How to start a game server for friends: a step-by-step guide

Last updated: October 5, 2026

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A game server is a computer that keeps a game world running so that you and your friends can join it whenever you like. The world stays online even when your own PC is off. This guide walks through renting one for the first time. Minecraft is used as the example because it is the most common first server, but the steps are similar for other games.

Step 1: Pick the game and the right version

Decide which game the server is for, and check the version. Some games have more than one edition that cannot join each other’s servers. Minecraft is the classic case: Java Edition and Bedrock Edition are different, and a server is built for one of them. Make sure everyone in your group plays the same edition before you order.

Step 2: Choose how much memory (RAM) you need

Memory is the main thing hosts charge for. Too little and the game lags; too much and you pay for nothing. For Minecraft Java Edition, the community wiki says that small servers should have at least 2 GB of RAM and larger servers may need 4 GB, and that a bigger world needs more. Other games need far more. Our guide on how much RAM a game server needs lists the numbers for Minecraft, Rust, ARK and Valheim.

Step 3: Choose a location close to your players

Pick a data center near most of your players. The closer the server, the lower the delay (ping) in the game. If your friends live in different countries, choose a place that is not too far from any of them. Many hosts list their locations on the order page.

Step 4: Order and wait for the server

After you pay, the host creates the server and gives you access to a control panel. Many hosts set a Minecraft server up within minutes. One host, Godlike.Host, states on its website that installing a Java server takes up to 5 minutes.

Step 5: Connect to the server

Your control panel shows the server address. It is usually an address or IP number, sometimes followed by a colon and a port number. In Minecraft the default port is 25565. In the game, open Multiplayer, choose Add Server and paste the address. Then share the same address with your friends.

Step 6: Decide who may join

By default anyone who knows the address can try to join. Most groups turn on a whitelist so that only listed players can enter. In Minecraft, switch it on with /whitelist on and add each friend with /whitelist add <username>. To make a friend an administrator, use /op <username>. Give administrator rights only to people you trust.

Step 7: Turn on backups

A single mistake or a broken update can ruin a world that took weeks to build. Look for a host that makes automatic backups, and check how often they are made and how long they are kept. It is also worth downloading a copy of an important world from time to time.

Step 8: Add mods only when you are ready

Mods and plugins change how the game runs, and they often need more memory. Add them one at a time, and check that the mod version matches the game version. Many hosts offer an installer in the control panel that handles this.

What does it cost?

Prices depend on the game, the memory and the length of the plan, and hosts change them often because of sales. That is why we do not print prices here. Look at the current price on the host’s website and check what is included before you pay.

A short checklist

• Everyone plays the same version of the game.
• You picked enough memory for the game and for the number of players.
• The data center is near most of your players.
• The whitelist is on and only a few trusted players are administrators.
• Backups are switched on.

Sources

• Minecraft Wiki: Setting up a Java Edition server
• Godlike.Host, provider claims checked on October 5, 2026