# Best Squad server hosting: how to choose > What a good Squad host gets right: Offworld’s licensing rules, fast cores for 100 players, Workshop mods and an admin list that’s safe. Where we fall short. By the Wilderack Crew. Last reviewed 2026-11-13. _Squad is a trademark of Offworld Industries Ltd. Wilderack is not affiliated with or endorsed by Offworld Industries Ltd._ A Squad server keeps 100 players in step, so fast CPU cores matter more than a big plan, and Offworld decides which servers can be licensed. Those rules come first. Here is what to check before you pay anyone, us included. **A note before you read:** Wilderack sells Squad servers, so this is a guide from a host, not a neutral review. Every fact about Squad links the guide it comes from, and those guides cite Offworld Industries's own documentation. We name no other hosts, and one section says where we fall short. ## Three ways to run a Squad server ### Play on a public server Open the server browser and pick a licensed or custom server. - Cost: Free - Friends can play without you: Always, run by its owner - Who can join: Anyone who finds it - What you do: None, but the owner sets the layers, rules and admins ### Run the dedicated server yourself Offworld’s dedicated server is free on Steam, with no login needed, for Windows and Linux. - Cost: Free, plus a computer with fast cores that stays on - Friends can play without you: While that computer is on - Who can join: Anyone who finds it under Custom Servers, once your router forwards the ports - What you do: Config files, admins, mods, updates and backups are yours ### Rent a server A dedicated Squad server in a data center, with a panel to run it. - Cost: From $35.99 a month, or $53.99 a month for the Grove 12 GB always-on we recommend - Friends can play without you: Always on - Who can join: From the server browser, under Custom Servers, by searching for the server’s name - What you do: None to install. Updates, backups and DDoS protection are handled ## What to look for in a Squad host The checks that matter for every game, from ping to refunds: https://wilderack.com/best-game-server-hosting/ ### Offworld’s rules on hosting Squad’s license rules out running servers commercially, Offworld names the hosting companies it trusts, and its licensing rules don’t accept servers in virtual machines. Details: https://wilderack.com/wiki/squad/getting-started/ On Wilderack (Not yet): We open Squad only once Offworld makes us a hosting partner and approves our hardware. Until then, Squad orders stay closed. ### Fast cores for 100 players The server runs most of a match on one main thread. When it falls behind, players see rubber-banding and late hits. Details: https://wilderack.com/wiki/squad/performance/ On Wilderack (With a catch): Plans are sold by RAM, not player slots. We recommend Grove 12 GB always-on, and Grove 8 GB always-on suits seeding or 50 players. We’ll measure full matches on our machines before we open. ### Workshop mods Mods come from the Steam Workshop, load from SquadGame/Plugins/Mods, and every player needs the same ones. Map mods only play once their layers are in your rotation. Details: https://wilderack.com/wiki/squad/mods/ On Wilderack (Yes): Add Workshop IDs in Settings and the server downloads them on each start, with no Steam login. Set the load order in Settings too. ### Admins and bans you can’t lose Admins.cfg holds your admin groups and Bans.cfg every ban given in game. Losing Bans.cfg lets banned players back in. Details: https://wilderack.com/wiki/squad/backups/ On Wilderack (Yes): Backups every 10 minutes while the server runs, with every config file, and earlier versions of each file in Files. ### Rotation and rules without the file Server.cfg sets the queue, reserved slots, tags and how the next layer is picked. A typo in a layer ID makes the server skip it. Details: https://wilderack.com/wiki/squad/config-reference/ On Wilderack (Yes): Name, queue, reserved slots, tags, rotation mode and team switching are in Settings. ### A server that stays listed Players find Squad servers in the browser, and a server that isn’t running drops out of it. Details: https://wilderack.com/wiki/squad/how-to-connect/ On Wilderack (Yes): Squad servers stay on all the time, on always-on plans. ## What a cheap Squad server costs | Group | Plan | Monthly | 3-day pass | |---|---|---|---| | Up to 50 players | Grove 8 GB always-on | $35.99 | $7.25 | | Up to 100 players | Grove 12 GB always-on (recommended) | $53.99 | $10.85 | | Up to 100 players, modded | World tree 16 GB always-on | $71.99 | $14.45 | 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. A cheap Squad server is a small one: Grove 8 GB always-on runs seeding and matches up to about 50 players. Full 100-player matches need Grove 12 GB always-on, and big mods want more. ## Where Wilderack falls short - Squad orders aren’t open yet. Squad's license rules out running it commercially, Offworld Industries names the hosting companies it trusts, and its licensing rules don't accept servers in virtual machines. Squad opens on Wilderack once Offworld makes us a hosting partner. - We can’t offer licensed Squad servers until Offworld approves our hardware. Until then, a Squad server on Wilderack would be listed under Custom Servers. - 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 a Squad server need? At least 8 GB, which is also Offworld’s minimum for a licensed server. 12 GB suits a full 100-player match, and servers with big mods do best on 16 GB. ### What is a licensed Squad server? One Offworld has licensed, listed in the main server browser and bound by its licensing rules, like at least 10 admins and no paid gameplay perks. Unlicensed servers are listed under Custom Servers. ### Do players need to download my Squad server’s mods? Yes. Every player subscribes to the same mods on the Steam Workshop before joining. A Workshop collection with all your mods makes that one link. ## Sources - [Server Licensing and Administration Policies](https://www.joinsquad.com/server-licensing-and-administration-policies), Offworld Industries - [Server Configuration](https://squad.fandom.com/wiki/Server_Configuration), Official Squad Wiki - [Squad on Steam](https://store.steampowered.com/app/393380/Squad/), Valve - [Squad Workshop](https://steamcommunity.com/app/393380/workshop/), Steam Plans and prices: https://wilderack.com/squad-server-hosting/ --- Canonical page: https://wilderack.com/best-squad-server-hosting/ How we write and check our guides: https://wilderack.com/company/editorial-policy/ Corrections: support@wilderack.com