Valheim Dedicated Server Requirements and Best Specs

Valheim is one of the friendlier survival games to host — it doesn't demand the kind of hardware Rust or ARK do — but there are a few things worth getting right so your world stays smooth as it grows. This guide gives defensible specs by player count and explains what actually drives resource use.

The short answer

• RAM: 4 GB for up to ~5 players on a young world; 8 GB for larger worlds and up to ~10 players.
• CPU: 2 vCPU is enough for a small group; strong single-thread performance keeps things smooth as the world ages.
• Storage: 5–10 GB total — the server binaries are small; world saves grow slowly.

If you just want to get one running, follow how to set up a Valheim dedicated server on a VPS and come back here to size it.

RAM: sized by world, not just players

Valheim's official recommendation is modest, but memory use climbs as your world grows — more explored terrain, more structures, and more instanced objects all live in RAM. A brand-new world with two players might sit under 2 GB; the same world months later with sprawling bases uses noticeably more.

• RAM: 4 GB — small group (2–5), young or medium world.
• RAM: 6–8 GB — 6–10 players, large explored worlds, or heavy building.
• RAM: 8 GB+ — modded servers (BepInEx) or servers running alongside other workloads.

{{SCREENSHOT}}

CPU: single-thread is what matters

Valheim's simulation is largely bound by per-core performance rather than core count. Two fast cores beat four slow ones here. This becomes visible when many entities are active at once — a big raid, lots of dropped items, or dense terrain. Choose a plan with good single-thread performance rather than chasing core counts.

Storage and network

• Storage: the install is only a few hundred megabytes. World saves are small but back them up regularly — a corrupted save is the most common way people lose progress. Set an explicit -savedir and snapshot it.
• Network: Valheim is not bandwidth-heavy, but latency matters for that responsive melee feel. Pick a server region close to your players — see choosing a game server location for low ping.

Crossplay and mod overhead

Two things add a little overhead you should budget for:

• Crossplay (-crossplay) connects your server to the shared backend so Xbox/Game Pass and PC players can join together. It's worth enabling for mixed groups and costs very little in resources.
• Mods via BepInEx — popular packs like Valheim Plus change spawn rates, build limits, and more, and they increase both RAM use and the chance of instability after a game update. If you plan to mod, start at 8 GB. See the best Valheim server mods.

Recommended starting point

For a typical group of friends, an 8 GB / 2–4 vCPU NVMe VPS is the sweet spot: it handles crossplay, a decent-sized world, and a light mod list without breaking a sweat. If your group is small and vanilla, 4 GB is genuinely fine. For a wider comparison across titles, see how much RAM and CPU a game server needs.

FAQ

How much RAM does a Valheim dedicated server need?

4 GB comfortably runs a small group on a young world. Step up to 8 GB for larger worlds, more players, or mods. Valheim's memory use grows with the world, so size for where you'll be in a few months.

Is 2 GB enough for a Valheim server?

It can technically start, but a growing world with more than a couple of players will run into memory pressure. 4 GB is the realistic minimum for a smooth experience.

Does Valheim need a good CPU or lots of RAM?

Both matter, but the smoothness of the simulation depends most on single-thread CPU performance. Get enough RAM for your world size, then prioritise a high-clock CPU.

How much storage does a Valheim server use?

Very little — the binaries are a few hundred MB and saves are small. Reserve 5–10 GB and back up your world folder regularly.

Ready to pick a plan? Compare memory and CPU tiers on our pricing page, or jump straight into game server hosting built on NVMe.