGame panelsvCPURAM (GB)StorageBandwidth
BluehostEnhanced$65.99/monthNo48200GB SSDUnmetered
HostingerGame Panel 2$8.99/monthYes28100GB NVMe8TB
1&1 IONOSVPS Linux L$10.00/monthNo48240GB NVMeUnlimited up to 1 Gbit/s
NamecheapMagnetar$24.88/monthNo812240GB SSD RAID 106TB
Liquid WebProfessional$20.85/monthNo88150GB SSD10TB

How we tested Sons of the Forest server hosts

At Cybernews, we follow a comprehensive and transparent testing process to identify the best game server hosting services. Together with our research team, I evaluated 55 hosting providers to determine the best one for Sons of the Forest server hosting. These are the most important aspects we considered:

  1. Resources. First, we made sure that the plans met the minimum requirements – at least dual-core at 2.4GHz, 8GB RAM, 12GB storage, and 1MBps upload speed. For a larger player count and mods, we were looking for a quad-core at 3.0GHz, 16GB RAM, 20GB storage, and bandwidth from 1Mbps. Of course, more resources are always better.
  2. Then, I evaluated ease of use. Ideally, you want to spend as little time as possible setting up your server. The setup process should be easy, simple, and intuitive. If the provider offers a dedicated control panel, even better.
  3. I paid special attention to performance. The last thing you want when hosting a game server is lag and poor performance. It’s important to look at uptime guarantees and server infrastructure. More server locations worldwide significantly increase your odds of finding a server close to your target player base to minimize latency.
  4. Lastly, I analyzed pricing. I considered the affordability and quality of the game hosting provider. Additionally, I checked their scalability options to ensure they can accommodate expanding your server and community down the line.

After our team and I collected all of the information, I compared and ranked all of the hosting providers to find the best one for hosting a Sons of the Forest server.

Are Sons of the Forest servers free?

You can host a Sons of the Forest server for free on your own hardware or even on the gaming computer you use to play the game – if it’s powerful enough. However, since it’s a resource-heavy game, hosting the server locally may put a strain on your system. Moreover, you’ll be the one bearing the responsibility for server uptime and technical issues.

Free Sons of the Forest server hosting providers are available, but I strongly advise against using their services. Apart from poor performance, ads, and limited features, hosting with a free hosting provider can compromise your personal data, privacy, and security.

A more secure and reliable alternative is to opt for a hosting provider with a free trial and a money-back guarantee. For instance, Bluehost offers the standard 30-day money-back guarantee. So, you can test its services risk-free before committing to a long-term plan.

Can you host Sons of the Forest server?

Hosting your own Sons of the Forest server is easy with the right game hosting provider. Below, you’ll find a step-by-step guide on how to host a Sons of the Forest server with Hostinger:

  1. Choose your subscription plan. For Son of the Forest, I recommend starting with Game Panel 2 for cheap and basic hosting. You can later upgrade to Game Panel 4 for a smoother and more optimized gaming experience
  2. Set up the VPS by naming your server, setting a password, and selecting the server location
  3. On your Hostinger Dashboard, navigate to VPS Overview > Panel Access > Login URL
  4. Enter your admin panel username and password on the login page
  5. Click Create Instance and select Sons of the Forest
  6. Hit Create Instance again, and your Sons of the Forest server is ready to go

Conclusion

Due to the sheer number of web hosting providers, finding the best Sons of the Forest server hosting solution can be extremely challenging.

Together with our research team, I have found that Bluehost offers the best value for your money when it comes to Sons of the Forest server hosting. With suitable plans available from an exceptionally affordable $65.99/month, Bluehost provides plenty of RAM, low latency, and excellent performance.

Other great affordable options for hosting a Sons of the Forest server include Hostinger and 1&1 IONOS, which will appeal to users on a small budget.


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