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Head-to-head · Game Server Control Panels

HaruHost vs Windows Game Server

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score HaruHost #6 in Game Server Control Panels 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit HaruHost
Windows Game Server #7 in Game Server Control Panels 8.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit site

HaruHost leads on 0 checks, Windows Game Server on 0, and 5 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreHaruHost · 8.7/10
  • Free planboth

HaruHost scores higher on our rubric for game server control panels: 8.7 against 8.6 out of 10; our editors rank them #6 and #7.

HaruHost is the better fit for free self-hosted multi-game management. Windows Game Server is the better fit for windows administrators supporting many games.

  • HaruHost fits best

    Free self-hosted multi-game management

  • Windows Game Server fits best

    Windows administrators supporting many games

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature HaruHost 8.7/10 Visit ↗ Windows Game Server 8.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.7 8.6
Ranking #6 in Game Server Control Panels #7 in Game Server Control Panels
Best for Free self-hosted multi-game management Windows administrators supporting many games
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free
Starting price Free plan Free plan
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Self-hosted, Desktop, Browser extension Self-hosted, Desktop
Platforms Web, Windows, Linux Web, Windows
Support Email, Community, Docs Community, Docs
Integrations 5 integrations 3 integrations
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market Solo, Small business, Mid-market
Features HaruHost 4/4 · Windows Game Server 4/4
Server provisioning ✓ ✓
Mods and plugins ✓ ✓
Scheduled backups ✓ ✓
Role access controls ✓ ✓
Specs
Supported games 7 Days To Die, Abiotic Factor, American Truck Simulator, Ark Survival Ascended, Ark Survival Evolved, Arma 3, Arma Reforger, Assetto Corsa, Avorion, Barotrauma, Conan Exiles, Core Keeper, Craftopia, DayZ, Don't Starve Together, Eco, Empyrion - Galactic Survival, Enshrouded, Euro Truck Simulator 2, Factorio, Frozen Flame, Hytale, Icarus, Left 4 Dead 2, Minecraft - Bedrock Edition, Minecraft - Java Edition, Necesse, Palworld, Project Zomboid, Rust, Satisfactory, Smalland: Survive the Wilds, Sons of The Forest, Soulmask, StarRupture, Terraria, The Forest, Unturned, V Rising, Valheim, Windrose, tModLoader (Terraria) 7 Days to Die, Abiotic Factor, American Truck Simulator, ARK: Survival Ascended, ARK: Survival Evolved, Arma 2: Operation Arrowhead, Arma 3, Arma Reforger, ASKA, Assetto Corsa, Assetto Corsa Competizione, ASTRONEER, Barotrauma, Beyond The Wire, Black Mesa, Conan Exiles, Core Keeper, Counter-Strike 1.6, Counter-Strike 2, Counter-Strike: Condition Zero, Craftopia, Cubic Odyssey, Day of Defeat, Day of Defeat: Source, DayZ, Don't Starve Together, Echoes of Elysium, Eco: Global Survival, Empyrion, Enshrouded, Euro Truck Simulator 2, FrozenFlame, Garry's Mod, Grand Theft Auto V (FiveM), Grand Theft Auto V Enhanced (FiveM), GROUND BRANCH, Half-Life 2: Deathmatch, Half-Life Deathmatch, Half-Life: Opposing Force, HumanitZ, Icarus, Insurgency: Sandstorm, Killing Floor 2, Last Oasis, Left 4 Dead 2, Last Oasis Classic, Longvinter, Minecraft: Java Edition, Minecraft: Forge, Minecraft: Spigot, Minecraft: Fabric, Minecraft: Bedrock Edition, Mordhau, Motor Town: Behind The Wheel, Myth of Empires, Necesse, Nightingale, Night of the Dead, No One Survived, Nuclear Option, Operation: Harsh Doorstop, Palworld, PixARK, Plains of Pain, Primal Carnage: Extinction, Project Zomboid, RedM, RePoly, Return to Moria, Rising World, Risk of Rain 2, Rust, RuneScape: Dragonwilds, Satisfactory, Schedule I, SCP: Secret Laboratory, SCUM, Shatterline, Smalland: Survive the Wilds, Sons of the Forest, Soulmask, Space Engineers, Squad, Squad 44, Star Rupture, Starbound, Stationeers, Stormworks: Build and Rescue, Sunkenland, Survive the Nights, Sven Co-op, TABG, Team Fortress 2, Team Fortress Classic, Terraria, The Forest, The Front, The Isle, Unturned, V Rising, Valheim, Vein, Voyagers of Nera, Windrose, Wreckfest, Wreckfest 2, Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop, Automobilista 2, Avorion, Blackwake, Colony Survival, Counter-Strike: Source, CryoFall, Factorio, Farming Simulator 25, Hurtworld, Left 4 Dead, Luanti (Minetest), Mindustry, Minecraft NeoForge, Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, Multi Theft Auto: San Andreas, Onset, open.mp, OpenRA, OpenRCT2, OpenTTD, Path of Titans, Rising Storm 2: Vietnam, Sapiens, Soldat, Space Station 14, Teeworlds, Titanfall 2 (Northstar), tModLoader, Tower Unite, Trackmania, Unreal Tournament 2004, Urban Terror, Veloren, Vintage Story, Xonotic, Zombie Panic! Source
Deployment model Self_hosted Self_hosted
Managed server limit Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Free plan with dedicated server provisioning and installation
  • Backups, crash recovery, updates, and automated restarts
  • Supports 42 games with Discord and mod-platform integrations
  • 143 built-in plugins plus a graphical creator for unsupported games
  • Multi-machine management with browser dashboard, REST API, and Discord control
  • Scheduled compressed and incremental backups with role-based access controls
Cons
  • Self-hosted deployment requires Windows or Ubuntu/Linux
  • Mod and modpack management applies only to supported games
  • Premium subscriptions are separate from the free plan
  • Deployment is limited to Windows 10 or newer and Windows Server 2019 or newer
  • Does not support Linux, Docker, or virtualization deployments
  • Some listed games may have limited real-world validation
Our verdict

HaruHost is a self-hosted game server manager for individuals and communities running dedicated servers on Windows or Ubuntu/Linux. It provides desktop, web-panel, and command-line workflows for installation, configuration, updates,…

Read the review →

Windows Game Server (WGS) is a free, open-source control panel for installing, launching, monitoring, updating, backing up, and remotely controlling dedicated game servers. It is designed for Windows administrators managing multiple games…

Read the review →
  1. HaruHostGame Server Control Panels 8.7Free plan
  2. Windows Game ServerGame Server Control Panels 8.6Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • HaruHost — where it wins

    • Free plan with dedicated server provisioning and installation
    • Backups, crash recovery, updates, and automated restarts
    • Supports 42 games with Discord and mod-platform integrations

    Where it doesn't

    • Self-hosted deployment requires Windows or Ubuntu/Linux
    • Mod and modpack management applies only to supported games
    • Premium subscriptions are separate from the free plan
  • Windows Game Server — where it wins

    • 143 built-in plugins plus a graphical creator for unsupported games
    • Multi-machine management with browser dashboard, REST API, and Discord control
    • Scheduled compressed and incremental backups with role-based access controls

    Where it doesn't

    • Deployment is limited to Windows 10 or newer and Windows Server 2019 or newer
    • Does not support Linux, Docker, or virtualization deployments
    • Some listed games may have limited real-world validation
  • HaruHost8.7/10 · Free plan

    A free, multi-game control panel with provisioning, backups, mods, and remote administration.

    Visit HaruHostFull verdict →
  • Windows Game Server8.6/10 · Free plan

    A broad, Windows-first control panel for managing dedicated game servers across multiple machines.

    Visit siteFull verdict →

More comparisons

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update