Head-to-head · ARK Server Hosting
Citadel Servers vs Apex Hosting
Citadel Servers leads on 2 checks, Apex Hosting on 1, and 5 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 8 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreCitadel Servers · 8.6/10
- Lowest starting priceCitadel Servers · $13.25/mo
- Most featuresCitadel Servers · 4 of 6
Citadel Servers scores higher on our rubric for ark server hosting: 8.6 against 8.5 out of 10; our editors rank them #5 and #6.
Citadel Servers is cheaper to start at $13.25/mo against $14.99/mo. On priced by, Apex Hosting gives you Per GB RAM where Citadel Servers offers Per slot. Citadel Servers leads on locations: 29 locations versus 14 locations. Apex Hosting leads on refund window: 7 days versus 0 days.
Citadel Servers is the better fit for cheap multi-location clusters on either edition. Apex Hosting is the better fit for players who want either edition sized by RAM.
- Citadel Servers fits best
Cheap multi-location clusters on either edition
- Apex Hosting fits best
Players who want either edition sized by RAM
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Side by side
| Feature | Citadel Servers 8.6/10 Visit ↗ | Apex Hosting 8.5/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 8.6 | 8.5 |
| Ranking | #5 in ARK Server Hosting | #6 in ARK Server Hosting |
| Best for | Cheap multi-location clusters on either edition | Players who want either edition sized by RAM |
| Pricing model | Paid | Paid |
| Starting price | $13.25/mo (best) | $14.99/mo |
| Free trial | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Features Citadel Servers 4/6 · Apex Hosting 3/6 | ||
| Console players | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Mod installer | ✓ (best) | Not checked yet |
| Clusters | ✓ (best) | Not checked yet |
| Game switching | Not checked yet | ✓ (best) |
| Auto backups | ✓ | ✓ |
| DDoS protection | ✓ | ✓ |
| Specs | ||
| Editions | ASE + ASA | ASE + ASA |
| Priced by | Per slot | Per GB RAM |
| Entry RAM | Not checked yet | 4 GB |
| Entry slots | 15 slots | Not checked yet |
| Locations | 29 locations (best) | 14 locations |
| Refund window | 0 days | 7 days (best) |
| Control panel | TCAdmin (customised) | Apex game panel |
| Our review | ||
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| Our verdict | Citadel Servers treats ARK as a single cloud product: you order once, then switch the server to the ARK version you want, with Ascended included and ARK 2 promised when it launches. Fifteen slots cost $13.25 a month at the base locations,… Read the review → |
Apex Hosting splits ARK into two products. Evolved starts at 4 GB for $14.99 a month, which Apex marks as the game's minimum, with 5 GB at $18.75 and 10 GB at $35. Ascended begins at 12 GB for $38.99, then 16 GB for $71.99 and 32 GB for… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
Citadel Servers — where it wins
- Switch the same server between Evolved and Ascended
- 1,000+ one-click mods, including Workshop mods, ARK API and Ark Remote
- Full clustering and 29 locations, from Oslo to São Paulo
Where it doesn't
- Game servers sit outside Citadel's 7-day money-back guarantee
- Asian and Australian locations add $6.18 to $7.99 a month
- No mention of console players on the ARK page
Apex Hosting — where it wins
- Both editions, each with a custom RAM builder
- 7-day refund window from server creation
- Automatic backups and updates with a free subdomain
Where it doesn't
- Ascended starts at 12 GB, so the entry price is $38.99
- No clustering or crossplay details on its ARK pages
- The 4 GB Evolved plan is Apex's minimum, not a comfortable size
- Citadel Servers8.6/10 · Paid plans · price varies by game
One ARK product that switches between Evolved and Ascended, from $13.25 for 15 slots across 29 locations.
Visit CitadelFull verdict → - Apex Hosting8.5/10 · Paid plans · price varies by game
Evolved and Ascended plans sized by RAM: $14.99 for 4 GB on Evolved, $38.99 for 12 GB on Ascended.
Visit Apex HostingFull verdict →
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update