Hosting a server for The Forest
The Forest is a co-op survival horror game about surviving cannibal-infested woodland, and a dedicated server lets your group keep a shared world running without one player having to stay online as host. This page covers The Forest itself. Sons of the Forest is a separate game with its own server.
The Forest is an older, well-established title, so its servers are lighter than many newer survival games. That makes it a good fit for a small friend group, and it means you should not need a large plan.
What to check
- Sensible sizing. A small group does not need a big plan. Compare RAM and CPU against your real player count, and avoid paying for capacity you will not use.
- Save handling. Progress, bases and structures matter, so look for automatic backups and easy restores. Being able to keep more than one restore point helps if a save gets corrupted.
- Config access. Difficulty, slot counts, passwords and game mode settings are set in the server config, so check you can edit them yourself.
- Reliability. A stable, well-maintained server matters more than raw power for a game like this. Check support hours and how quickly the provider handles restarts and updates.
- Location. Choose a datacentre close to most of your group to keep combat and building responsive.
- Game version. Make sure the host keeps the server on the same version as your clients so nobody is locked out after an update.
See the current The Forest hosting deals for offers from listed providers. For a whole machine, see dedicated servers.
The Forest server hosting FAQ
Is this the right page for Sons of the Forest?
No. Sons of the Forest is a different game. This page is for The Forest.
Do I need a big plan?
Usually not. The Forest is undemanding for a small group, so compare providers on reliability and features as much as on specifications.
Why use a dedicated server instead of hosting in-game?
Hosting in-game means the world only runs while the host is playing. A dedicated server stays online for everyone.