# Best ARK server hosting: how to choose

> What a good ARK: Survival Ascended host gets right: enough RAM, a server console players can find, CurseForge mods and daily restarts. Where we fall short.

By the Wilderack Crew. Last reviewed 2026-11-13.

_ARK: Survival Ascended is a trademark of Studio Wildcard. Wilderack is not affiliated with or endorsed by Studio Wildcard._

ARK: Survival Ascended is one of the heaviest game servers there is, and most of your friends may join from a PlayStation or Xbox. RAM, the in-game server list and CurseForge mods matter more than the price on the first month. Here is what to check before you pay anyone, us included.

**A note before you read:** Wilderack sells ARK servers, so this is a guide from a host, not a neutral review. Every fact about ARK links the guide it comes from, and those guides cite Studio Wildcard's own documentation. We name no other hosts, and one section says where we fall short.

## Three ways to run a ARK server

### Play on an unofficial server

Open Join Game, pick Unofficial and choose a server from the list.

- Cost: Free
- Friends can play without you: Always, run by its owner
- Who can join: Anyone who finds it, on PC, PlayStation and Xbox
- What you do: None, but the owner sets the rates, the mods and the rules

### Run the free server yourself

The dedicated server installs free from Steam, for personal use.

- Cost: Free, plus a PC with plenty of RAM that stays on
- Friends can play without you: While that computer is on
- Who can join: Anyone who finds it in the list, once your router forwards the ports
- What you do: Config files, mods, updates, restarts and backups are yours

### Rent a server

A dedicated ARK server in a data center, with a panel to run it.

- Cost: From $53.99 a month, or $71.99 a month for the World tree 16 GB always-on we recommend
- Friends can play without you: Always on
- Who can join: From Join Game and Unofficial on every platform, or with open and your address in the PC console
- What you do: None to install. Updates, backups and DDoS protection are handled

## What to look for in a ARK host

The checks that matter for every game, from ping to refunds: https://wilderack.com/best-game-server-hosting/

### RAM for a heavy server

An ARK server needs 12 GB for a few friends on The Island without mods and 16 GB for most groups. Big maps, many mods or a busy server full of tames need 24 to 32 GB. Details: https://wilderack.com/wiki/ark-survival-ascended/performance/

On Wilderack (Yes): Plans are sold by RAM, not player slots. We recommend World tree 16 GB always-on, and Grove 12 GB always-on suits a few friends without mods.

### A server console players can find

PlayStation and Xbox players can only join from the in-game list of unofficial servers. A server that sleeps drops out of that list, and nobody on a console can join it. Details: https://wilderack.com/wiki/ark-survival-ascended/getting-started/

On Wilderack (Yes): ARK servers stay awake by default. If your whole group plays on PC, you can turn sleep on in Settings.

### Crossplay that stays on

A PC-hosted server takes players from Steam, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S together, as long as crossplay is on and every mod comes from CurseForge. Details: https://wilderack.com/wiki/ark-survival-ascended/how-to-connect/

On Wilderack (Yes): Servers let every platform join unless you change that in Settings.

### CurseForge mods by project number

ARK: Survival Ascended doesn’t use the Steam Workshop. Each mod is a CurseForge project, the server downloads it by its number on every start, and players get it when they join. Premium mods are bought by each player. Details: https://wilderack.com/wiki/ark-survival-ascended/mods/

On Wilderack (Yes): Add mods by their CurseForge project numbers in Settings. The server downloads and updates them each time it starts.

### Restarts and limits for a growing world

Tames, buildings and wild creatures pile up as a world grows, and a long-running server slowly uses more memory. A daily restart and tame limits keep it smooth. Details: https://wilderack.com/wiki/ark-survival-ascended/performance/

On Wilderack (Yes): Add the Daily restart with warnings preset in Schedules. Tame limits are in the server’s GameUserSettings.ini, in Files.

### Backups and your own world

An ARK world is a .ark file for each map, plus files for every player and tribe. A PC single-player world can move to a server. A console world can’t, because consoles don’t give access to saves. Details: https://wilderack.com/wiki/ark-survival-ascended/backups/

On Wilderack (Yes): Backups every 10 minutes while the server runs and before every risky step. Bring a PC world in Games, Bring your world.

### Admin commands you can use

Running an ARK server happens through admin commands as much as through settings: fixing a stuck tame, clearing wild creatures with DestroyWildDinos, kicking and banning. Details: https://wilderack.com/wiki/ark-survival-ascended/admin-commands/

On Wilderack (Yes): Your server comes with its own admin password, which you can read in the panel, and the panel’s Console runs commands without joining. Our admin commands guide lists the ones owners use most.

## What a cheap ARK server costs

| Group | Plan | Monthly | 3-day pass |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 10 players | Grove 12 GB always-on | $53.99 | $10.85 |
| Up to 20 players | World tree 16 GB always-on (recommended) | $71.99 | $14.45 |
| Up to 40 players, modded | World tree 24 GB always-on | $107.99 | $21.65 |
| Up to 70 players, modded | World tree 32 GB always-on | $143.99 | $28.85 |

Monthly plans renew at the price shown and can be canceled any time. A 3-day pass is a one-time payment that doesn't renew. Prices in US dollars + applicable taxes.

There is no truly cheap ARK server: Grove 12 GB always-on is the smallest plan that runs one well, for a few friends on The Island without mods. Most groups want World tree 16 GB always-on, and big maps with many mods need more.

## Where Wilderack falls short

- ARK orders aren’t open yet. ARK: Survival Ascended's server license allows personal, non-commercial use only, and its publisher lets just one company rent ARK servers. ARK opens on Wilderack only if we obtain a commercial hosting license.
- We can’t rent servers that run on a PlayStation or Xbox. Your server runs on a PC, and console players join it through crossplay.
- No region is open yet: US East and Europe are coming soon. Groups in Asia, Oceania or South America will have higher ping than with a host nearby.
- We are new, so we can’t show you years of uptime yet. A 3-day pass is the cheap way to try us first.

## Questions and answers

### How much RAM does an ARK Survival Ascended server need?

At least 12 GB for a few friends with no mods, and 16 GB for most groups. Big maps, many mods, or a server full of tames and bases need 24 to 32 GB.

### Can PlayStation and Xbox players join a rented ARK server?

Yes. They open Join Game, pick Unofficial and search for the server’s name. They can’t join by address, so the server has to be awake and in the list.

### Do my friends need to install the server’s mods?

No. The game downloads the server’s CurseForge mods when they join, on PC, PlayStation and Xbox. Premium mods are the exception, because each player has to buy those first.

## Sources

- [Dedicated server setup](https://ark.wiki.gg/wiki/Dedicated_server_setup), ARK Official Community Wiki
- [Console commands](https://ark.wiki.gg/wiki/Console_commands), ARK Official Community Wiki
- [Server configuration](https://ark.wiki.gg/wiki/Server_configuration), ARK Official Community Wiki
- [ARK premium mods](https://support.curseforge.com/en/support/solutions/articles/9000235469-ark-premium-mods), CurseForge
- [ARK Survival Ascended mods](https://www.curseforge.com/ark-survival-ascended), CurseForge

Plans and prices: https://wilderack.com/ark-survival-ascended-server-hosting/

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Canonical page: https://wilderack.com/best-ark-survival-ascended-server-hosting/
How we write and check our guides: https://wilderack.com/company/editorial-policy/
Corrections: support@wilderack.com