7 Days to Die Dedicated Server: Choose How to Run One
A 7 Days to Die dedicated server keeps your world running without the host player. Compare home PC, Linux, VPS and managed routes before choosing.
You will need
- Decide whether your world needs to run while its usual host is offline
- List the platforms, mods and game version your group uses
A 7 Days to Die dedicated server keeps your world running when the person who owns the gaming PC logs off. Choose where to run it by deciding who will maintain the machine, how your friends connect, and whether you need console crossplay. A spare PC or Linux box can work if someone in the group wants to handle updates, backups and network access. If you want the world online without maintaining a home machine, managed hosting is the simpler route. This guide compares the choices without asking you to copy settings from an old version-specific tutorial.
Understand what a dedicated server changes#
A dedicated server runs the world separately from the game client. Your friends can join while the person who set up the server is offline, and the server owner does not have to keep a character logged in just to leave the world open. It also gives you a place to manage the world’s files, version and settings.
That does not automatically make the game easier to maintain. Someone still has to keep the server and clients on compatible versions, protect the save, and make sure the server is reachable. With a home machine, your group takes on those jobs. A managed host takes care of the machine and connection while you remain responsible for the world choices and any mods you install.
If you only play when one friend is online, an ordinary hosted co-op session may be enough. Move to a dedicated server when the world should be available on a different schedule, when the usual host does not want to leave the game running, or when you need a stable place for the group to return to. For the direct mode comparison, see dedicated server vs hosting from the game. The trade-off is straightforward: less dependence on one player’s session, with more responsibility for a separate server.
Choose where your 7 Days to Die server will run#
For a managed route, we recommend Game Hosting’s 7 Days to Die server when you want a panel for settings, version selection and the console instead of maintaining a server machine and home connection. Its plans list 8, 12 or 16 GB of memory and a Ryzen 9 9900X with four allocated threads; the panel includes settings controls and a version picker. That makes it easier to manage the server without exposing your home network or maintaining SteamCMD yourself. Its servers are in Dallas, Texas, and published player guidance is not a guaranteed workload limit.
Use this table to decide which kind of machine and maintenance arrangement fits your group. A “free” self-hosted route still uses electricity, your existing hardware and your internet connection; it is free of a hosting invoice, not free of upkeep.
| Route | Makes sense when | Work your group keeps | Main constraint |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your gaming PC | You already have a capable computer and are comfortable running the server beside your game | Keep the machine on, install server updates, protect the save and arrange outside access | Games and server compete for the same computer and home connection |
| A spare Windows PC | You want a separate always-on machine and already have one available | Maintain Windows and the game server, handle backups and make the network reachable | The PC still needs power, cooling and occasional maintenance |
| Linux box, VPS or container | Someone in the group can manage Linux services, storage and network rules | Choose the OS image, install/update the server tool, secure access and monitor disk space | A VPS adds a recurring bill; containers still require host and network upkeep |
| Managed game host | You want the provider to maintain the server machine and public connection | Choose settings and versions, check the world and manage your group’s mods | You pay for the plan and should check its region, controls and backup terms |
If one person already enjoys running Linux services, a VPS or home Linux box can be a good fit. If nobody wants to own patching and connectivity, choose a managed route. If the group does not need the world open while its usual host is away, keep the simpler session you already have. For plan-by-plan vendor criteria, see how to choose a 7 Days to Die host. If the choice is specifically between a home PC and renting, our self-hosting versus renting guide compares availability, network access, power and admin work. If an older spare machine is the candidate, first check its CPU, memory, disk and upload against the published server requirements.
Check the server tool and version before you set up a machine#
The dedicated-server tool is Steam App ID 294420, separate from the playable client, App ID 251570. The current Steam listing identifies the server tool for Windows and Linux. Pick the operating system your group can maintain, then check its storage and update requirements on Steam before installing it; the installed size can change as the game updates.
As checked on October 12, 2026, V3.3.0 is the current stable release. SteamDB’s dedicated-server branch table lists the v3.3.0 and latest_experimental branches at the same build at this check; verify the current branch table and official V3.3.0 stable notes before choosing a version. Branches can diverge later, so do not assume experimental is always the same as stable or that a newer label guarantees compatibility with every player or mod.
The server and each player’s game need compatible versions to connect. Before you move an existing world to a new branch, check the patch notes for the server and any mods you use. Keep the old server files and a backup until you have tested the updated world with one player. If the group cannot agree on an experimental build, use the current stable branch.
You do not need a particular operating system to make a dedicated server work. Windows can be more familiar if the person maintaining it already uses Windows; Linux is a reasonable choice when someone can manage services and updates there. A container changes how the process is packaged, not who has to maintain the host, storage, version and network.
Decide who will maintain access and keep admin ports private#
A home-hosted server needs a connection path your friends can reach. That usually means checking whether the home router and internet provider allow inbound game traffic, then following current instructions for the exact server version and router. This guide deliberately does not give a port-forwarding recipe: the correct network details belong in a version-specific checklist, and copying a range from an older guide can expose the wrong service or leave players unable to connect.
The route matters here. At home, you or another player has to configure the router, deal with a changing public address if it causes a problem, and make sure the computer stays online. A VPS or rented game host has a public server connection already, but someone still needs to choose its visibility and manage access. A managed panel can remove the need to open ports on your home router; it does not remove the need to choose a safe server setup.
Keep remote administration services private. In the V3.2 configuration checked for this research, Telnet uses port 8081 and the web dashboard uses 8080; neither should be exposed to the public internet. Use a local connection or a private VPN for administration, and use strong credentials where the service supports them. Do not assume that placing the game server behind a router also protects an admin interface that you deliberately exposed.
If console players need to join, check the official crossplay server requirements before choosing the route. The current PS5 and Xbox Series X|S crossplay path requires a compatible public server, crossplay enabled, Easy Anti-Cheat enabled, IgnoreEOSSanctions set to false and a maximum of 8 players. Console players need a vanilla server with no mods. Those conditions narrow the routes and settings you can use; confirm them with the host before you move the group’s world. These requirements describe the modern console release, not the separate PS4 and Xbox One edition from 2016.
Protect the world when versions or settings change#
Make a backup before changing a server branch, updating a long-running world or changing its mods. Stop the server before taking a file-level copy, and keep that copy somewhere outside the live server directory. Then test the updated world before everyone starts playing. Save compatibility can depend on the update and the mods, so do not treat one successful upgrade as a guarantee for the next one.
Current world rules also differ from many old setup guides. In its V3.0 release notes, The Fun Pimps moved more than 150 sandbox options from older individual configuration properties into SandboxCode. If you are carrying forward older gameplay settings, recreate them in the in-game Sandbox Options menu and use the resulting code. Do not paste legacy tutorial values for difficulty, loot or blood-moon options into a current server configuration and assume they still control the world.
Mods add another owner to your update plan: their author. Check the mod or overhaul author’s supported game version before moving the server, and verify whether players need matching files. A working server without a matching client mod can still leave a friend unable to join. For the installation and compatibility details, use the separate 7 Days to Die server mods guide, which covers mod types and the checks to run after an update.
Match the route to your group’s actual jobs#
Choose the route after you answer four questions: must the world run when its usual host is offline; who will apply game and operating-system updates; who will protect and restore the save; and do players need console crossplay? If a person in the group wants to own those tasks and has a spare machine, self-hosting is a reasonable choice. If your group wants the same world available without relying on that person’s PC or home router, a managed host is the cleaner fit.
Use a managed game server if nobody wants to maintain a Windows or Linux machine and you want the provider to supply the public connection. Check its control panel, region and backup controls before choosing a plan. Game Hosting is our first managed recommendation for this route because the per-plan resources are named and the panel provides settings, version selection and console controls; its servers are in Dallas, Texas.
If the group wants console crossplay, treat that as a requirement rather than a later tweak. Verify public listing, EAC, the player maximum, the crossplay setting and the no-mod rule before moving the save. If the group wants an overhaul instead, plan for PC play and check the mod author’s current supported branch. If you only want to decide between renting and owning the hardware, the separate cost comparison belongs in a focused guide rather than an estimate based on this route table.
Once everyone agrees on the route, keep one known-good backup, record the selected server branch and have one player test after a change. That small routine prevents a routine update from turning into a group-wide troubleshooting session.
Quick answers
Can you make a dedicated server in 7 Days to Die?
Yes. The dedicated-server tool is separate from the game client and can run on a Windows or Linux machine. You can host it yourself or rent a server.
What does a dedicated server mean in 7 Days to Die?
It is a separate server process that keeps the world running when the player who started it leaves. Friends can join without that player keeping a normal game session open.
Is the 7 Days to Die dedicated server free?
The server tool is separate from the paid game client, but self-hosting still uses your hardware, power and internet. A VPS or managed server has its own ongoing charge.