Arma Reforger Server Free Trial: What to Test First
Use an Arma Reforger server trial to test your real PC, Xbox or PS5 group, Workshop mods, restarts and backup recovery before paying.
You will need
- Know which platforms your group uses
- Have the Bohemia Workshop list and scenario you plan to run
- Start with a trial or paid period on the server plan you would actually keep
Yes: Game Hosting publishes a 24-hour Arma Reforger server trial without a payment card. We recommend Game Hosting’s Arma Reforger plans for a trial that lets you test the server, scenario and Workshop controls in the same panel you would keep using; the service also includes three free backup slots and a daily off-site copy. The countdown starts when the server is ready, and the world is kept for 7 days after the trial ends if you want to continue. Trial eligibility and space can vary, so check the current trial terms before you start. This guide shows what to check and what to write down; it does not promise every join, mod or recovery path will work.
Set up the trial around the group you actually have#
Start with the server you intend to keep. If your group will play on Stable with a 12 GB plan, a test on a different branch or a much smaller setup can miss the problem that matters. Write down the server plan, game branch, scenario, Workshop items, usual peak players and each platform your group uses. Choose one person to record results and one administrator who understands which world a restore could replace.
Game Hosting’s trial covers any plan of a game we host for 24 hours once its server is ready; it does not require a card. Each person can start one trial, and availability can pause when shared trial capacity is full. If you continue within the retention window, the same server and world can carry on; otherwise, the world is kept for 7 days after the trial ends. Read the current trial terms before counting on that window.
| Write this down first | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Server and client build | Stable and Experimental cannot be mixed |
| PC, Xbox and/or PS5 | A server setting does not prove each client can join |
| Scenario and mod list | A vanilla idle server is not your real workload |
| Backup and recovery owner | A save and a provider backup are different things |
For the wider host-selection checklist, see how to choose an Arma Reforger server host. Treat this trial as a chance to test your own needs, not as a published performance guarantee.
Match the Stable or Experimental build before inviting anyone#
Check the branch before troubleshooting a failed join. The latest Bohemia news listing on October 27, 2026 showed Stable 1.8.0.13, released across platforms on September 3, and Experimental 1.9.0.10 for the separate Steam and Xbox Experimental applications on September 22. Experimental is a different build from the main release; everyone joining the same server must be on a compatible track. Bohemia lists no PS5 Experimental application.
Pick the branch your group will actually use. For a mixed PC, Xbox and PS5 group, plan around the Stable application all three platforms share. Experimental can be useful for a PC and Xbox group that knowingly opts into testing, but a PS5 client cannot follow that track. Do not change branches in the middle of a test and assume a connection failure came from the host.
Record the version shown by the server and every client before your first join. If one differs, update or switch the out-of-sync client first. Recheck Bohemia’s news page before launch because game builds change, and a version listed here is only a dated snapshot.
Test a real join from every platform your group needs#
A PC connection only proves that the PC client joined. Invite the actual Xbox and PS5 players in your group on the intended build, then have each use the route they expect to use in regular sessions. Record the client platform and build, the server branch, the scenario and any error text. If one platform cannot connect, repeat once after checking the branch and server visibility; do not call a router issue before those basics match.
Bohemia’s server configuration reference uses game.crossPlatform for cross-platform play. Its default is false; true enables the supported all-platform combination. It is a setting, not a successful join test. A host’s product page or a panel toggle also cannot prove your particular account, client build, scenario and mod list work together.
If a console player cannot join, save the exact error and check the current build and cross-platform setting before changing unrelated ports. The crossplay guide explains the documented platform combinations; deeper join-error diagnosis belongs in a focused troubleshooting guide.
Load the Workshop list your group will really use#
Test the actual Bohemia Workshop items, one known compatible set at a time. Reforger uses Bohemia Workshop; it is not Steam Workshop. Check each item’s author notes, version and supported platforms. A mod appearing in a search result does not mean its current version works on every client or on both Stable and Experimental.
Console storage makes the same list a different test for different players. Bohemia says PS5 reserves 25 GB for Reforger mods in its technical statement. Xbox’s local mod pool can grow from 1 GB to 50 GB, according to the 1.7.0.41 changelog. These are client-side allocations, not a promise about the server’s disk or memory.
| Client | Storage limit to keep in view | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| PC | Check local free space and the mod’s current version | Does the server request the intended Workshop item and version? |
| Xbox | Local pool can grow from 1 GB to 50 GB | Does the full group’s mod list download and load on the actual console? |
| PS5 | 25 GB reserved for Reforger mods | Does the chosen list fit and load on the PS5 build? |
Avoid trying a made-up “50-mod” pass threshold. Ten large items can be a bigger test than many small ones. Test the group’s own list and note which item fails, its Workshop author and the client platform. Bohemia’s October 21, 2026 Experimental modding note says some mods that override vanilla UI layouts may need adjustment; it does not say every mod breaks. For a major update, repeat the test against the exact build your group will use.
Observe one representative scenario without chasing a magic FPS number#
Run one scenario with the players, AI and mods your group expects to use. A quiet server with no players is useful for confirming that it starts, but it is not a performance sample for a busy Game Master session or Conflict match. Write down the scenario, player count, AI activity, vehicle activity, mod set and time of the observation so a later check means something.
Bohemia documents -logStats for server performance statistics in its startup parameters reference. If your host exposes the relevant server log, capture the FPS, memory, players, AI and vehicles fields during the same kind of activity you plan to repeat. There is no universal FPS cutoff established by the official source; do not turn one number from one short session into a capacity promise. The server status guide covers initial status checks, while this checklist only asks you to record a representative observation.
If you cannot inspect server statistics in your plan, note that as a limitation and ask support how to access them. Do not compare two providers by CPU labels or one idle reading. A fair performance comparison needs the same build, scenario, players and mods under repeatable load.
Check restart, persistence and backup recovery safely#
First confirm what progress belongs to Arma Reforger and what belongs to the hosting provider. The current server configuration reference lists automatic saves every 10 minutes, retention of 10, and loadSessionSave: true by default, though the scenario affects what is saved. Those session saves are not a separate provider backup.
Before changing a scenario, branch or mod list, make a recoverable copy and confirm what the restore action would replace. Use a disposable trial world or a copy without progress anyone needs. Make a small change, restart the server once, and check whether the expected session state returns. If you decide to test a provider restore, record the source backup, the target server and the files or world state it replaces; stop if the restore path is unclear.
Bohemia’s 1.7.0.30 Experimental note made binary the default save format and said older save data is incompatible and ignored. That is another reason to preserve a good copy before a branch or version change. Our cheap hosting checklist has more questions to ask about backup retention and recovery before choosing a plan. This article records no successful restore test.
Judge the support answer and terms before the trial ends#
Send a specific, low-risk question early enough to use the answer. For example, ask where the panel shows the current server branch or how to confirm what a backup restore replaces. Save the question, the response and whether it solved the issue. Game Hosting publishes a response window of up to 24 hours, so a ticket sent near the end of a 24-hour trial may not be answered before that trial expires. Test the usefulness of the answer rather than expecting an instant reply.
Before starting, compare terms that affect the test itself:
| Trial detail | Check before you begin |
|---|---|
| Duration and start time | Does the timer start at signup or when the server is ready? |
| Card and eligibility | Is a payment card required, and how many trials can one person use? |
| Trial capacity | Can this plan be started now, or is access limited by available space? |
| End of trial | Does the server stop, and how long are the world and settings retained? |
| Continue or cancel | Can you keep the same server, and what happens to the data if you leave? |
The current Game Hosting trial page says the 24 hours begin when the server is ready, no payment card is needed and the world is kept for 7 days after expiry. The same page notes that shared capacity can pause trials. Those terms help you plan; they do not guarantee eligibility or a successful platform join, mod download, performance result or restore.
Decide whether the test fits your group#
Choose the host only after the real clients have joined, the current Workshop list has loaded on the platforms that matter and the recovery steps make sense to the person who will manage the server. Keep your notes: platform/build results, mod failures, one representative statistics sample, restart behavior and the terms you accepted.
If the server fails one of those checks, separate the cause before switching providers. A version mismatch, unsupported mod, console storage limit or unclear backup workflow can follow the group to another host. If everything important works for your setup, compare the plan’s current memory tier, location, panel and renewal terms in the broader Arma Reforger hosting guide before committing.
Quick answers
Is there a free trial for an Arma Reforger server?
Game Hosting publishes a 24-hour Arma Reforger trial with no payment card, subject to eligibility and available trial capacity. Check the current trial page before starting.
How long should I test a server host?
Start the platform, mod and restart checks while your trial is active. A large mod download, recovery test or support reply may take longer than one session.
What should I test on an Arma Reforger server trial?
Test the game version and real client platforms first, then your Workshop list, one representative scenario, a restart and the backup recovery steps.
Can Xbox and PS5 join an Experimental server together?
Do not assume so. The latest listed Experimental application is for Steam and Xbox; Experimental is separate from Stable, and Bohemia lists no PS5 Experimental application.