How to choose a game host without becoming the server admin.

“Supports the game” is not specific enough.

Start with a sentence that describes the group: “Four Steam players, vanilla Valheim, mostly in Europe.” The edition, platform and mod requirements narrow your choices much faster than a long feature table.

Game editions can require different server software. For example, Mojang provides separate official Java Edition and Bedrock dedicated-server downloads. The official Java server page explicitly limits that download to Java Edition. [1] Use the publisher’s documentation to check compatibility, then ask the host which exact setup it sells.

Compare the whole month.

Write down the recurring price, currency, renewal date and anything billed separately. A first-month discount is useful only if the next month still works for your group. Check how cancellation works before the person paying becomes the person chasing everyone else.

Campworld offers Valheim at €19.90 and Palworld for up to 4 players at €39.90 per world per month. One subscription covers the shared server; players still need their own compatible game copies. Capacity is limited. This guide is written by Campworld, a hosting provider, so treat our product description as our own offer rather than an independent ranking.

Five questions that reveal more than a feature grid.

Send the same short questions to every host you are considering. Specific answers are more valuable than an unlimited claim with no explanation. Keep a copy of the answers alongside the order.

• Can our exact game version, edition and mod setup join?
• Where is the server, and what CPU and memory can this instance use?
• Can we download a complete save and restore it independently?
• What happens if the first world cannot be delivered?
• How do renewal, cancellation and support actually work?

Use the first evening as the decision.

Have one friend join from a different network. Build or change something small, leave, and reconnect. Check that progress persists and that another player can join without the purchaser staying online. Try the ordinary controls that matter to your group.

For a small group, a clear connection flow and a portable save often matter more than a large dashboard. Keep the provider that makes the next session easy and explains limitations before they surprise you.