Arma Reforger Private Server: Password, Cost & Setup
Choose an Arma Reforger private server: compare PC hosting, home setup and rental, then split the monthly bill without treating players as a cap.
You will need
- Each player has Arma Reforger installed and updated
- A list of the platforms your friends use
- An estimate of who will share the recurring bill
An Arma Reforger private server can use a join password while staying visible in the server browser; hiding the listing is optional, and the admin list is not a whitelist. You can host one short session from a PC, maintain a dedicated server at home, or rent one so the world does not depend on a friend keeping a computer running. This guide compares those routes, explains the PC, Xbox and PS5 compatibility checks, and shows how to split the monthly bill without confusing contributors with player capacity.
If your group wants a persistent world without maintaining a home machine, we recommend Game Hosting’s Arma Reforger plans: the service includes three free backup slots, and its panel documents password, scenario, crossplay and admin controls. The sections below explain when that managed route fits and what to check before choosing it.
What makes an Arma Reforger server private?#
A join password controls who can enter; the visibility setting controls whether the server appears in the public browser; the admin list grants management privileges. They do different jobs. Bohemia’s server configuration reference documents the game password and browser visibility settings, while admins are trusted operators rather than invited-player names.
| Control | What it changes | What it does not do |
|---|---|---|
| Join password | Requires the right credential to enter | Hide the server from search |
| Browser visibility | Shows or hides the listing | Prove that a console can connect by address |
| Admin list | Grants administrative actions | Restrict ordinary players to an invite list |
For a mixed PC and console group, a visible listing with a unique join password is the lower-friction default. Friends can find the same server name, then use the password to get in. If you hide it, official documentation only establishes that it no longer appears in the browser. It does not establish that Xbox or PS5 players can use a Direct Join path to reach it, so do not make that behavior part of your plan.
Keep the join password separate from any administrative credential. Give the join password only to the group, and limit admin access to people you trust with server controls. If someone can enter but cannot manage settings, that is expected: access and administration are separate. The dedicated setup guide owns the exact configuration fields; this guide is about choosing the right privacy model.
Can Xbox and PS5 friends join the same private server?#
Yes, a dedicated Arma Reforger server can host a cross-platform group when cross-platform play is enabled. Bohemia lists PC, Xbox and PS5 as supported cross-play platforms, but the in-game player-hosted session is PC-only. That makes a dedicated server the route to consider when a console player needs to join a friend’s persistent world.
| Group setup | Host route | Main check |
|---|---|---|
| Everyone is on PC for one evening | PC player-hosted session | The host stays in the session |
| PC, Xbox and/or PS5 share a world | Dedicated server | Cross-platform enabled, compatible builds, visible listing and password |
| Console-only owners want to host from the game menu | Not supported as player-hosting | Ask a PC player to host temporarily or use a dedicated server |
Keep everyone on the same stable game version. The latest stable update listed when checked for this guide is 1.8.0.13, released September 3, 2026. The newer 1.9.0.10 build is Experimental and Bohemia’s September 24 notice names the Steam and Xbox Experimental applications. Experimental is a separate test channel; a player on it should not be expected to join friends on stable. Check the official Reforger news index and each client’s update channel before a planned session.
Cross-platform support does not guarantee that every mod works on every console. Start with a vanilla official scenario, confirm that each friend joins, then add only the Workshop content your platform mix can use. If a server is missing from one player’s browser, check the server’s visibility, cross-platform setting, build and required content before changing passwords or resetting a world.
Choose how your group will host#
Pick a route based on who owns the machine and who handles maintenance. If you want a persistent group world without keeping a home PC on or managing server files, Game Hosting’s Arma Reforger plans are the managed route to consider: its current page lists 8 GB, 12 GB and 16 GB monthly options, the panel documents password, scenario, crossplay and admin controls, and the service includes three backup slots. Those controls make routine group management available in one panel; they do not make incompatible mods compatible or prove an untested console connection.
If you still need the broader route comparison, start with every way to play with friends; this page focuses on private access and splitting the bill.
| Route | Good fit when | You are responsible for |
|---|---|---|
| PC menu-hosted session | The group is meeting at once and a PC friend can host | Keeping the host in the session and sharing the correct server entry |
| Home dedicated server | Someone wants control and has suitable hardware and a stable network | Installation, firewall and port setup, updates, configuration and recovery copies |
| Rented dedicated server | Players join at different times or the owner wants to leave the game | Choosing a plan and maintaining compatible settings, versions and mods |
The temporary PC route is the easiest free starting point, but it is not a persistent dedicated world. A home server trades the monthly rental for equipment, electricity, network work and your time. Renting trades those chores for a recurring bill and a provider’s panel. Compare the exact setup effort you are willing to own rather than assuming that one route is automatically cheaper for every group.
Before you rent, check the live product page and checkout for current price, billing term, resources and included controls. Plan player recommendations are guidance, not a hard capacity limit or a measured result for your scenario. AI count, map, mods and actual server load all affect the experience; a plan label alone cannot promise a player count.
Split the monthly bill by the people paying#
Game Hosting’s current published monthly prices are $19.99 for 8 GB, $26.99 for 12 GB and $34.99 for 16 GB. If four friends agree to contribute equally, that works out to about $5.00, $6.75 or $8.75 per person per month. This is bill arithmetic only: the number of payers does not establish how many players a plan can support.
| Monthly plan price | 2 contributors | 4 contributors | 8 contributors |
|---|---|---|---|
| $19.99 | $10.00 each | $5.00 each | $2.50 each |
| $26.99 | $13.50 each | $6.75 each | $3.37 each |
| $34.99 | $17.50 each | $8.75 each | $4.37 each |
Use the recurring price for the billing interval you actually choose, then agree who handles renewals and what happens if a contributor leaves. Rounding can leave a few cents to assign to the organizer. If one friend pays first and collects later, decide whether that person is comfortable carrying the full charge if someone forgets. Annual billing can change the amount due today and when the next charge occurs, so check the current checkout rather than dividing an introductory offer as if it were the monthly renewal.
For the broader comparison of recurring costs and what a price does not tell you, read what a server costs per month. Keep its player-capacity caveat in mind when you compare a memory tier with a slot recommendation.
Set up a simple private Game Master or Combat Ops night#
For a first private session, choose an official scenario everyone already has, leave the listing visible, set a join password, enable cross-platform play for a mixed group and keep only a couple of trusted people on the admin list. Game Master and Combat Ops are suitable official starting points; decide the scenario before inviting everyone so players know what they are joining.
- Choose the scenario and platform mix. Agree on Game Master or Combat Ops and list whether the group uses PC, Xbox or PS5. Start without mods so you can isolate basic connection problems.
- Use a visible listing and join password. Share the exact server name and password privately. Visibility helps console players find the entry; the password gates entry.
- Enable cross-platform play when needed. Keep it on for a PC/Xbox/PS5 group and confirm everyone is on the same stable build. Cross-platform is not a workaround for a client on Experimental.
- Add only trusted admins. Admins can manage the server; they are not the list of players allowed to join. Do not hand out administrative credentials with the group password.
- Have each player confirm the same entry. Check server name, scenario and successful join before adding mods or changing privacy settings.
If friends cannot find the server, first compare their build and the server’s cross-platform setting, then check whether the listing is visible and whether required content finished downloading. A wrong password usually points to an entry credential problem, not a reason to grant more people admin rights. The exact server-name and password fields belong in a focused configuration walkthrough; keep this decision guide centered on privacy and access expectations.
Keep versions and mods compatible across the group#
Treat mods as a group-wide compatibility decision, not as a server-only switch. Bohemia Workshop content may support different platforms, and console storage differs from PC. Bohemia’s current multiplayer support page describes cross-play and platform differences; its documented storage allocation is 25 GB on PS5, while Xbox storage can grow from 1 GB up to 50 GB. That is an upper allocation, not a promise that every console has 50 GB free.
Before adding a mod, check its Workshop page for current version, dependencies and platform support, then ask each player whether the required content can download and fit. Do not assume that an Xbox or PS5 friend can join because a PC client downloaded the same item. If you name or recommend a mod, credit its Workshop author; this guide does not endorse a particular mod.
Keep clients and server on the same release channel. A mod updated for a newer build, an Experimental client mixed with stable friends, or a required dependency unavailable on one platform can block entry. Add one change at a time and have the group confirm it works before extending the mod list. This makes it easier to identify which content introduced the mismatch.
Do not change a live scenario just to test a mod combination. Persistence and configuration may be affected by updates or scenario changes. For a first compatibility check, use a fresh test session or a known recovery copy rather than risking the group’s established save.
Keep the private world recoverable#
Persistence keeps the world state between sessions; a backup is a separate recovery copy. Before changing scenarios, changing a mod set, applying an update or restoring a copy, confirm that a usable backup exists and that you know how to recover it. A saved world is not the same thing as a tested backup, and three available slots do not prove that a particular restore will succeed.
Game Hosting’s current service page documents three backup slots and controls to restore or download them. Treat that as an available product feature, not a guarantee that this guide tested a restore. Check which copy is current, what it contains and what the panel says will be replaced before applying it. If the server matters to your group, keep a separate copy before a risky change and agree who has permission to restore it.
Avoid wiping persistence or swapping scenarios as a generic troubleshooting step. First identify the symptom: one player missing the listing points toward visibility, cross-platform or version checks; a rejected join points toward credentials or required content; a world-state problem calls for a recovery plan. Change one cause at a time, and only restore after confirming the target copy and recovery route.
For a concise first plan, use a visible server with a private join password, keep everyone on stable and compatible content, choose either a temporary PC host or a dedicated route that matches your schedule, and agree on the recurring bill before inviting the group. If you want someone else to keep the dedicated world available, compare the current Arma Reforger hosting options with what your organizer is willing to maintain at home.
Quick answers
How much does an Arma Reforger private server cost?
Game Hosting currently lists monthly plans at $19.99 for 8 GB, $26.99 for 12 GB and $34.99 for 16 GB. Divide the plan price by the people who agree to pay; that does not set a player limit.
Can you make an Arma Reforger server on Xbox or PS5?
The in-game player-hosted session is PC-only. A dedicated server can accept PC, Xbox and PS5 players when cross-platform play is enabled and clients and required mods are compatible.
Can I make a private Arma Reforger server for free?
A PC player can host a temporary session from the game without renting a dedicated server. A home dedicated server may also avoid a hosting bill, but its hardware, network, setup and upkeep remain yours.
Can Xbox or PS5 players Direct Join a hidden server?
Official documentation confirms that hiding a server removes it from the browser, but it does not confirm console Direct Join to a hidden listing. For mixed-platform groups, keep it visible and protect entry with a join password.