Built for Gamers, by Gamers. Meet the Game Server Host that Understands the Community’s Needs

TL; DR: “Built for gamers, by gamers” isn’t just a catchy tagline: It’s the philosophy behind the young game server host, ServerFlex.io. Co-Founders Alan Doherty and Jonathan Madeley started the company as college friends with a passion for gaming, and have since crafted a hosting platform that prioritizes quality over quantity. With each game backed by vertical integration, the duo has created a platform centered around a player-centered hosting experience.

There’s a running joke between me and one of my best friends. After every conversation that has us doubled over in laughter, one of us always ends up pitching, “We should start a podcast.” I’ll be the first to admit it’s not even intentional; this joke just kind of evolved on its own.

I’m pretty sure we will never start a podcast, though. It’s just something we say because we love the idea. But unlike us, some people actually follow through when inspiration strikes. That’s exactly what college friends Alan Doherty and Jonathan Madeley did — and what eventually emerged is ServerFlex.io, a game server hosting provider.

I think Co-Founder Alan put it best: “Our goal is to make sure the experience is as smooth as possible. It’s the DNA of ServerFlex: complete vertical integration where everything is perfectly designed for what you need it to be.”

Jonathan echoed this: “We decided not to go down the path of scaling horizontally with tons of games right away.” Jonathan explained: “Instead, we’re focusing on one game at a time, building really solid vertical integration for each, and then moving on to the next.”

And with that focus on quality over quantity, Alan and Jonathan have turned a shared passion into a platform that’s built to deliver a seamless gaming experience.

ServerFlex was founded around five years ago while Alan and Jonathan were in college. Back then, the aspiring company went by a different name: Battle Crate. Under this branding, the duo focused on providing hourly, on-demand web hosting.

After lots of trial and error, the game server host ServerFlex was born.

ServerFlex isn’t just about hosting servers — it’s about managing the entire process from top to bottom. It runs its own data centers, handles server hardware, network connections, software, and the hosting platform itself.

Alan and Jonathan believe this full vertical integration is key to ServerFlex’s mission: Every game they offer is fully polished and thoughtfully selected, not added just for the sake of numbers.

“We wanted every step to feel cohesive and polished,” said Alan. “A lot of hosting companies end up with mismatched technologies. Vertical integration has always been our goal, and I think that’s something our customers really appreciate.”

You know how you naturally trust someone with deep expertise? It’s like how you’d choose a neurologist for a brain scan rather than your child’s pediatrician. That’s called automatic credibility. With Alan and Jonathan, that trust is well-placed.

“I grew up hosting servers — I used to run communities with thousands of players and hundreds of concurrent users,” Alan said. “I know the space really well, and I understand what people need.”

Alan explained how gaming communities often need a completely different set of features compared to communities of casual players. Think of it as bowling at a friend’s birthday party versus competing in a tournament with your team in matching jerseys.

With that kind of background, Alan and Jonathan get what serious gamers need — and you can see it in ServerFlex’s setup. Today, ServerFlex operates data centers in the UK, the U.S., Singapore, Germany, and Finland.

The States just saw more growth, according to Jonathan: “We’d recently opened up in the northern U.S. because previously we were only on each coast. But the demand for gaming in the US is just absurd, so we decided to add a third region.”

Across the pond, Alan shared that some of these locations were chosen with a personal touch: After he moved to Finland, he “wanted a data center close by that I could focus on.” I love this little detail because it shows how dedicated the team is to supporting its clients.

While Alan and Jonathan admit they don’t have an enormous selection of games, that’s by design.

“We try to make sure everything is right for the user. Not everything is built in-house — sometimes that doesn’t make sense. We’re a game hosting company, but what differentiates us from our competitors is that we very rarely use off-the-shelf software,” said Alan.

ServerFlex hosts a solid variety of games, including Factorio, Valheim, Minecraft, Rust, Palworld, Satisfactory, Among Us, Terraria, and Garry’s Mod.

Jonathan and Alan admit they’re not trying to have the largest library out there, but I think they’re doing a great job of covering the bases with this collection. It offers plenty of variety and seems to hit all the right notes.

New titles from Counter-Strike and Ark are also in the pipeline, though their release dates are yet to be announced.

No matter the game you choose, you get the same set of features:

• 1-Click Mod Install: Add mods without having to upload files, find dependencies, or manage updates. Just click and you’re ready to play.
• Automate Server Management: Set up automated tasks such as daily restarts or player notifications for events.
• Easy Plugin Installation: For plugins like tModLoader or Valheim Plus, just click to install. ServerFlex handles the setup, so you can jump straight in.
• Streamlined Dashboard Settings: Adjust settings right in the Control Panel. Everything you need is at your fingertips.
• Built-In Backups: With automatic twice-daily backups, restoring your server is just a click away if any issues pop up.
• File Manager: Manage files from any browser with ServerFlex’s FTP service.

“Once you’re on the ServerFlex platform, you can use the same setup across familiar games. If you want to install mods on Valheim, Factorio, or Rust, it’s all done through the same standardized user interface,” Jonathan explained.

Plans depend on how much space you want. For example, Minecraft servers start at $2.49 per month for 1GB of RAM space. If you’re not sure you want to commit just yet, try ServerFlex’s 24-hour free trial.

“It’s always great to release games and see customers start to use it,” Alan said. “We’re really feedback-oriented, too. We listen to where customers want us to focus next, which helps guide our direction.”

It’s worth mentioning where that feedback comes from. I’m guessing most readers here are familiar with Discord (even I am, and I’m usually a solo player).

But for anyone who isn’t, Discord is an instant messaging platform that’s hugely popular among gamers and niche communities. It’s become the go-to spot to stream, chat, and video call with friends, all in one place.

It’s not unusual for a ServerFlex team member to jump into the Discord chat and ask what people are looking for or perhaps even set up a vote.

“We rely heavily on the community. We have people on the ground that I talk to now and then, just to check in and see what’s up,” Alan said.

For instance, when Factorio: Space Age downloadable content launched a few weeks ago, users were quick to say they wanted in.

“Right away, we got in contact with Factorio and the developers to make sure everything would run smoothly — and it did,” Alan added. “Our customers were very happy that they could start playing Space Age less than an hour after it launched.”

That’s pretty impressive.

Right now, ServerFlex is focused on enhancing its current game offerings, with updates like mod support for Minecraft already in the works.

Mod support is a feature that’s highly anticipated by players who want more control over gameplay, so it makes sense that ServerFlex sees it as a natural next step.

“It’s something we’ve wanted to do for a while, but before we do, we’re making sure we’re not neglecting what our customers want now,” Alan added. “It’s always a balance.”

ServerFlex is also introducing other features, including on-demand server start and stop, which allows users to pay only for the time they actually use. I love that this practical update is a nod to ServerFlex’s roots — and it’s another small, thoughtful gesture that I think makes the host stand out.

As for more games? Well, that’s up for discussion.

“We’re considering adding a few more games — but each one has its own nuances, and integrating them takes a fair amount of time and resources,” Jonathan emphasized. “We’ve chosen to focus on deep integration into the games we do offer.”

And that’s where their vision really comes into play.

“The ability for everyone to create their own experiences, exactly how they want them, has never been greater,” said Alan. “I think game server hosting will continue to be a big part of that.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

If you need a game server host, I highly recommend you check out ServerFlex.io.