Buying a gaming VPS that is too small gives lag that no setting fixes; buying one too large wastes money every month. This is the sizing we use when someone asks which plan to pick, game by game.
RAM versus CPU
RAM decides capacity: how many players, how big the world, how many mods or plugins. The CPU decides smoothness: almost every game server runs its main loop on one thread, so one fast, uncontended core matters more than many slow ones. A plan with priority or dedicated vCPU keeps the tick rate flat when the world gets busy. NVMe storage keeps world saves and chunk loading from stalling the game.
Gaming VPS sizes by game
| Game | Small (friends) | Medium (public) | Large or modded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minecraft Java (Paper) | 4 GB, up to 10 players | 8 GB, 20 to 40 players | 16 GB+, big communities |
| Minecraft modded | 8 GB, light pack | 12 to 16 GB | 24 to 32 GB, kitchen-sink packs |
| Minecraft Bedrock | 4 GB | 8 GB, 20 to 40 players | 8 GB with add-ons |
| Rust | 8 GB, 2,500 map | 16 GB, 3,500 to 4,000 map | 32 GB, heavy plugins |
| ARK: Survival Evolved | 12 GB, one map | 16 to 24 GB | 32 GB+, clusters |
| ARK: Survival Ascended | 24 GB | 32 GB | Dedicated cores or VDS |
| Valheim | 4 GB | 8 GB with mods | 8 to 12 GB, raised cap |
| Palworld | 8 GB, a few friends | 16 GB, full group | 32 GB, 32 slots |
| FiveM | 8 GB, 32 slots | 16 GB, 64 to 128 slots | 32 GB, large city |
| CS2 | 4 GB, one match | 8 GB, two servers | 16 GB, several |
These are starting points from servers we run. Plugins, mods, world age and view distance all push them up.
Leave room for the operating system
On Linux, keep 1 to 2 GB for the system. For Java games like Minecraft, set the heap to about 75% of the plan's RAM, not all of it, or the server swaps and lags. On Windows, keep 2 to 3 GB for Windows itself.
Several games on one gaming VPS
You can run two or three small servers on one larger plan, each on its own port. A 16 GB plan comfortably holds a Valheim server, a CS2 server and a small Minecraft world. Two busy public servers are better on separate plans or a virtual dedicated server with pinned cores, so one does not slow the other.
Start small, resize later
Our plans resize in place: the disk and the world stay, a reboot applies the new size. Start at the size in the "small" column and move up when the player count does. It is cheaper than guessing high.
Questions we get asked
Is 4 GB enough for Minecraft? For a friends server on Paper with a handful of players, yes.
Why does my server lag with free RAM left? A busy shared core, a single slow plugin, or world saves on slow disks. More RAM will not help; priority vCPU and NVMe do.
Linux or Windows for game servers? Linux for almost everything; it is lighter. Windows for ARK: Survival Ascended and games without a Linux server.
Do game servers need DDoS protection? Popular ones are attacked routinely; our gaming plans include a game-protocol shield.
Which location is better, Noida or Mumbai? Pick the one nearer most of your players; both are on the same peered network.
