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Choose a non-dedicated, player-hosted world if a small group normally plays together and wants the least setup. Choose a dedicated server if the world must stay available after the owner logs off, people play at different times, or you need server-side settings, mods, and administration.
The practical difference is where the world runs: a non-dedicated session runs inside one player’s game client, while a dedicated server runs as a separate process that can remain online independently. That distinction determines availability, hardware, maintenance, crossplay behavior, and cost.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
7 Days to Die – Console Edition Survival Bundle - PlayStation 5 | $47.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
7 Days to Die – Console Edition - Xbox Series X | $44.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
7 Days to Die (PS4) | $23.01 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
7 Days to Die - PlayStation 4 | $36.21 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
7 Days to Die - Xbox One (Renewed) | $39.07 | Buy on Amazon |
Quick comparison
| Decision factor | Non-dedicated/player-hosted | Dedicated server |
|---|---|---|
| World availability | Only while the host is in the game | Can remain online after the owner logs off |
| Setup | Start a world and invite or join friends | Install and maintain a separate server process, with network and update administration |
| Computer workload | The host runs the game and hosting workload together | A separate machine can keep server work from competing with the game client |
| Administration | Fewer exposed server-side controls | More control over settings, mods, admin tools, and files |
| Cost | No rented server is required for a small group | The software is free; hardware or managed hosting may cost money |
| Crossplay | Depends on the current platform and game settings | Requires the documented dedicated-server settings and supported platforms |
What “dedicated” and “non-dedicated” mean in 7 Days to Die
Non-dedicated: the game client is the host
When you start a non-dedicated session, your normal game client creates and runs the world. Friends find it through the in-game browser or Steam and join while you are playing. If you exit the game, disconnect, or shut down the computer, the session is no longer available.
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#1 Best Overall
- Explore – Huge, rich environments, with unique biomes and worlds up to 100 square kilometres in size.
- Craft – Handcraft and repair weapons, clothes, armour, tools, vehicles, with hundreds of recipes and schematics.
- Build – Design your fort with traps, electricity, auto turrets, and gadgets to survive in a fully destructible and mouldable world.
- Cooperate or Compete – Work together to build settlements or against each other in a wasteland where zombies and outlaws rule the land.
- A must-have for collectors and fans of Open-World Survival Horror, the 7 Days to Die – Console Edition Survival Bundle includes the following: An exclusive Artbook with over 100 pages showcasing never-before-seen illustrations of the zombie apocalypse, a CD featuring the haunting Original Soundtrack (OST) of the game, a double-sided poster, Fine art prints x3, Sticker sheets x 3, the physical game, and a collectible tuck-in box housing all the contents.
Dedicated: a standalone server process
A dedicated server runs the world separately from the game client. It can run on the owner’s main PC, a spare computer on the local network, or rented hardware. Because the process is independent, players can connect while the owner is not playing, provided the machine and network remain online.
On Steam, the dedicated-server tool is app 294420, separate from the game app 251570. The server tool is free to download; any cost comes from the computer, electricity, network service, or hosting provider used to run it.
Which option fits your group?
Use non-dedicated hosting when simplicity matters most
- The same person usually starts each session.
- Most players are online at roughly the same time.
- The group is small and does not need an always-on world.
- No one wants to configure ports, firewall rules, updates, or server files.
- You want to avoid a recurring hosting bill.
This is usually the fastest way to begin a cooperative game. The trade-off is scheduling: nobody can enter the world early, continue a build, or check a base while the host is away.
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- Players join at different times or in different time zones.
- The world should remain available between sessions.
- You want server-side configuration, administrator tools, or mods.
- A spare computer or rented instance can stay online reliably.
- You are willing to handle maintenance or pay someone else to handle it.
A managed host reduces administration through a control panel and may include backups. Self-hosting gives direct access to files and settings but makes you responsible for the operating system, network, updates, and recovery.
Availability, save ownership, and scheduling
In a player-hosted game, the host is effectively the availability switch. The world is present only during that client’s session, so the group must coordinate around the host’s play time. If the host’s connection is unstable, everyone experiences the resulting interruption.
A dedicated process changes the schedule rather than merely improving it: the world can be started once and left running, allowing different players to come and go. The owner still needs a plan for planned restarts, updates, and outages. “Always online” means the server process, computer, and network are all operating; it does not eliminate maintenance.
Rank #2
- Explore – Huge, rich environments, with unique biomes and worlds up to 100 square kilometres in size.
- Craft – Handcraft and repair weapons, clothes, armour, tools, vehicles, with hundreds of recipes and schematics.
- Build – Design your fort with traps, electricity, auto turrets, and gadgets to survive in a fully destructible and mouldable world.
- Cooperate or Compete – Work together to build settlements or against each other in a wasteland where zombies and outlaws rule the land.
- Farm or Hunt – Plant gardens for sustainable resources or head out to the wilderness and hunt over a dozen unique animals.
Persistence also changes responsibility. Decide who owns the world files, who can change settings, and who can restore a backup. With a player-hosted world, that responsibility naturally follows the host’s game installation. With a dedicated deployment, the files may live on a rented instance, a spare LAN computer, or a provider’s storage, so document access and recovery procedures for the whole group.
Setup effort and administration
Player-hosted setup
- Launch the game and create or load the world in the normal multiplayer flow.
- Set the session’s visibility and anti-cheat options to match the group’s needs.
- Invite friends through the in-game browser or Steam.
- Keep the game open for the entire session; closing it ends availability.
This route has no separate service to monitor. Version changes are handled through the game installation, and there are no dedicated-server configuration files to maintain.
Self-hosted dedicated setup
A self-hosted deployment commonly includes the following work:
- Install the dedicated-server tool (Steam app
294420) separately from the game. - Choose a machine that can remain online and create a separate service account where practical.
- Install SteamCMD or the platform’s supported server-management workflow.
- Configure the server files, game branch, visibility, player limit, EAC, and any approved mods.
- Open the required firewall rules and forward the necessary ports from the router when players connect over the internet.
- Arrange automatic restarts, update handling, and a way to start or stop the process after a crash or reboot.
- Test a connection from outside the host’s local network before inviting the whole group.
The exact port numbers and configuration syntax can change with the game’s documentation and branch, so use the current settings shipped with your server version rather than copying an old configuration.
Managed dedicated hosting
A managed provider packages the server process, networking, and much of the maintenance into a control panel. This is the lowest-administration dedicated route, but features differ. Before committing, verify the provider’s supported game version and branch, geographic region, backup policy, mod support, player limits, restart controls, and crossplay settings. Prices and included features are provider-specific and can change.
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Hardware and network requirements
Official hardware guidance updated April 21, 2026, warns that a dedicated server requires more RAM and heavier CPU use than running the game alone. The same guidance lists 12 GB of RAM as recommended Windows memory for the game; that figure is not a complete dedicated-server specification because the server needs additional headroom.
Rank #3
- Unlimited hours of gameplay
- Explore - Huge, unique and rich environments, offering the freedom to play the game however you want
- Craft - craft and repair weapons, clothes, armour, tools, vehicles, and more
- Build - Take over a ruin, or build from the ground-up. Design your fortress to include traps and defensive positions to survive the undead
- Cooperate or Compete - Includes two player split screen mode, with support for up to 4 players online, in Player versus Player, co-op survival, or co-op creative modes
The dedicated-server setup guidance gives a practical baseline of four fast CPU cores and 6 GB of free RAM for a small server. It suggests approximately 10–16 GB of RAM for modded play or groups of four or more players. These are planning estimates, not guarantees: world size, simulation activity, mods, view distance, and concurrent players can change actual load.
- CPU: Favor strong per-core performance and keep capacity available for save operations and simulation spikes.
- Memory: Reserve memory for the operating system and monitoring; do not allocate every available gigabyte to the server.
- Storage: An SSD is recommended for faster world saves, loading, and recovery after restarts.
- Network: Stable upload capacity and low packet loss matter more than headline download speed.
- Power and uptime: An always-on computer needs reliable cooling, automatic startup after a power interruption, and a backup plan for the world files.
For a player-hosted session, the host computer performs both rendering and server simulation. Lowering graphics settings may help the client, but it does not remove the underlying hosting workload. Moving the dedicated process to a separate machine prevents that competition.
Crossplay between PC and consoles
Modern crossplay can include PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S when the dedicated server is configured correctly. The official cross-platform guidance requires all of the following values:
| Setting | Required value | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
ServerMaxPlayerCount |
8 or lower | Console-compatible servers are capped at eight players |
ServerAllowCrossplay |
True |
Enables cross-platform connections |
EACEnabled |
True |
Required for the supported crossplay configuration |
IgnoreEOSSanctions |
False |
Must remain disabled for the documented setup |
In addition to those values, set the server to public visibility, keep it vanilla rather than modded, and make sure the server and every client use matching game versions and branches. A modded server or a version mismatch can prevent a console player from joining even when the crossplay switch is enabled.
The supported modern group described by the guide does not include legacy PlayStation 4 or Xbox One builds, and Nintendo Switch is outside that crossplay group. Platform support can change with future updates, so check the current compatibility guidance when planning a mixed-platform world.
Mods, administration, and control
Why dedicated servers offer more control
Dedicated hosting exposes server-side files and settings that are not normally available from a player-hosted session. An administrator can define access, adjust world rules, manage restarts, inspect logs, and install server-side modifications. This separation also makes it possible to give trusted players administrative roles without requiring the owner to be in the game.
Rank #4
- Explore & Craft - Huge, unique and rich environments, offering the freedom to play the game any way you want while you craft and repair weapons, clothes, armor, tools, vehicles, and more.
- Build - Take over a ruin, or build from the ground-up. Design your fortress to include traps and defensive positions to survive the undead - the world is fully destructible and moldable.
- Cooperate or Compete - Includes two player split screen mode, with additional online multiplayer modes and features to be revealed in the near future.
- Create - Unleash your creativity and build the ultimate world by yourself friends. Enjoy unlimited access to nearly 400 in-game items and 1,200 unique building blocks in creative mode.
- Improve - Increase your skills in a multitude of active and passive disciplines. 7 to Die is the only true survival RPG with nearly 50 multi-tiered skill and perk groups.
What control costs you
Every additional control creates an operational task. Mods must match the server’s game branch and client expectations; updates can require testing; and an incorrect setting can make the server undiscoverable or block connections. Keep a known-good configuration, record changes, and take backups before modifying files or adding a large mod set.
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Crossplay imposes an important trade-off: the documented PC-console setup requires a vanilla server. A dedicated server is therefore the flexible choice for administration and mods, but a mixed-platform group should prioritize the compatibility checklist over a mod-heavy configuration.
Cost and ownership choices
A non-dedicated session has no separate hosting charge. You use the game and the host’s existing computer and internet connection.
The dedicated-server software itself is free. A self-hosted server still has indirect costs: a machine that can remain powered, electricity, storage, network equipment, and the time required for administration. Renting hardware converts those responsibilities into a recurring service fee. Managed hosting can be worthwhile when uptime and convenience matter more than direct control, while self-hosting is attractive when you already have suitable hardware and want complete access to files and settings.
Do not compare providers on monthly price alone. Check whether backups, restore tools, regional locations, mod installation, automatic updates, scheduled restarts, and support are included. A cheaper plan that lacks memory headroom or recovery options may cost more in downtime and troubleshooting. Conversely, paying for a dedicated service is unnecessary for a small group that always starts together and can tolerate the host logging in.
Practical decision framework
- Ask whether the world must exist without its owner. If yes, choose dedicated hosting.
- Count the schedules. If players regularly play asynchronously, dedicated hosting avoids repeated coordination.
- Decide how much administration you will accept. Choose player hosting for near-zero setup, managed hosting for low administration with persistence, or self-hosting for maximum control.
- Check platform requirements. For PC-and-console play, plan around the eight-player, vanilla, EAC-enabled configuration and matching versions.
- Check hardware honestly. Confirm available CPU, free RAM, SSD space, upload stability, and automatic-restart capability before promising 24/7 access.
- Choose the ownership model. A small, synchronized group usually gains little from paying for a dedicated machine; a persistent community world usually gains a great deal.
Operational checklist before inviting players
- Write down the server owner and at least one backup administrator.
- Confirm the selected branch and game version on both server and clients.
- Test a normal connection, a reconnect after a restart, and (for internet play) a connection from outside the host network.
- Make a backup of the world and configuration before installing mods or changing major rules.
- Set a maintenance window so players know when updates or restarts may interrupt access.
- Monitor CPU, free memory, storage space, and logs while several players are active.
- For crossplay, verify public visibility, vanilla files, EAC, the four required settings, and the eight-player maximum.
Troubleshooting common problems
Friends cannot see or join a player-hosted world
- Confirm the host is still inside the game and the world is running.
- Check that everyone is on the same game version and branch.
- Verify the session’s visibility and EAC settings are compatible with the joining clients.
- Try joining through the in-game browser and Steam invitation paths separately.
A dedicated server is online but unreachable
- Confirm the server process is running after the latest reboot or update.
- Check the operating-system firewall and router forwarding rules.
- Verify that the advertised branch and version match the clients.
- Review logs for a failed configuration, a port conflict, or a crash loop.
- Test from an external network rather than relying only on a connection from the host’s LAN.
Console players cannot connect
- Set
ServerAllowCrossplaytoTrue. - Keep
EACEnabledset toTrueandIgnoreEOSSanctionsset toFalse. - Set
ServerMaxPlayerCountto 8 or below. - Use public visibility, a vanilla server, and matching versions and branches.
- Confirm that each console is a supported modern platform rather than a legacy build outside the documented group.
The server lags or runs out of memory
- Compare actual free RAM with the small-server baseline of 6 GB and the 10–16 GB planning range for larger or modded groups.
- Reduce simultaneous players or heavy mods and watch CPU and memory usage during peak activity.
- Move the process to faster CPU cores or a separate machine if the game client is competing for resources.
- Use SSD storage and confirm that the operating system is not swapping heavily.
Bottom line
For a small group that starts and ends sessions together, non-dedicated hosting is the sensible default: it is immediate, free of server administration, and adequate when the host is always present. A dedicated server is the better tool when persistence, asynchronous access, cross-platform administration, or mods justify the extra hardware and maintenance. Decide first whether the world must stay online without its owner; that single requirement usually determines the right choice.
Best Value
- Explore & Craft - Huge, unique and rich environments, offering the freedom to play the game any way you want while you craft and repair weapons, clothes, armor, tools, vehicles, and more.
- Build - Take over a ruin, or build from the ground-up. Design your fortress to include traps and defensive positions to survive the undead - the world is fully destructible and moldable.
- Cooperate or Compete - Includes two player split screen mode, with additional online multiplayer modes and features to be revealed in the near future.
- Create - Unleash your creativity and build the ultimate world by yourself friends. Enjoy unlimited access to nearly 400 in-game items and 1,200 unique building blocks in creative mode.
- Improve - Increase your skills in a multitude of active and passive disciplines. 7 to Die is the only true survival RPG with nearly 50 multi-tiered skill and perk groups.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a dedicated server stay online when the host logs off?
Yes. A dedicated server is a separate process and can continue running after its owner leaves the game, as long as the server machine and network stay online. A non-dedicated world is available only while its player host is in the game.
Do I need to rent a server?
No. A small synchronized group can use non-dedicated hosting at no additional hosting cost. For a persistent world, you can self-host on an always-on PC or rent managed hardware; renting is a convenience choice, not a technical requirement.
How much RAM does a 7 Days to Die server need?
The game’s Windows guidance lists 12 GB as recommended memory, while dedicated-server setup guidance uses about 6 GB of free RAM as a small-server baseline and roughly 10–16 GB for modded play or groups of four or more. Leave additional memory for the operating system and workload spikes.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesCan PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S players join the same server?
Yes, when the dedicated server uses the supported crossplay configuration: public visibility, vanilla files, matching versions and branches, ServerMaxPlayerCount of 8 or less, ServerAllowCrossplay=True, EACEnabled=True, and IgnoreEOSSanctions=False.
Can PS4, Xbox One, or Nintendo Switch join that crossplay server?
The documented modern crossplay group covers PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Legacy PS4 and Xbox One builds and Nintendo Switch are outside that supported group.
Is a dedicated server always better?
No. It is better for persistence, asynchronous schedules, server-side administration, and larger or modded communities. Player hosting is better when the group is small, plays together, and values immediate setup with no server-management work.
What is the Steam dedicated-server app?
The dedicated-server tool is Steam app 294420, separate from the game app 251570. The tool is free; your costs come from the hardware, electricity, network, or hosting service used to run it.
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Verify the supported game version and branch, region, memory capacity, backups and restores, mod support, player limit, restart controls, update handling, and crossplay settings. Prices and included features vary by provider.
The Bottom Line
Choose non-dedicated for a small group that plays together and wants zero server administration. Choose dedicated when the world must persist, players join asynchronously, or you need server files, mods, and admin controls.
Quick Recap
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