Local Hosting vs Paid Server: Don’t Be a Hero

Terraria
"Screenshot of a multiplayer Terraria game session showcasing multiple players collaborating and building structures."

At first, I tried hosting it on my own PC. It worked — for about 10 minutes. Then someone’s connection would drop, or the world would lag like crazy when someone bombed half the jungle. I quickly realized: unless your internet is god-tier and your PC’s a tank, local hosting just isn’t worth the stress.

I caved and rented a server. Best decision ever.

What Actually Matters When Picking a Host

Terraria
"Illustration depicting server hardware surrounded by Terraria-themed graphics, such as tools, weapons, and iconic blocks."

You’ll see a bunch of sites offering Terraria servers for like $2/month. Some are great. Some are sketchy as hell. Here’s what ended up mattering most:

  • Server location: This is HUGE. If your host is in the US and your buddy’s in Europe, someone’s gonna lag.

  • Mod support: We’re running tModLoader with a bunch of quality-of-life stuff. Not all hosts make that easy.

  • Backups: Accidentally summoned the Moon Lord in the wrong world once. Thankfully, our host had daily backups. Lifesaver.

  • Support: When our world wouldn’t load, the support team fixed it in like 15 minutes. Totally worth the few extra bucks a month.

What We Use (Not Sponsored)

Terraria
"Close-up image of a Terraria server dashboard displaying statistics like uptime, player count, and server status."

We went with [insert name here if you’re plugging something], but honestly, there are a few decent ones out there — BisectHosting, Shockbyte, Apex, etc. Prices are similar. Just check what features they give you and see if they have good reviews. Avoid anything that looks like it was built in 2009 and hasn’t been updated since.

My Personal Best 5 Terraria Server Hosts
HostStorageCPURAMDDoSModsPluginsPriceHost Link
godlike.hostN/AN/A2GBYesN/AN/A$8.00
US Locations:
CaliforniaNew York
Other Countries:
UkraineGermanyPolandUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandFranceFinlandSingapore
  • Personal firewall
  • Server management via Discord
  • Monetization platform
Scheduled tasks Instant setup Automatic backups Ddos protection
bisecthosting.comN/AN/A2GBYesN/AN/A$6.00
US Locations:
WashingtonOregonCaliforniaTexasIllinoisGeorgiaFloridaNew YorkVirginiaNew Jersey
Other Countries:
CanadaUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandFranceNetherlandsGermanyPolandIndiaSingaporeAustralia
  • Server hosting for 80+ games
  • Pre-install 2,000+ Minecraft modpacks automatically
  • 24/7/365 support troubleshooting your server and mods
  • Full file access
  • 20 Locations across the globe
  • Advanced DDOS protection
TModloader Full Support for tMod 1.3.4 & 1.4.4 Terraria Vanilla Full Plugin Support for tShock
skynode.pro10GB NVMe2 vCores2GBYesN/AN/A$8.00
US Locations:
CaliforniaTexasNew York
Other Countries:
NetherlandsGermanySingaporeAustralia
N/AN/A
axenthost.com8GBN/A1GBYesN/AN/A$2.70
US Locations:
New York
Other Countries:
Germany
  • Automated Backups
  • File Access
N/A
apexminecrafthosting.comN/AN/A1GBYesN/AN/A$4.00
US Locations:
OregonCaliforniaTexasVirginiaFloridaNew York
Other Countries:
BrazilUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIsraelSingaporeAustraliaTurkeyJapanIndiaNetherlandsGermany
  • Always Online Game Servers
  • 24/7 Livechat and Ticket Support
  • Premium Hardware & Low Latency
  • Full FTP File Access
  • Automatic Backups & Updates
  • Unlimited Player Slots
  • Simple Configuration
  • Advanced DDoS Protection
  • Instantly Online
+$4 for Dedicated IP tShock

If you’re playing with friends, just get a hosted server. It’s cheap, easy, and saves you a ton of frustration. Plus, no one has to leave their PC on overnight or yell “WHO’S DOWNLOADING STUFF??” every 10 minutes when the game lags.