Valheim server hosting compared

What makes Valheim different to host?

Steam describes Valheim as a game "for 1-10 players" and lists its 1.0 release as 9 September 2026 (store data, 8 Nov 2026). Plans that advertise "unlimited slots" therefore sell something the engine cannot use. Host Havoc says so itself on its Valheim page: plan size follows RAM, not a slot cap.

Crossplay needs care. Iron Gate's dedicated server guide says the -crossplay argument runs the server on a PlayFab backend through a relay, so console players can join; without it the Steam backend needs port forwarding on the default 2456-2457 range. Patches have also reached platforms at different times: Iron Gate's 1.0.20 notes (15 Oct 2026) say crossplay between Mac App Store players and others would not work until that store caught up (Steam news). A host cannot fix a platform store delay.

The 1.0 release also changed worlds. Host Havoc and Indifferent Broccoli both relay Iron Gate's advice that the Deep North only generates in areas nobody has explored, so older worlds may not show it. That affects which save you upload, not which host you pick.

Which hosts sell Valheim, and on what terms?

All six hosts sell Valheim, but only five show a price that could be read on 8 November 2026.

ScalaCube's plan selector shows $11.20 while its body copy says a 10-slot server costs $14, and a 20% first-month offer is displayed, so check the renewal price. Sparked Host's 48-hour guarantee applies to non-Minecraft games per its terms (updated 29 Oct 2026).

Fit by plan structure:

• Console and PC friends in one world: start with the hosts that state crossplay and confirm the join-code method.
• Four or fewer players: Indifferent Broccoli's $9.99 four-player tier or Sparked Host's $6.00 4 GB tier cost less than a 10-slot plan, at the cost of headroom you would have to add later.
• Not sure how big the group will grow: a 10-slot plan avoids a mid-campaign upgrade; DatHost's single plan avoids the question but is priced in euros and costs more on monthly billing.

How much RAM a world needs is answered in the Valheim requirements guide.

What third-party evidence exists for Valheim?

The published Valheim roundups either rank their publisher or an affiliate partner first, and none shows a numbered per-host result.

What would GameServerBench measure?

The planned protocol would load a matched world file on each host and record RAM, CPU and server frame behaviour at 4 and 10 players, noting world size and whether crossplay is on. It is not yet measured, and permission is unresolved: no host reviewed grants a right to benchmark, so any plan to run client load needs written approval from each one first.

Next step

Use the host picker and server RAM calculator to narrow the table, read the rent versus self-host guide if a home PC is an option, and see other benchmark hubs.