Best Arma Reforger Server Hosting: How to Choose a Host
Compare Arma Reforger server hosting by CPU, memory, crossplay, console mod limits, saves and support before choosing a host.
You will need
- Know which platforms your group plays on
- Estimate your usual peak group size and mod list
If you want a managed Arma Reforger server hosting plan with a clearly stated memory tier, named CPU and a no-card trial, we recommend Game Hosting’s Arma Reforger plans. Its current plans run in Dallas and the published offer includes a 24-hour trial; LoafHosts is a stronger fit if you need its deeper Reforger-specific troubleshooting tools or more location choices. This guide helps you compare the parts that affect your group: hardware disclosure, crossplay, mods, saves and who handles updates.
Decide whether your group actually needs managed hosting#
A spare PC can be enough when a small group plays together, one person can leave the machine and network available, and that person is happy to maintain updates, configuration and backups. It costs no hosting subscription, but the host’s electricity, upload connection and time are part of the deal. Our free Arma Reforger server hosting comparison weighs that work against short provider trials. The dedicated server guide maps the self-host route from installation through updates. The game client and server also share the PC’s resources if you play on the same machine.
Still deciding whether to run the server yourself or rent it? Our Arma Reforger hosting route guide compares a home PC, VPS and managed server by ownership and upkeep.
Managed hosting makes more sense when the owner should be able to leave, friends play at different hours, or your group includes console players. Xbox and PlayStation players cannot run the dedicated server software themselves; a dedicated server lets the group connect without one player keeping a gaming session open. Renting a server does not make a slow console or client run better, though. It only changes where the shared world runs.
Still deciding between a public match, PC-hosted session and dedicated server? Our guide to every way to play Arma Reforger with friends compares those routes before you choose a host.
| Your situation | Likely fit | What you still manage |
|---|---|---|
| Small group, same hours, willing PC owner | Self-hosted server | Machine, internet, updates, config and copies of saves |
| Mixed PC, Xbox and PS5 group | Managed dedicated server or a carefully maintained PC server | Crossplay setting, compatible version and mod list |
| Persistent community with rotating admins | Managed dedicated server | Admin identities, rules, mod approval and recovery plan |
If you are still checking whether everyone can play together, use our guide to Arma Reforger crossplay on PC, Xbox and PS5. It explains the server’s all-platform setting, console Workshop limits and the stable-version rule before you choose a plan.
For a managed plan, start with the service’s documented resources and workflow. On our current Arma Reforger page you can compare memory plans and see the published controls before deciding whether the Dallas location suits your players.
If you are considering a slot-based provider specifically, our Host Havoc plans and alternatives guide compares its 40-slot offer, memory add-ons, support and backup details with published RAM-tier plans.
Compare named CPUs without trusting a frequency claim#
Look for the processor model and the amount of CPU time or threads assigned to the plan. A GHz number by itself does not tell you how a busy Reforger scenario will perform: CPU generations differ, and the number says nothing about the host’s allocation policy. “Up to” hardware wording also does not establish what your server receives.
Game Hosting lists a Ryzen 9 9900X and four CPU threads per plan. LoafHosts lists Ryzen 9 7950X or 9950X processors and allocates CPU cores by plan. Those disclosures help you ask better questions, but threads and cores are not interchangeable units, and neither spec is a comparative benchmark. We have not measured both services under the same scenario, mod set, player count and location, so there is no honest basis here to call either one faster.
Before paying, ask a provider what its CPU figure means for your server and how to inspect server status and quick checks after launch. Bohemia’s server configuration reference documents server-side controls; our Arma Reforger config.json field guide maps the file’s blocks and defaults. A provider’s hardware page documents its own advertised allocation. Neither substitutes for a test using your real workload.
Compare Arma Reforger server hosting by memory, not slots#
Start with a published RAM amount. Slot counts are a poor substitute because they do not tell you how much memory the instance receives. The dedicated server configuration accepts a technical maxPlayers value from 1 to 128, but that range is not a promise that a particular plan can sustain 128 players. Scenario, mods and what players do in the world all affect the load.
For a simple shortlist, compare plans with the same memory and monthly billing period first. The table uses an 8 GB plan as a comparison unit, not a recommendation that every group needs exactly 8 GB. Prices change and belong on each provider’s current plan page; check renewal terms and the complete checkout total there. For a workload-based way to choose a tier, see our Arma Reforger RAM sizing guide; its population bands are starting recommendations, not measured capacity claims. If you are considering slot-based billing, this Nitrado plan and alternatives comparison explains why slot prices do not disclose a matching RAM tier.
| Host | Published 8 GB plan details | Useful distinction to weigh |
|---|---|---|
| Game Hosting | 8 GB, Ryzen 9 9900X, four CPU threads, Dallas | Memory and CPU allocation are stated; current service region is Dallas |
| LoafHosts | 8 GB, four CPU cores, 30 GB storage; Ryzen 9 7950X/9950X listed | More published Reforger-specific panel tools and five listed locations |
The RAM amount matches, but the CPU allocations are described differently and the panel workflows differ. This is a narrow plan comparison, not a market ranking or proof of equal performance. If a provider sells by slots, ask it to state the memory attached to the exact plan before treating it as comparable.
Check the Arma-specific panel workflow before buying#
Reforger has details that a generic “supports mods” claim can hide. Ask how the service handles the server’s scenario, Workshop items, crossplay, administrators and configuration. Then confirm the actual game build your group will use.
If you are sorting out moderator permissions before choosing a control panel, our reference to Arma Reforger admin commands that work explains the role matrix and the difference between a session player ID and a persistent IdentityId.
If you are still choosing the game mode for your community, our guide to Arma Reforger scenarios compares the official options and explains how to verify a safe scenario change.
| Detail | What to verify |
|---|---|
| Crossplay | game.crossPlatform must be enabled for the dedicated server to accept PC, Xbox and PS5 clients together; the setting defaults to false. Bohemia recommends using this setting alone rather than combining it with supportedPlatforms. |
| Stable vs Experimental | Stable is 1.8.0.13 as checked on 8 Oct 2026. Experimental 1.9.0.10 is a separate branch and cannot join main-version servers. The latest Experimental update lists Steam and Xbox apps; no current PlayStation Experimental release is listed. |
| Workshop | Reforger uses Bohemia Workshop, not Steam Workshop. Confirm that the panel accepts Workshop mod IDs and lets you review dependencies and pinned versions before a restart. |
| Console storage | PlayStation 5 has 25 GB for persistent Workshop mods; Xbox has 50 GB. A list that fits a PC may exceed a console player’s limit. |
| Admins | The official server configuration supports IdentityIds and Steam IDs. Check that the panel can represent the identifiers your admins use, including console identities. |
| Ports and RCON | The main game port is UDP 2001 by default; A2S on 17777 and native RCON on 19999 are optional defaults. Native Reforger RCON is distinct from BattlEye RCON used by other games such as Arma 3. |
| JSON | The server config is JSON. Ask whether the panel validates it and shows an actionable error before applying a bad file. |
The server config and server management documentation are the authoritative references for keys, identifiers and ports. Treat a mismatch between a player’s version and the server’s branch as a compatibility issue first, not a hosting performance problem.
Confirm how saves and updates are protected#
Bohemia’s documented persistence defaults save every 10 minutes, retain 10 saves and load the latest save on startup. Those are server defaults, not a backup guarantee from the host. A restorable backup is a separate copy with a known recovery path.
Before changing a scenario, switching branches or replacing a mod collection, find out what the provider copies, how long it keeps the copy and how you restore it. Ask whether a restore replaces the current world or can be downloaded first. Keep a copy of the server configuration and mod IDs as well; a save without its matching scenario and mod context may not be enough to resume cleanly.
For a closer look at how the session save differs from a host backup, see our guide to Arma Reforger server persistence.
The 1.7 update changed the save format. That is a good reason to preserve a recoverable copy before major version changes and to read the current release notes before moving a live community between branches. Experimental updates may also require mod authors to update their content.
Choose a host that fits how your group plays#
For groups that want a managed server with a published memory tier, a named CPU and an included 24-hour trial without a card, Game Hosting is our recommended option. It offers Arma Reforger controls through its game panel and a Dallas region. Its limitation is geographic: choose it only if that region makes sense for your group. The trial is 24 hours, not a multi-day refund window.
LoafHosts is worth considering if you value a deeper Reforger-specific toolset. Its current product page lists mod dependency and version controls, boot troubleshooting, crash-dump reading, RCON ban storage, scenario rotation and Discord alerts. It also lists five locations and a three-day refund policy. Those are provider-published features; we have not run the same server workload through both panels. Check the current terms and confirm any tool your community depends on before purchase.
| Choose based on | Game Hosting | LoafHosts |
|---|---|---|
| Published memory and CPU | Named CPU, thread allocation and memory tiers | CPU model and plan core counts listed |
| Reforger panel depth | Scenario, mods, settings, player and backup controls are documented on the product page | More specialized diagnostics and mod-management features listed |
| Location choice | Dallas | New York, Dallas, Los Angeles, Frankfurt and Sydney listed |
| Trial or refund | Free 24-hour trial without a card | Three-day refund policy; this is not the same as a trial |
This is a focused shortlist of two current managed options, not a claim that one host wins every scenario. We recommend Game Hosting for the clearly published plan details and no-card trial; LoafHosts has the edge if its extra troubleshooting controls or broader locations matter more to your group. For the server-side Workshop steps after you choose, see our Arma Reforger mod installation guide. If you want the bigger picture of Workshop, player downloads and console compatibility, read our guide to how Arma Reforger mods work across servers and consoles.
Check these details before you rent#
Use this short list when you compare a third provider or confirm a plan:
- Match the stable or Experimental branch to the build your group plays. Do not mix them.
- Compare explicit RAM amounts and monthly terms, not slot labels alone.
- Confirm
crossPlatformand verify that the mod list fits console storage. - Ask how scenarios, Workshop dependencies, admin identities and JSON changes are handled in the panel.
- Read the backup retention and restore steps before changing a live world.
- Check the service region against your players and compare trial and refund terms separately.
The right best server hosting for Arma Reforger choice is the one that fits your platforms and gives your community a recovery plan you understand. If a managed option fits, compare the current Game Hosting plan details with the checklist above before you commit.
Quick answers
Which server hosting is best for Arma Reforger?
There is no universal fastest host without comparable workload tests. Game Hosting is our recommended managed option for a published RAM tier, named CPU and a 24-hour trial; LoafHosts documents deeper Reforger-specific troubleshooting tools and more locations.
How much does it cost to host an Arma Reforger server?
Compare the same memory tier, monthly billing period and currency, then check the current plan page for the exact total and terms. Our [Arma Reforger server cost guide](/blog/arma-reforger/arma-reforger-server-cost/) has a dated price snapshot.
Can PC, Xbox and PS5 play on the same Arma Reforger server?
Yes, on the main game version when the server enables cross-platform play. Experimental is a separate, incompatible version.