5 Free Rust Server Hosting Providers For 2023
Rust is a well-known survival game where you must band together with your friends to fend off the island's wildlife while battling other players for resources and shelter. As the game is online multiplayer, connecting with friends requires a game server.
If you're new to server hosting, it's natural to be hesitant about committing to long-term subscriptions. The good news is that many dedicated server platforms (like Hostari) provide free trials.
Ready for our list of options? Let’s dive in.
What Is Rust?
Rust is an amazing survival game that has gained immense popularity since its early access release in 2013. Play in procedurally-generated worlds and fight to survive against island inhabitants, the environment, and even other survivors. Explore the island, build bases, craft weapons, and much more.
Why is Rust Server Hosting Important?
Complete Control
When you make a rust server, you get full control over who joins your lobby. You can even kick or ban players for inappropriate behavior.
Reliability
Dedicated servers offer reliable connections and 24/7 runtime, which means your game will always be online and available.
Great Security
Dedicated servers come with great security by default, which protects against attacks to keep your data secure.
Criteria to Consider When Choosing a Free Rust Server Hosting Platform
Server Performance
Check their hardware specs to see how well their servers perform. They should also offer enough storage to accommodate things like mod and plugin installations.
Server Location
Choose a hosting platform that has data centers close to your location. The closer they are, the faster your connection speeds.
Customer Support
Any good dedicated server should provide fast customer support in case you encounter any technical issues.
5 Best Free Rust Server Hosting Providers
Without further delay, let’s move on to the best server hosting providers for Rust. The platforms we’ll be discussing either offer free trials or provide free server hosting services.
Here’s a quick look at the platforms in this list:
Hostari: Best for Easy Server Configuration
Axenthost: Best for Completely Free Server Hosting
Nodecraft: Best for Game Swapping
mTxServ: Best for High-Performing Hardware
Indifferent Broccoli: Best for Beginners to Server Hosting
1. Hostari
Best for Easy Server Configuration
Hostari provides high-quality servers with simple configuration systems to take the hassle out of server management. We utilize premium Intel Core i9 9900K processors with a minimum spec of 128 GB RAM to ensure a lag-free game performance.
We also make sure we never overload any of our machines with too many subscribers to avoid server overload.
Key Features
Instant Setup: We provide an automated setup process to make server setup as seamless as possible.
Custom Control Panel: Our control panel comes with a user-friendly interface so you can easily manage your settings.
Automated Server Backups: We automatically back up your server to prevent you from losing your data.
Global Data Centers: We have data centers in multiple regions, including the US and Brazil, to accommodate a worldwide audience.
Secure Servers: Our servers come with high-level security, which protects your data from high-magnitude attacks such as source-engine query attacks, UDP floods, and DDoS.
Access Controls: Effortlessly customize your server with mods, custom maps, and plugins.
Pricing
Hostari provides four pricing options for Rust, each with a different billing cycle:
Zerg ($17.99/month — annual billing)
Gambler ($18.99/month — semi-annual billing)
Decoy ($19.99/month — quarterly billing)
Crafter ($21.49 — monthly billing)
Our starting plan comes with 4 GB RAM and 16 player slots. No matter which plan you choose, you get access to a 24-hour free trial — no credit card required. We also include automated server backups and updates, 24/7 runtime, and on-demand chat support with every plan.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
24-hour free trial.
Simple server configuration.
Flexible billing cycles.
Premium hardware.
Easy-to-use control panel.
Multiple data centers.
24/7 support.
24/7 runtime.
Automated server backups and updates.
Instant setup.
High-level security.
Cons:
Limited disk space.
Limited player slots.
No game switching.
2. Axenthost
Best for Completely Free Server Hosting
AxenHost is a completely free game hosting platform, which offers Rust servers at no cost. You can enjoy high-quality game servers, and customize them with mods and plugins using their intuitive interface.
Key Features
Fast & reliable: Set up your servers with just one click and start playing your game right away.
High flexibility: You can customize your server’s RAM, disk, and more at any time.
Multiple locations: AxenHost has servers in both Europe and North America to reach gamers around the world.
Fast support: Join their Discord server to talk to their support team or other players.
High-end Hardware: AxenHost uses powerful CPUs, NVMe SSDs, and DDR4 ECC RAM.
Automated Backups: Server backups are automated to ensure you don’t lose your progress.
File Access: Access your game server files with ease.
Pricing
AxenHost’s Rust server is completely free. You just need credits, which you can claim for free every hour (5 credits per hour). There’s also the option to purchase these credits with real money (240 to 1200 credits per pack.)
Pros and Cons
Pros:
Free server hosting.
Automated backups.
High-end hardware.
Intuitive control panel.
Easy server customization.
Global data centers.
One-click setup.
Scalable servers.
Cons:
No full-time support.
Credits limit your server usage.
No pricing page for the credits (lack of transparency).
3. Nodecraft
Best for Game Swapping
Nodecraft’s server hosting allows you to freely switch between different games whilst still saving your progress. There are no limitations on your player slots, so you can customize your lobby size to suit whatever game you’re playing.
Key Features
Game Swapping: Swap between games at any time with no additional costs.
Cloud Backups: Protect your progress with cloud backups, which are included in every server.
Automation: Set scheduled tasks to run at any time. You can make them one-time events or make them repeat periodically.
No Player Slot Limits: Nodecraft doesn’t charge you for player slots, so you’re only paying for the hardware.
Pricing
Nodecraft has the same four pricing options for every game (with a discount on the first month):
Nano ($9.98/month)
Keelo ($19.98/month)
Megs ($29.98/month)
Omega ($39.98/month)
Their cheapest plan provides you with 2 GB RAM, 5 save & swap servers, 10 GB SSD storage, and 20 GB backup storage.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
24-hour free trial.
Seamless game swapping.
Scheduled tasks.
Unlimited player slots.
Free dedicated IP.
DDoS protection.
Mobile app.
Cloud backups.
Instant setup.
Cons:
No pricing plans tailored towards Rust.
Starting amount of RAM is low.
Limited storage.
4. mTxServ
Best for High-Performing Hardware
mTxServ utilizes high-end AMD Ryzen 5800X processors, each equipped with 128 GB RAM (DDR4 ECC 2666 MHz). With up to 4.7 GHz clock speeds and ultra-fast NVMe SSD storage technology, you can experience high-quality gameplay regardless of your lobby size.
Key Features
Exclusive Panel: Their user-friendly management panel allows you to administer and configure your server with ease.
Premium Hardware: mTxServ ensures a high level of performance with their single-thread AMD Ryzen 7 5800X CPUs, DDR4 ECC memory, and more.
Anti-DDOS: Every game server features the latest protection, with reliable Anti-DDoS L7 Arbor technology.
Full FTP Access: Easily transfer and edit your server files with full FTP/SFTP access, web FTP, and a built-in code editor.
Pricing
mTxServ offers three pricing plans:
15 player slots ($21.90/month)
50 player slots ($38.33/month)
250 player slots ($54.75/month)
Every plan features vCPU Ryzen 5800X (4.7 GHz), Anti-DDoS GAME L, and NVMe SSD — the main difference was the amount of vCPUs you got. The cheapest plan offers 1 whilst the others offer 2 and 4 respectively.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
24-hour free trial.
High-performing hardware.
Full FTP/SFTP access.
Task automation.
Flexible billing cycles.
Advanced Anti-DDoS technology.
User-friendly management panel.
All mods supported.
Cons:
No options to customize storage.
High starting price.
No add-ons.
5. Indifferent Broccoli
Best for Beginners to Server Hosting
Indifferent Broccoli’s intuitive control panel and friendly support service makes it the ideal hosting platform for beginners. You can easily personalize your server with mods of your choice, and talk with real experts via Discord whenever you require help.
Key Features
Quick Setup: Your Rust server gets automatically set up minutes after purchase.
Easy Configuration: Their built-in custom control panel makes server management simple and effortless.
Human Support: Speak to real people via their Discord server to access support at any time.
Backups: Backup your saves via the control panel to avoid losing tons of progress.
Powerful Hardware: Their servers operate on powerful processors, including PowerEdge R340 and Intel Xeon E-2288G CPUs.
Pricing
Their Rust game hosting starts at $12.00/month for 25 players. You can also choose between four other player slots:
50 players ($16.00/month)
100 players ($32.00/month)
200 players ($48.00/month)
400 players ($72.00/month)
Pros and Cons
Pros:
2-day free trial.
Around-the-clock Discord support.
Fast server setup.
Simple server management.
Easy-to-use custom panel.
FTP access.
Server backups.
Powerful hardware.
7-day return policy.
Cons:
High minimum player slot (25).
Limited locations.
No flexible billing cycles.
Conclusion
Rust server hosting can feel intimidating, especially if you’re new to dedicated servers. That’s why it’s worth signing up for a free trial to test out their features first. Some trials (like ours here at Hostari) don’t even require your credit card, so there’s no risk involved.
Start your free trial today to get a hold of your own Rust server in just 5 minutes—no credit card, no risk!
