Key Takeaways
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Free ARK hosting is a myth. Any host claiming to offer it for free will fall short of the resources ARK actually needs.
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Use free trials and money-back guarantees to test ARK hosts risk-free. Most quality hosts offer at least 24 hours, enough to know if the performance is there.
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For the best value, start with Hostinger. Enterprise-grade hardware at a fraction of what dedicated ARK hosts charge, with a 30-day money-back guarantee if it's not the right fit.
ARK is one of the most popular survival games of all time, with a loyal gaming community of more than 32 million players. The game has everything you’ll ever want in an epic survival title, including adventure, engagement, thrill, and interactivity.
But to experience the true potential of ARK gameplay, you’ll need the right hosting environment. And since ARK is a very popular, resource-intensive game, most hosts will charge you a fee to house it on their servers.
The truth is that the best free ARK server hosting doesn’t exist. Those that offer quality ARK hosting will charge a small fee. But that doesn’t mean you have to drain your wallet to enjoy playing ARK online. Here are some cost-effective alternatives.
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Best Overall Value ARK Server Hosting
If you want serious performance without a serious price tag, Hostinger is the place to start. Its VPS plans come loaded with the hardware ARK actually needs — up to 32GB of RAM, AMD EPYC processors, NVMe SSD storage, and 1Gbps network speeds — making it one of the most capable options on this list, especially for ARK: Survival Ascended’s demanding resource requirements.
Plans start at $10.00/month, though for ARK, you may want to scale up to a plan with at least 16GB of RAM.
- Best overall value: The most complete AI-managed KVM VPS at this price
- AMD EPYC processors, NVMe SSD, and 1 Gbps network
- Kodee AI manages your server — no command line needed
- One-click deployment of 100+ apps including Docker and n8n
- Free weekly backups, DDoS protection, and full root access
- Get started on Hostinger now.
Sead Fadilpasic
Hostinger’s laser focus on providing affordable hosting solutions shines brightest with the company’s VPS packages. The company provides four different virtual server plans, including one that costs less than $6.
Go to full review »| Disk Space | CPU | RAM | Setup Time |
| 50 GB NVMe – 400 GB NVMe | 1 – 8 cores | 4 GB – 32 GB | 6 minutes |
Hostinger won’t hold your hand through every step the way a specialized ARK host might, but if you know what you’re doing or are willing to learn, the hardware quality at this price point is hard to beat.
What really sets Hostinger apart is the combination of value and reliability. You get DDoS protection, free weekly backups, 24/7 live chat support, and a 30-day money-back guarantee, all features that many cheaper hosts either charge extra for or don’t offer at all. It requires a bit more setup than a plug-and-play ARK host, but for players who want maximum performance per dollar, nothing on this list comes close.
Best Money-Back Guarantees for ARK Server Hosting
Money-back guarantees are another great way to test an ARK host risk-free before spending a penny. The hosts below all offer refund windows ranging from 24 hours to a full week — more than enough time to stress-test performance, try out mods, and make sure the server holds up under real gameplay conditions.
Just be sure to read the fine print so you know exactly when you need to request your refund.
2. DatHost: 7-Day Money-Back Guarantee
DatHost offers a generous 7-day money-back guarantee for its ARK server hosting plans. While it doesn’t have a truly free trial, as some other hosts do, it still gives new customers a risk-free way to try its services. If you aren’t happy with DatHost, you can request a full refund. That’s a full week of enjoying ARK gameplay on its powerful servers.
 | ★★★★★ /5.0 |
- Unlimited player slots and usage
- 7-day money-back guarantee
- One-click mod installer & DDoS protection
- Auto-updates and daily backups
- Get started on DatHost now »
| Starting Price/Mo. | $11.25 |
DatHost offers many other benefits, including unlimited player slots and usage, flexible payment options (monthly, quarterly, or yearly), and access to up to 20 servers in 15 countries. On top of that, it supports any ARK mods or plugins.
3. Host Havoc: 3-Day Money-Back Guarantee
A three-day money-back guarantee is what you receive if you want to test out HostHavoc’s ARK hosting environment. But that’s more than enough, if you ask me, and the host has a flexible payment system, which makes it affordable.
 | ★★★★★ /5.0 |
- Supports up to 100 player slots
- 99.9% uptime guarantee
- DDoS protection and 24/7 tech support
- 3-day money-back guarantee
- Get started on Host Havoc now »
| Starting Price/Mo. | $15.00 |
The host charges a small fee for at least 30 to 100 player slots. This system is quite reasonable because you pay for the number of player slots you choose, not for space you don’t need. And if you’re in a hurry to get started with your favorite game, this server offers an instant setup process.
4. Survival Servers: 3-Day Money-Back Guarantee
Survival Servers usually offers plenty of great deals and discounts, so you should keep an eye on them if you want to spend less and get the most out of your ARK server hosting environment. Even without the discounts, its hosting packages are still affordable.
 | ★★★★★ /5.0 |
- DDoS protection and fast NVMe SSDs
- Easy mod and plugin installation
- Custom proprietary control panel
- Full FTP access and server passlocking
- Get started on Survival Servers now »
| Starting Price/Mo. | $11.64 |
As with other hosts I’ve covered, you can pay per slot or a fixed monthly fee. No matter which option you choose, you’ll enjoy a host of features and functionalities, including DDoS protection, full FTP access, location switching, server pass locking, mod support and installation, and a custom ARK server manager (control panel).
5. Fozzy: 3-Day Money-Back Guarantee
You can play ARK on Fozzy for three days free of charge, and if you don’t like the hosting environment, you’ll get your money back with no questions asked. But judging from its hosting infrastructure, it’s unlikely that you’ll want your money back.
 | ★★★★★ /5.0 |
- Support for up to 150 player slots
- Easily install mods from the Steam Workshop
- DDoS protected servers
- Choose from six data center locations
- Get started on Fozzy now »
| Starting Price/Mo. | $10.98 |
Fozzy’s servers provide 16 cores of processing power, 128 GB of memory, and 900 GB of SSD storage.
You’ll also choose your preferred server location in the United States, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, or Luxembourg. Fozzy will give you an additional discount if you can complete a short ARK-related quiz.
6. GTXGaming: 24-Hour Money-Back Guarantee
GTXGaming also uses the per-slot payment model, making it accessible and affordable for individual players or smaller teams. Its money-back guarantee only lasts 24 hours, so keep that in mind if you decide to take it for a test drive.
 | ★★★★★ /5.0 |
- High CPUs and instant setup
- 24/7 tech support and DDoS protection
- Automatic mod updates and offsite backups
- 24-hour money-back guarantee
- Get started on GTXGaming now »
| Starting Price/Mo. | $13.00 |
Affordability aside, GTXGaming is a feature-rich host with servers around the globe. Some of its key features include game switching, automatic mode updaters, mod support, DDoS protection, offsite backups, and an ARK map generator tool to help you create your own random maps.
Best Cheap ARK Server Hosting
If you’ve exhausted all the free trials and money-back guarantees, don’t stress. I still have a few recommendations up my sleeve. While these hosts all require payment from the get-go, I think their pricing is 100% worth the service you get in return.
7. ZAP-Hosting
 | ★★★★★ /5.0 |
- Instant server setup and mod support
- All ARK maps come pre-installed
- Fully customizable gameplay through the control panel or FTP
- Option for lifetime hosting
- Get started on ZAP-Hosting now »
| Starting Price/Mo. | $8.61 |
ZAP-Hosting’s pricing model is a game changer for ARK enthusiasts. You can either subscribe to a monthly plan, which is still affordable, or opt for a one-time fee.
The best thing about the one-time fee is that it gives you lifetime access to the ARK server you purchased. Yes, you read that right. And there’s no catch, you can choose your preferred server location, game server slots, and resources (CPU, memory, and storage).
8. Apex Hosting
 | ★★★★★ /5.0 |
- Support for unlimited player slots
- Advanced DDoS protection and low latency
- 24/7 tech support and instant setup
- FREE subdomain and full FTP access
- Get started on Apex Hosting now »
| Starting Price/Mo. | $5.99 |
The basic plan at Apex Hosting doesn’t come with the most powerful resources, but it works best for a small group of players, preferably between one and five. You’ll get 2 GB of memory to get your feet off the ground.
You can scale up to 8 GB, which is the recommended minimum for seamless ARK gameplay. There is no doubt that Apex Hosting is a great host, but if you’re looking into adding more player slots, which means more resources, you may want to look elsewhere. On the contrary, if you’re just getting started and don’t need a lot of resources, Apex Hosting will get the job done. It also offers excellent customer support, which is ideal for beginners.
9. ScalaCube
 | ★★★★★ /5.0 |
- Instant server setup and 24/7 uptime
- FREE domain name
- DDoS protected servers and full FTP access
- Lightning-fast SSD drives
- Get started on ScalaCube now »
| Starting Price/Mo. | $15.20 |
ScalaCube wraps up my list of the best ARK server hosting providers thanks to its powerful resources, which include at least 32 GB of memory, eight CPU cores, and 320 GB of SSD storage. That’s what you get with the base plan, which can hold up to 20 player slots.
What I like the most about this game server hosting provider is that it has servers in Asia, particularly Singapore and India, which is quite impressive given that most hosts I’ve reviewed have servers mainly in North America and Europe.
Best Free Trials for ARK Server Hosting
A standard ARK game requires 8 GB of memory, at least 20 GB of disk space, and 2 CPU cores at a minimum. No single web host out there will provide those resources for free, but thanks to the popularity of the game and the huge demand, many ARK server hosts offer free trials. Let’s take a look at some of the most affordable options out there.
10. PingPerfect: 48-Hour Free Trial
PingPerfect will let you try its ARK hosting server for free for the first 48 hours. If you’re impressed with the performance, you’ll need to submit a support ticket to have them upgrade your plan from the free trial before the end of the 48-hour trial period.
A quick look at some of its key features shows exactly why it’s worth the try:
- Price: $13.15+/month
- Players: 1 to 100
- RAM: 9 to 30 GB
- Storage: ~100 GB NVMe SSD
You’ll have access to an easy-to-use game panel (available on mobile and desktop), multiple servers across the globe, in-house backups, enterprise hardware, and DDoS protection. For less than the price of a standard Netflix subscription, you can host your ARK game on one of the most powerful ARK servers out there.
11. Indifferent Broccoli: 48-Hour Free Trial
Like PingPerfect, Indifferent Broccoli also offers a 48-hour free trial. I know you’re probably stuck on the name, but that’s not the only interesting thing about this web hosting provider.
For starters, the pricing depends on the number of players on your server. You can choose between eight, 16, and 64 player slots, each with a unique yet affordable hosting plan.
Here’s what you need to know about its plans:
- Price: $16.99+/month
- Players: 8 to 64
- RAM: 128 GB+ uncapped
- Storage: Not specified
Although this host caps the number of players you can have on your server, the same doesn’t apply to the amount of memory available for each player, which makes it even more powerful.
12. Sparked Host: 24-Hour Free Trial
Sparked Host has a budget plan you can use if you want to enjoy ARK gameplay without draining your wallet. The cheapest base plan accommodates between five and 10 players, perfect for gaming with your close friends or family.
Here are the highlights of Sparked Host’s plans:
- Price: $8+/month
- Players: 5 to 50
- RAM: 8 to 14 GB
- Storage: 50 to 150 GB NVMe SSD
This host also features powerful hardware, including AMD Ryzen processors, NVMe SSD storage, and DDR5 memory (RAM). If you’re not ready to commit to a long-term contract, this host provides a 24-hour free trial, allowing you to experience how it feels to host ARK on its servers.
What Is ARK Hosting?
ARK hosting refers to a hosting environment equipped with the tools, features, and resources required to host the popular survival game ARK.
The standard hosting requirements for ARK are:
- 8 GB of memory
- 2 CPU cores
- 20 GB of disk space
That’s what most ARK servers offer, but of course, you can always scale up depending on the number of player slots you need. A good ARK server will also give you mod support, ample player slots, and DDoS protection to keep your server safe from attacks. I’ll dive into this more below.
What Are the Key Features of the Best Ark Server Hosting?
Choosing the best Ark server involves a lot more than picking any old host. An Ark server should at least have these features available:
- Dedicated server options for improved performance: If your gaming community grows and you want to add players, having access to a dedicated Ark server means you won’t have to switch providers. A dedicated server provides the highest level of control and resources.
- Control panel capabilities for easy server management: Unless you want to spend more time fussing with your server than you do playing Ark, a user-friendly control panel is a must. A control panel lets you monitor server usage and add more players through a simple graphical user interface (GUI).
- DDoS protection to safeguard against threats: Gaming servers are the number one target of DDoS attacks. Having DDoS protection is essential for any game server you purchase.
- Mod support for customizing your Ark server experience: What’s online gaming without support for customization? Make sure your host offers mod support — not all hosts do.
While your host will include all sorts of other perks, these are the most critical features you should keep an eye out for.
Which Type of Server Is Best for ARK?
The most straightforward answer to this question is that it depends on your unique requirements. For example, the more player slots required, the more resources your server should have.
- Cloud servers are great for scalability and reliability. They offer a convenient pricing model and are highly flexible and redundant.
- Virtual private servers, on the other hand, can accommodate moderate player slots, about 30, to be precise. These servers usually offer root access and provide greater control over your environment.
- An ARK dedicated server should be your go-to option if you want more power, total control of your hosting environment, and high performance.
Keep in mind that dedicated servers are usually more expensive than VPS or cloud hosting.
Is ScalaCube a Good ARK Host?
Yes, because it stands out in the crowded field of ARK game server hosting. Besides Europe and North America, which are the default server locations for most gaming hosts, ScalaCube has expanded its territory into Oceania and Asia. You’ll find its servers in Australia, India, and Singapore.
This host is affordable and rich in resources. For example, its base plan gives you:
- 20 player slots
- Up to 32 GB of memory
- 8 CPU cores (each with a clock speed of 3.4GHz)
- 320 GB of SSD storage
With plans starting at less than $16 per month, few other providers meet ScalaCube’s price-to-value ratio.
What’s the Difference Between ARK: Survival Evolved and ARK: Survival Ascended?
ARK: Survival Ascended (ASA) is a full Unreal Engine 5 remake of the original ARK: Survival Evolved, released in late 2023. While it delivers a major visual upgrade, it comes with significantly higher hardware requirements, meaning the hosting plan that runs Survival Evolved smoothly may struggle with Ascended.
Here’s what to expect for server hosting:
- RAM: ASA requires a minimum of 12GB, with 16GB recommended. Budget 8GB plans will crash immediately.
- CPU: At least 4 cores at 3.5GHz minimum, with 6 cores at 4.5GHz+ recommended for a smooth experience.
- Storage: 40GB SSD minimum, with 60GB+ NVMe recommended.
The practical takeaway: if you’re hosting ASA, lean toward the higher-tier plans in this article and budget accordingly. The hosts best equipped to handle it are Hostinger, DatHost, Host Havoc, and ScalaCube — all of which offer plans with sufficient RAM and modern hardware to run Ascended without issues.
Are Private ARK Servers Free?
Most products that come with the tag “private” aren’t free. Even those that claim to be free typically include some sort of catch. Free web hosts often place ads on your site or have strict limitations on resources to keep plans at $0.
The same applies to private ARK servers. If you see a web host advertising free hosting, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to use it for ARK hosting.
Pros
- No cost
- Switch providers any time
Cons
- Not enough storage and bandwidth to host ARK
- Ads may be placed on your site
- Fewer features
- No mods
Free hosts may have some limitations that require a subscription to bypass. Others may offer free trials, money-back guarantees, and discounts. In most cases, that is the closest you’ll ever come to a free ARK server.
The logic behind this is that hosting and maintaining a game server, even a private one, requires a lot of resources. Hardware, electricity, internet bandwidth, and more all come at a cost.
Skip a Free ARK Host and Choose a Cheap One Instead
The ARK server hosts I’ve reviewed may not fit your expectations of free hosting, but they’re worth their weight in gold in terms of gameplay.
Free ARK server hosts, if they exist, will come with a lot of restrictions, such as limited server configuration, an influx of spammy ads, and low security levels. To bypass that, you can find a premium host with affordable prices instead.
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