How much RAM does a Palworld dedicated server need?

Pocketpair officially recommends 16GB. In practice: 8GB is the floor for a small 4-6 player group, 16GB is the safe default for 4-16 players, and 32GB is for large or heavily modded servers. Note that Palworld's server has a known memory leak, so RAM climbs over uptime regardless of player count.

Why does my Palworld server RAM keep climbing until it crashes?

This is a documented memory leak in the Early Access server software, not your hardware. RAM usage rises steadily during uptime until the process runs out and crashes. The standard mitigation is a scheduled automatic restart (every 6-12 hours) that clears memory before it fills. Most managed hosts offer a restart scheduler for exactly this reason.

How many players can a Palworld dedicated server hold?

Up to 32 players. RAM, not the slot setting, is the binding constraint past about 16 players: a full 32-slot server wants 32GB to stay stable, especially with bases full of working Pals (set BaseCampWorkerMaxNum to 15-20 to limit the per-base simulation cost).

What CPU does a Palworld server need?

A quad-core CPU at 3.5 GHz or faster. The server uses up to two full cores under load and benefits from high single-thread clock more than from a high core count, so a fast modern 4-6 core CPU beats a many-core server chip with lower clocks.

Can I run a Palworld dedicated server on Linux?

Yes. Unlike ARK: Survival Ascended, Palworld ships a native Linux dedicated-server build (SteamCMD app 2394010), so no Wine or Proton layer is needed. Most managed Palworld hosts run it on Linux.

How much storage does a Palworld server need?

About 12GB for the server files. Budget ~20GB once saves and a couple of backups are included, and use an SSD: world load and save times noticeably improve on SSD, and the frequent autosave writes stutter on a spinning disk.

Does Palworld support mods on dedicated servers?

There is no Steam Workshop for Palworld, so there is no one-click server mod catalog. Mods are .pak files or UE4SS scripts installed manually (usually via FTP) on both the server and each client. Plan for the extra RAM heavy mods add, and verify client/server mod versions match or players cannot join.

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Palworld Dedicated Server in 2026: Hardware Requirements, Setup, Host Options

Palworld's server is lighter than ARK but heavier than most people expect, and it leaks memory. Here are the real requirements: 8GB minimum, 16GB recommended, 32GB for big or modded servers, a fast quad-core CPU, and the restart trick that keeps it from crashing.

Published 2026-06-13 · Updated 2026-06-13

Real hardware requirements

Palworld server requirements at a glance:

Resource	Minimum	Recommended	How it scales
RAM	8GB (4-6 players)	16GB (official)	32GB for 16+ players or mods. Climbs over uptime from a memory leak, see below.
CPU	4 cores, 3.5 GHz+	Fast 4-6 cores, high clock	Uses up to 2 full cores under load. Single-thread clock matters more than core count.
Storage	~12GB install	20GB SSD	+saves and backups. SSD speeds world load/save and avoids autosave stutter.
Network	30 Mbps up	100 Mbps	Light. Per-player upload is modest; latency matters more than raw bandwidth.

Pocketpair officially recommends 16GB of RAM, and the host community consensus, across DatHost's requirements writeup and corroborating Steam community discussions, lines up with the table:

Small group (4-6 players): 8GB works but leaves little headroom. A quad-core at 3.5 GHz+ is fine.
Standard server (4-16 players): 16GB is the safe default, matching Pocketpair's recommendation.
Large or modded (16-32 players): 32GB. Past 16 players, and especially with bases full of working Pals, RAM is the wall you hit first.
Disk: ~12GB server install. SSD recommended for world load and save performance.

How much RAM for the player count?

Palworld RAM scales with player count, base activity, and uptime, not with the slot number alone. The dominant variable people forget is Pal base load: each base full of working Pals is a continuous simulation cost. A 16-slot server with sprawling bases can use more RAM than a 24-slot server with small ones. Set BaseCampWorkerMaxNum to 15-20 to cap the per-base simulation and keep memory predictable. As a planning rule: 8GB for up to 6 players, 16GB for up to 16, 32GB beyond that or with mods.

Does the CPU or the RAM matter more?

Both, but for different symptoms. Low RAM causes crashes; a slow CPU causes lag and rubber-banding. The Palworld server uses up to two full cores and leans on single-thread clock, so a modern fast quad-core outperforms a many-core server chip with lower clocks. This is the same pattern across survival servers, covered in why single-thread CPU performance dominates game servers.

The memory leak (and the fix)

This is the single most important thing to know about hosting Palworld, and it is not a hardware problem. The Early Access server software has a documented memory leak: RAM usage rises steadily during uptime until the process exhausts available memory and crashes. It happens on a server with two players just as it does on one with thirty, only slower.

The fix everyone uses is a scheduled automatic restart, typically every 6 to 12 hours, that clears memory before it fills. A clean restart takes seconds and players reconnect to the same world. Every competent managed host offers a restart scheduler; if you self-host, a simple cron job or the restart flag in your wrapper script does the same thing. Do not size your way around the leak by buying 64GB and hoping, the leak will still fill it, just later. Schedule the restart.

Self-hosting on home hardware

Palworld is one of the friendlier survival games to self-host because it ships a native Linux dedicated-server build (SteamCMD app 2394010), so there is no Wine or Proton layer like ARK: Survival Ascended needs. It runs cleanly on a spare PC, a home server, or a VPS.

Rough sizing for self-hosting:

Setup	RAM	CPU	Realistic
2-4 player friends server	8-16GB	4-core 3.5 GHz+	Comfortable on a spare PC or small VPS
Standard 8-16 player	16GB	Fast 4-6 core	Wants a dedicated box or a decent VPS
24-32 player or modded	32GB	6-8 fast cores	Dedicated hardware; paid hosting often wins on cost

Whatever you run it on, set up the scheduled restart from day one and put the save on an SSD.

Paid host options

Palworld's resource profile is moderate, so the host quality gradient is gentler than ARK's, but two things separate good hosts from bad ones: a built-in restart scheduler (for the memory leak) and enough real RAM at the price you pay.

DatHost. Performance-focused, runs Palworld on high-clock Ryzen hardware, good for the single-thread-bound server.
GPortal. Polished panel, strong Palworld support, console-friendly.
Nitrado. Mainstream, panel-driven, reliable for standard servers.
BisectHosting. Solid value and decent mod handling for manual .pak installs.
Supercraft. Covers Palworld with automated restarts, daily backups, and FTP access for manual mod installs.

Check whether the plan's advertised RAM is dedicated or burst, and confirm the restart scheduler exists before you buy, on Palworld specifically that scheduler is not a nice-to-have, it is the thing that keeps the server up overnight.

Mods, Pals, and base load

There is no Steam Workshop for Palworld, so there is no one-click server mod catalog the way there is for ARK or Valheim. Mods are .pak files or UE4SS scripts installed manually, usually over FTP, on both the server and every client. The version on the server and the version on each client must match or players cannot connect.

Practical advice:

Budget extra RAM for heavy mods, on top of the leak the recommended tier already accounts for.
The biggest non-mod RAM driver is base Pal count. Cap BaseCampWorkerMaxNum at 15-20 for stable large servers.
Keep a copy of every mod's exact version so you can hand it to joining players and roll back cleanly after a game update.

FAQ

How much RAM does a Palworld dedicated server need?: Pocketpair officially recommends 16GB. In practice: 8GB is the floor for a small 4-6 player group, 16GB is the safe default for 4-16 players, and 32GB is for large or heavily modded servers. Note the known memory leak makes RAM climb over uptime regardless of player count.
Why does my Palworld server RAM keep climbing until it crashes?: It is a documented memory leak in the Early Access server software, not your hardware. RAM rises during uptime until the process runs out and crashes. The standard mitigation is a scheduled automatic restart (every 6-12 hours) that clears memory before it fills. Most managed hosts offer a restart scheduler for exactly this.
How many players can a Palworld dedicated server hold?: Up to 32. RAM, not the slot setting, is the binding constraint past about 16 players: a full 32-slot server wants 32GB to stay stable, especially with bases full of working Pals (cap BaseCampWorkerMaxNum at 15-20 to limit per-base simulation).
What CPU does a Palworld server need?: A quad-core CPU at 3.5 GHz or faster. The server uses up to two full cores under load and benefits from high single-thread clock more than from core count, so a fast modern 4-6 core CPU beats a many-core server chip with lower clocks.
Can I run a Palworld dedicated server on Linux?: Yes. Unlike ARK: Survival Ascended, Palworld ships a native Linux dedicated-server build (SteamCMD app 2394010), so no Wine or Proton layer is needed. Most managed Palworld hosts run it on Linux.
How much storage does a Palworld server need?: About 12GB for the server files. Budget ~20GB once saves and a couple of backups are included, and use an SSD: world load and save times improve noticeably, and frequent autosave writes stutter on a spinning disk.
Does Palworld support mods on dedicated servers?: There is no Steam Workshop for Palworld, so no one-click server mod catalog. Mods are .pak files or UE4SS scripts installed manually (usually via FTP) on both the server and each client. Plan for the extra RAM heavy mods add, and match client/server mod versions or players cannot join.