Gravel Host vs Crafty Servers

Gravel Host9.4Visit Crafty Servers8.1Visit

Higher score Gravel Host #2 in Left 4 Dead 2 Server Hosting 9.4/10 72h refund · price varies by game ✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Gravel Host

vs

Crafty Servers #9 in Left 4 Dead 2 Server Hosting 8.1/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 4 features Visit Crafty Servers

• Gravel Host fits best

  Modded L4D2 groups needing capable hosting

• Crafty Servers fits best

  Budget users wanting a free starting option

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Side by side

Feature	Gravel Host 9.4/10 Visit ↗	Crafty Servers 8.1/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.4	8.1
Ranking	#2 in Left 4 Dead 2 Server Hosting	#9 in Left 4 Dead 2 Server Hosting
Best for	Modded L4D2 groups needing capable hosting	Budget users wanting a free starting option
Pricing model	Paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	—	$2/mo
Free plan	—	✓ (best)
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud, Mobile	Cloud
Platforms	Web, iOS, Android	Web
Support	Email, Tickets, Community, Docs · 24/7	Email, Live chat, Tickets · 24/7
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market	Small business
Features Gravel Host 4/4 · Crafty Servers 3/4
Mod support	✓	✓
Plugin support	✓	✓
File access	✓	✓
DDoS protection	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Specs
Maximum player slots	4 slots	Not checked yet
Server locations	15 locations	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Deployment takes about 60 seconds with a browser-based control panel Supports Workshop campaigns, SourceMod, Metamod, and custom files Daily backups are retained for over three years with DDoS protection	Free tier for small private or public sessions One-click Valve dedicated-server installation Paid plans add SFTP, schedules, and backups
Cons	There is no free plan Plan features vary substantially by player and mod requirements Advanced configurations require choosing a higher-tier plan	Free servers pause after six hours idle Paid file access starts only on paid sizes DDoS protection is not verified
Our verdict	Gravel Host provides dedicated Left 4 Dead 2 server hosting for friends, gaming groups, and community operators. Its service combines pre-installed server software with a browser-based control panel, FTP and file-manager access, server… Read the review →	Crafty Servers provides dedicated hosting for Left 4 Dead 2 sessions, including private or public co-op, versus, and custom-map play. It is aimed primarily at small communities that want a web-based dashboard rather than server… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Gravel Host — where it wins

  • Deployment takes about 60 seconds with a browser-based control panel
  • Supports Workshop campaigns, SourceMod, Metamod, and custom files
  • Daily backups are retained for over three years with DDoS protection

  Where it doesn't

  • There is no free plan
  • Plan features vary substantially by player and mod requirements
  • Advanced configurations require choosing a higher-tier plan

• Crafty Servers — where it wins

  • Free tier for small private or public sessions
  • One-click Valve dedicated-server installation
  • Paid plans add SFTP, schedules, and backups

  Where it doesn't

  • Free servers pause after six hours idle
  • Paid file access starts only on paid sizes
  • DDoS protection is not verified

• Gravel Host9.4/10 · 72h refund · price varies by game

  A focused L4D2 host for modded groups and community servers.

  Visit Gravel HostFull verdict →
• Crafty Servers8.1/10 · Free plan

  A $0 starting point with practical paid upgrades for small communities.

  Visit Crafty ServersFull verdict →