13 Free Rust Server Hosting Providers (Feb. 2024)

When I was in junior high, my teachers used to prepare a “word of the day calendar” for us and conduct a spelling bee competition at the end of each semester. I won a few times (four times, to be precise), and quite naturally, my vocabulary is sublime. Here is your word of the day: homonym. A homonym is a word that has the same spelling and pronunciation but multiple meanings.

To some of you, rust is a Mars-like, reddish-brown substance that appears on iron in high-moisture environments. To others, Rust is a programming language that emphasizes memory safety, performance, and concurrency. If you fall under these categories, this article is not meant for you.

We are here to talk about the thrilling, multiplayer survival game that Rust is and provide Rust gamers with in-depth insights into the best free Rust server hosting providers. If you have what it takes to survive in the wilderness on a desolate island, pack your lunch box and grab your remote controller — you’re in for a bumpy ride.

Developed by Facepunch Studios and released in 2018 (full release) on Steam, Rust is a high-intensity survival game that I love playing. If you have been on the live streaming platform Twitch, you know exactly how popular the game is — more than 50,000 players are concurrently playing Rust at the time of writing.

While I have purchased a Rust license and play the game on my (stunning) Windows laptop, a Linux operating system (OS) is recommended. These hosting providers allow you to create your own Rust game server on a virtual private server (VPS) or game server, and most are incredibly affordable. Are you ready to play Rust with friends? Read on!

IONOS is another viable option for Rust servers, and boy, is it cheap! You can host a Rust gaming server on an IONOS cloud server, virtual private server, or dedicated server (unmanaged or managed) — we recommend purchasing a VPS hosting plan. IONOS offers numerous VPS hosting plans, but a few of them do not provide the minimum specifications necessary to host a Rust server.

Keep in mind these specifications when purchasing a plan: a processor with a minimum of 3.4 GHz (4 GHz for hundreds of players), at least four GB RAM, a minimum of 32 GB SSD storage space (NVMe SSDs are preferred), and a Linux-based OS (a Windows server and macOS server are possibilities as well, but not preferred). To this end, we recommend the VPS Linux M as a solid starting point. The VPS Linux L is even better, although it is slightly more expensive.

You can configure and finetune your Rust server through IONOS’s Cloud Panel control panel.

It doesn’t make much sense to purchase a dedicated server hosting plan for Rust hosting, as dedicated hosting costs top bucks. An affordable VPS hosting plan with premium hardware (like Intel Xeon processors and super-fast SSD storage), full root access for Rust customization and control, a quick onboarding process, multiple datacenter locations, instant scalability, and sound customer support should suffice. Hostinger ticks all the right boxes.

While Hostinger does not offer dedicated Rust hosting plans, its Minecraft server hosting plans are a reliable alternative. Simply select a plan based on the number of players you intend on hosting and follow these steps to host your own Rust server. You can create your own server name, set up a secure password, and choose a data center location near your friends. Features like automatic offsite backups and DDoS protection ensure an uninterrupted gaming experience.

Hostinger also offers multiple websites with its VPS hosting plans, so create a Rust-related gaming website (or an in-general gaming website) in your spare time if you want to!

InMotion Hosting offers all-inclusive game server hosting plans for many multi-player games, including Rust (obviously). As one of the best web hosting providers in the industry, you can expect leading security and performance from these gaming servers. Each cloud VPS hosting plan at InMotion Hosting offers outstanding DDoS protection, one-click scalability, and fast loading times for an enthralling gaming experience.

The Rust server hosting provider also offers VPS NVMe plans that cost more than its conventional VPS SSD plans, so consider them if your budget is not constrained. Select a plan that meets your specification requirements and take advantage of limitless customization.

Other games you can play on the game server include Minecraft, Ark, Call of Duty, Counter-Strike, Half-Life, Quake, Team Fortress, Unreal Tournament, and Valheim.

4. ShockByte

Monthly Starting Price $9.99

• Supports up to 300 player slots
• Global server locations and 100% uptime
• Low latency and instant server setup
• Support for custom maps and plugins
• Get started on ShockByte now »

RUST
RATING

4.6

★★★★★

I am pretty obsessed with names, and ShockByte is a shocking choice! Regardless, it offers some of the best gaming servers, and I must admit, its user interface (UI) is slick. It offers three Rust hosting plans: Wood, Fuel, and Metal. The Fuel plan is the most popular, and the Metal plan lets you customize your server. The Fuel plan permits 60-player slots and includes Oxide, Carbon, and Harmony Mods. With the Metal plan, you can create a server with up to 300 player slots.

Each Rust server encompasses automatic wipe support, Rust+ support, automatic backups, low latency, plugin support, a 100% uptime guarantee, global server locations, instant setup, self-serve guides, custom maps, and DDoS protection. Of all the hosts and plans discussed so far, ShockByte offers the greatest support for Rust hosting.

No wonder it serves hundreds of thousands of customers around the world!

5. Fatality Servers: $4.50/Month

Fatality Servers is the first gaming host on this list that offers dedicated Rust server hosting plans (not to be confused with dedicated server hosting). It’s also cheaper than the traditional web hosting companies mentioned above. I am not sure Fatality Server’s self-description of “satisfactory” is the best way to describe its services, as it offers much more than that. You can rent a Rust server in just a few clicks, each of which is equipped with magnificent specifications.

These include leading AMD processors, DDR4 ECC RAM, NVMe SSD storage space, a Linux operating system, extensive DDoS protection, multiple global server locations, and Legacy, Vanilla, and Oxide Mod support. Fatality Servers offers four hosting plans, including a custom server option. The Zap Hosting plan is rated the highest, followed by Fragnet — choose wisely.

6. Gameserverkings: $10.13/Month

Gameserverkings is a pretty interesting name choice, although it speaks to what the company does well. While a Rust gaming server at Gameserverkings is on the more expensive side, the gaming host offers a commendable, easy-to-use, lag-free, and reliable Rust experience. You can choose a server ranging from 60 to 200 players and configure it accordingly.

Each Gameserverkings server offers high-performance hardware, no server setup fees, 24/7 uptime, Oxide plugin installations and extensive Mod support, complete DDoS protection, SFTP access, and easy backups. With the minimum Rust hosting configurations met easily by each Gamerserverkings server, you are guaranteed to enjoy peak Rust gaming. The host also offers a free migration service to another host — quite noble.

7. RocketNode: $16.85/Month

RocketNode provides as polished a UI as ShockByte and comparable Rust hosting features. It offers an optimized Rust hosting setup with lightning-fast speeds, robust security, powerful hardware configurations, and instant scalability. While RocketNode claims to be “affordable,” it is far from that — its server solutions are positively expensive. They do include excellent features, though, making for an enticing overall package.

Each Rust server includes unlimited players, Ryzen 5950X processors, sufficient NVMe SSD storage space, numerous server locations, a dedicated IP address, multiple databases, off-site cloud backups, and RocketGuard security. RocketNode is also renowned for its FiveM services, so take a glance in your spare time — Grand Theft Auto V is among my favorite games of all time, hands down!

I know how it feels to want to play a newly released video game but not have the budget to buy it. When I was younger, I used to save up for months to get my hands on the latest FIFA release.

It was always worth the wait. While Rust is far from new, you still have to pay a fee to play the game — or do you? If you don’t have enough money to rent a Rust server or purchase a Rust license, don’t worry. AxentHost and Fozzy are at your service, free of charge!

I wish I had known of such services earlier.

8. AxentHost: $0/Month

AxentHost is a blessing in disguise for gaming enthusiasts who are on a low budget. For the love of the game, AxentHost offers free Rust server hosting, and there are no terms or conditions in the fine print. The platform is financed by advertising and has your back! All you have to do is click the Start Server button, sign up, and play Rust on your free server with no restrictions.

Each AxentHost Rust server includes high-end hardware specs, several server locations in North America (the United States, in particular) and Europe, high flexibility of resource provisioning, automated backups, easy server file access, and Discord support. We would also like to add that the hosting service does not limit your experience due to its free pricing model. It is widely customizable and allows most privileges associated with a paid gaming server.

9. Fozzy: $0/Month

Fozzy offers both paid and free Rust hosting options. While Fozzy does not match the extensive free feature set AxentHost offers, it is a trusted Rust hosting provider with more than 30,000 global customers. Each Rust server employs cutting-edge, powerful Dell equipment, ensuring a steady Rust gaming adventure. The website also includes a fun quiz. Play it if you have time to spare!

There are only a handful of public Fozzy servers. We recommend exploring the options at your disposal and joining one nearest to you. Each public server features 50 slots, so you may have to wait for your turn. Take note that there is no button to join a server directly — you need to copy the listed IP address and join the server through it. Here is a guide to help you through this process.

During the process of buying my first car, I took seven Hyundai car models for a spin; I was hell-bent on purchasing a Hyundai car but could not make up my mind!

More than 10 test drives later, I finalized my choice. If you intend to take a rust server on a “test drive” before making a purchase decision, these hosts allow you to do so. (And yes, they also offer a money-back guarantee in case you are dissatisfied with their performance!)

10. PingPerfect

Monthly Starting Price $11.37

• Discounts on quarterly, semi-annual, and annual plans
• Instant setup and NVMe SSDs
• Global server locations and DDoS protection
• Intuitive game panel for easy configuration
• Get started on PingPerfect now »

RUST
RATING

4.6

★★★★★

Free Trial Duration: 48 hours

PingPerfect has to be the most aesthetically pleasing host name on our list. It’s more than just an elegantly named host; it’s widely known for its scintillating dedicated Rust server hosting options. Each plan includes an instantaneous setup process, fast hardware, 24/7 support, global server locations, game switching (to any other compatible game), a backup system, an easy-to-use and advanced Game panel, and DDoS protection.

PingPerfect is also one of the cheapest Rust hosts around if we take into consideration the numerous action-packed features it offers.

Be vigilant when creating a Rust plan of your choice, though, as PingPerfect puts some advanced configurations into your cart by default. Categories to look out for include CPU priority, server branding, and storage type. A major plus is that PingPerfect offers an enormous selection of server location options — one of the widest we have come across.

11. GTXGaming

Monthly Starting Price $9.24

• Rust servers for PC users
• Support for Oxide/uMod and automatic updates
• Automatic server backups
• Global server coverage and support for game switching
• Get started on GTXGaming now »

RUST
RATING

4.5

★★★★★

Money-Back Duration: 24 hours

Our next selection is GTXGaming, and what a gaming host it is. GTXGaming has been around since 2008 and might be one of my favorite Rust server hosts. While it is difficult to read the text in the below picture, that is probably GTXGaming’s only fault — its Rust server hosting plans are simply irresistible.

The apex hosting provider offers Oxide and Umod support, extensive plugin support, an online backup manager, scheduled, automatic Oxide and Umod updates, game switching (GTX gaming servers are versatile), automatic server backups, worldwide coverage, and enterprise hardware. Custom command support, an easy settings configurator, dynamic wiping, and a server restoration button are a cherry on top.

GTXGaming is fairly inexpensive as well and even includes a crypto payment option! If you own Bitcoin (BTC) or Ethereum (ETH) and have a love for gaming, this may just be your best opportunity to buy a gaming server with crypto. Other payment options include bank transfer, credit or debit card, and Skrill.

12. Sparked Host

Monthly Starting Price $14.72

• Enterprise hardware and up to unlimited player slots
• Automatic backups and personal customer support
• NVMe SSD storage and DDoS protection
• Globally distributed server locations
• Get started on Sparked Host now »

RUST
RATING

4.4

★★★★★

Free Trial Duration: 24 hours

Sparked Host offers Enterprise Rust hosting and Extreme Rust hosting. Its Enterprise hosting plans are indeed “bold,” offering nine server locations, cutting-edge AMD Ryzen processors, ample NVMe SSD storage space, and a choice of five magnificent plans. If you want to onboard between 50 and 100 players onto your server, the Fuel or Crude plans should be more than enough.

For more than 100 player slots, the Stone plan is your only option. Extreme hosting plans are built with hardcore Rust gaming in mind. There are three Extreme plans available, each of which includes stunning hardware configurations and multiple player slot options. You can also include plan add-ons like a free dedicated IP address and game management provisions. While Sparked Host is not very pocket-friendly, it is built for advanced Rust gaming.

Some other gaming server hosts you should check out for Rust hosting and game server hosting in general include Streamline Servers, Host Havoc, and Pine Hosting.

13. Nodecraft: $9.98/Month

Nodecraft offers a fairly limitless Rust gaming experience, with no player slot limits, unlimited configuration settings, a default port with a dedicated IP address, and full file access. The game host also offers an ad-free gaming experience, so you don’t need to worry about a pesky advertisement popping up unannounced!

Free Trial Duration: 24 hours

An instant setup process, cloud backups, and blazing-fast hardware are a bonus. If you prefer playing Rust on your mobile phone, you can easily download the Nodecraft app from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store and play on the go! A seven-day money-back guarantee is another solid touch. This shows that Nodecraft is confident in its offerings and will compensate you in case you are dissatisfied with the platform.

Tom Hanks is by far my favorite actor, and his performance in Cast Away was exceptional. The character he played, Charles “Chuck” Noland, was stranded on an uninhabited island in the Pacific Ocean for four years. If you haven’t watched the classic yet, don’t call yourself a movie fanatic. I will keep the ending a surprise.

Rust puts you in the shoes of Charles Noland, but the stakes are higher — the island (its environment), its wildlife, and other inhabitants want you to die. You must survive to live another day. You can play the game by purchasing a license at the Steam store or hosting a Rust server with your friends. Some Rust hosting servers are free of cost, while others charge a service fee — assess your budget and get one as soon as possible!

A Rust license at the Steam store costs quite a bit, especially if you purchase the DLC Bundle or Facepunch Complete Bundle along with it. Additionally, this may not be the best way to play Rust with your friends, as you will have to perform a series of steps to join the same gaming server. While possible, it’s complicated, and purchasing a Rust server is the better option.

AxentHost and Fozzy, for example, promise a barrier-free Rust gaming experience. These hosts offer free Rust gaming servers. While these servers have certain limitations, they may be the best option for gamers with little to no budget. IONOS is another cheap option to host a Rust server. With VPS plans starting at just $2 per month, you and your friends can enjoy premium IONOS hardware for Rust gaming at the cost of peanuts (more on this later).

Unfortunately, Rust server hosting at ScalaCube isn’t free (a 20% discount on the first month of service is applicable at the time of writing, though!). ScalaCube is ideal for large friend circles, as a minimum of 150 player slots are available for the cheapest server ($19.20 per month). Each ScalaCube Rust server includes Oxide support, full FTP access, easily adjustable settings, and DDoS protection.

It also includes a 24/7 uptime promise, a no-lag guarantee, powerful SSD drives, and a free domain name. With server locations around the world, including the USA, Canada, the UK, Germany, France, India, Singapore, and Australia, ScalaCube is an enticing option. Still, it isn’t worthwhile for small gaming groups. Other hosts, like GTXGaming and PingPerfect, offer much more for a lower price.

Yes, AxentHost is free, free, free! If you are based in the US or Europe, AxentHost’s free servers are perfect for you. Simply log in or create an account to play Rust on your free server. And no, you don’t need to worry about a mysterious bill arriving at the end of the month. AxentHost is completely free to use because its financial model is based on advertising.

It leaves no stone unturned in offering a premium Rust experience. Each server bundles robust CPUs with dedicated RAM and NVMe SSDs, immense resource flexibility, daily backups, a helpful Discord community, numerous customizations, DDoS protection, and a reliable hosting environment. Sounds too good to be true? Try the gaming host today and see for yourself.

The most important thing is to determine your budget; The higher the budget, the better the gaming experience. Next, determine the number of player slots and features you need (like mod support, hardware configurations, and security). While Hostinger, IONOS, and InMotion Hosting are undoubtedly good options, they only offer the hardware configurations you need to play the game.

Our other hosts provide dedicated Rust gaming servers with Rust-specific features. Choosing a dedicated Rust host makes more sense. The next step is matching your budget with the best Rust server host. There is a fine margin between each of our listed dedicated Rust server hosts, so take your time, figure out exactly what you need, and select one accordingly.

Out of the 13 options we have listed, only two are entirely free. So quite obviously, the best free Rust hosts are AxentHost and Fozzy. You could add IONOS to the list, as it’s incredibly cheap, but use caution if you don’t have server management experience. IONOS offers magnificent server hardware resources and is extremely reliable, but when it comes to Rust gaming, you may want features like mod support.

While AxentHost is the better option of the two, Fozzy is no slouch — try both and pick the one you like better. You could also think of these hosts as a means to try Rust server hosting for free before purchasing a high-end paid server.

GTXGaming is my overall pick for a true dedicated Rust server; fortunately, it doesn’t cost much. Besides, if you have 20 or more players, a GTXGaming server will cost only a fraction of a dollar per head monthly. Think smart!