How to Host a Palworld Server for Free
Palworld dedicated servers require substantial RAM and CPU resources. Here is the honest, technical guide to self-hosting a Palworld server on your own computer or setting up a free cloud VPS without paying monthly hosting fees.
Beware of Fake "Free Palworld Server" Advertisements
Palworld servers demand at least 12–16 GB RAM to operate stably. Commercial hosting providers rarely offer high-spec servers for free without hidden catches (such as 1-hour trial limits or severe queueing). Self-hosting on your PC or using Oracle's Free Cloud Tier are the only 24/7 legitimate free options.
Legitimate Free Hosting Options Compared
Self-Hosting on Home PC
Run the official Palworld Dedicated Server software or Palworld Server Manager alongside your game on your Windows PC.
- Full admin rights, instant modding, zero lag for host
- Uses your existing PC RAM (16GB+ recommended)
- Server goes offline when host turns off their PC
- Requires Router Port Forwarding (UDP 8211)
Oracle Cloud Always Free Tier
Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) provides an Always Free Ampere ARM instance with 4 ARM CPU Cores and 24 GB RAM.
- True 24/7 online server with huge 24 GB RAM allocation
- Friends can play anytime without host being online
- Requires Linux Box command line setup & Box64 for ARM
- Free capacity in popular cloud regions can be limited
Step-by-Step Free Home PC Hosting Overview
Download SteamCMD or Palworld Server Manager
Download our free Palworld Server Manager GUI app, or install SteamCMD manually to fetch App ID 2394010.
Configure PalWorldSettings.ini
Customize your server password, world difficulty, XP multiplier, and player limit using our interactive Settings Generator.
Forward UDP Port 8211 on Your Router
Access your home Wi-Fi router settings and forward port UDP 8211 to your local PC's IP address. Use our Port Checker Tool to verify.
Share Public IP with Friends
Find your public IP address and share YOUR_PUBLIC_IP:8211 with your friends so they can join via direct connection!
Free Palworld Hosting FAQ
Can I host a Palworld server completely for free?
Yes! You can host a Palworld server for free by running the Palworld Dedicated Server software directly on your home Windows PC or by utilizing Oracle Cloud's Always Free ARM Ampere VPS tier which provides 4 OCPUs and 24 GB RAM.
How much RAM do I need for a free Palworld server?
For 1 to 4 players, 12 GB to 16 GB of RAM is required. Palworld dedicated servers have a known memory leak issue, so hosting with less than 12 GB RAM will result in frequent server crashes.
Are third-party 'Free Palworld Hosting' websites safe?
Be cautious. Many third-party sites advertising 'free Palworld hosting' offer severely throttled 2GB RAM instances that crash instantly, or force users to complete spam surveys. Self-hosting via SteamCMD or Oracle Cloud is the safest method.
Can Xbox Game Pass and Steam players join the same free server?
Palworld dedicated servers support Steam and Xbox crossplay if crossplay settings are enabled in PalWorldSettings.ini and the server port is forwarded correctly.