A Valheim server holds 1 to 10 players, and Iron Gate publishes no RAM or CPU figure for the dedicated server. The Valheim wiki's unofficial guidance is 2 GB of RAM minimum, 4 GB or more recommended, and at least a 4-core processor at 2.8 GHz. On our own 4 GB plan, an empty Valheim server used about 1.1 GB in an August 2026 boot test. How smooth it feels depends less on the server than on how Valheim splits the work between the server and the players.
How many players can a Valheim server hold?
Ten. Iron Gate calls Valheim a game "for 1-10 players" on its Steam page and in its 1.0 FAQ, and its dedicated server guide has no launch option for the player limit. Only a mod changes it, so hardware advice for 20 or 30 players on vanilla Valheim describes a server that cannot exist. Our Valheim plan is 4 GB with all 10 slots: How many players can join your Valheim server.
How much RAM does a Valheim server need?
| Source | RAM | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Iron Gate | No figure | The official guide lists only Linux library requirements |
| Valheim wiki, minimum | 2 GB | Marked unofficial |
| Valheim wiki, recommended | 4 GB or more | Marked unofficial |
| Our boot test, Aug 2026 | About 1.1 GB used | Empty server on a 4 GB plan |
Memory grows as the world is played. The wiki estimates roughly 100 to 300 MB for each loaded area where players are active, so a group that spreads out across the map uses more than one that travels together. It says modded servers need better hardware but gives no number, so neither do we. Read your own usage with players online: How much RAM does a Valheim server need?
Does the server do the heavy work, or the players?
Mostly the players. The Valheim wiki says the dedicated server "does not simulate any of the game logic": it relays traffic, holds and saves the world, and checks who may join. Each area is simulated by one of the players in it, and Iron Gate's patch notes talk about objects "network-owned by another player". That changes how you read lag:
- One slow PC can lag the whole group. The wiki's first cause of server lag is the player running an area failing to keep up, so everyone sees chests, doors and falling trees react late. Its workaround: let a player with a stronger PC enter the area first.
- World saves cause short pauses. While the server copies the world in memory to save it, relaying stops, for about 20 to 300 ms per the wiki. Iron Gate's default is a save every 30 minutes, which is World Save Interval in our Game Settings: Valheim save and backup settings explained.
- Exploring is the CPU-heavy part. The wiki says generating new areas can be demanding, and that the server uses few CPU resources besides that.
Does crossplay add lag?
It can. With crossplay on, the server reaches players through a relay server (Iron Gate's dedicated server guide), and the wiki warns that the extra hop makes lag, timeouts and disconnects more likely. Crossplay is on by default on our Valheim servers so console friends can join. If your whole group plays on PC, turning it off lets players connect directly: Valheim crossplay: which platforms can join, and how to turn it on.
Mods: what everyone joining needs
Valheim has no official mod support: Iron Gate's 1.0 FAQ says so, and that it could not guarantee any mod would still work with 1.0. Mods run on the BepInEx loader, and whether players need a mod too depends on the mod:
- Server-only mods run on the server alone. Players install nothing, and console players can still join.
- Mods every player needs must be installed by each player at the server's version. Consoles cannot install mods, so while one is loaded console players cannot join: Console players cannot join your modded Valheim server.
Most groups keep one shared list in r2modman or Thunderstore Mod Manager. On our panel, Share with players on the Modding tab makes a profile code that players import into either, with the same mods at the same versions: How to share your Valheim mods with players. Agree the list before you start the world, because a world played with mods can behave oddly without them.
Every PlayNHost Valheim plan runs three server types: plain Valheim, Valheim BepINex and Valheim Plus Mod. The two modded types install Thunderstore mods with their dependencies from the Modding tab, and you switch with Edit Server Type once you have taken a backup: Valheim server types compared.
Do you need a dedicated server at all?
Not always. The Valheim client can host a world with its Start Server option at no cost, but per the wiki that world shuts down when the host exits the game, while a dedicated server stays on. If four of you always play together, hosting from the game is enough. A dedicated server is worth paying for when people want to play at different times. Our Valheim server hosting is the 4 GB plan with all 10 slots and all three server types.
