Similar to Minecraft, Unturned is a survival game set in a 3D pixel world, where players must work together to battle against zombies. Despite having a great single-player mode, Unturned’s co-op mode is fun to play with friends via a shared server.
Having been out for over 8 years at this point, Unturned is supported by many hosting platforms, such as Hostari. There are various ways of obtaining your own game server, but renting from a server host is a common method since it offers better performance quality and support.
In this article, we’ll cover some of the best providers to rent from. But first, let’s discuss Unturned in more detail.
What is Unturned?
Unturned is a free-to-play zombie-survival sandbox, where you shoot enemies, forage for food, and work with friends to survive as long as you can. It’s one of the best PC games to play over the holidays due to its endless gameplay loop — survive, die, repeat.
What is Unturned Server Hosting?
Server hosting is where an online service provides you with a remote dedicated server for a monthly fee. Unturned dedicated servers are machines that solely run the game for you, allowing players to connect to the same lobby. Non-dedicated servers, like your PC, have functions aside from game hosting.
Why is Unturned Server Hosting Important?
You’ll Get Better Performance
Dedicated servers offer higher-quality performance since they often use top-end hardware with a focus on low latency, which keeps your game running smoothly.
Security
Hosting platforms usually provide high-level security to protect your server from attacks, such as DDoS (distributed denial of service).
Instant Support
When encountering a problem, you can get instant feedback from an expert and get your server working again in no time.
Criteria to Consider When Choosing an Unturned Server Hosting Platform
Player Slots
It’s essential to decide how many slots you want for your server. The more slots, the higher the cost, so decide carefully.
Customer Support
Check out the customer support options, such as live chat or Discord. You can also look at their average response times.
Compare Prices
Compare the prices between different server hosts to see which one offers you the best deal for your budget.
Best Unturned Server Hosting Platforms 2023
Let's now explore the top-notch server providers for Unturned, complete with comprehensive pricing details and vital features. With this list, you can save valuable time that you would otherwise spend on research.
If you’re pressed for time, here’s a quick overview of the platforms listed:
Hostari: Best for Quick Server Configuration
SparkedHost: Best for Budget Game Hosting
Nodecraft: Best for Unlimited Player Slots
GTX Gaming: Best for Advanced Support
Survival Servers: Best for Easy Customization
1. Hostari: Best for Quick Server Configuration
Hostari reinvents the configuration process by eliminating the need for FTP and configuration files, making it much more efficient. We strive to simplify server configuration and setup so you can quickly get to playing Unturned without worrying about logistics.
We operate on high-end Intel Core i9 9900K servers while keeping each one from being overloaded with too many subscribers to minimize downtime.
Key Features
Instant Setup: Your game servers are automatically set up within minutes of purchasing to make the process as simple as possible.
Secure Servers: Servers are kept safe from high-caliber cyberattacks, such as UDP floods, DDoS, and source-engine query attacks.
Automated Server Backups: Server backups occur automatically to keep you from losing large amounts of progress.
Global Data Centers: Hostari offers data centers on a global scale, with their highest-performing ones located in Canada and the US.
Access Controls: You can easily customize your server from the settings with mods, plugins, and custom maps of your choosing.
Custom Control Panel: Hostari’s intuitive control panel makes server management an effortless task.
Pricing
Hostari has four pricing plans for Unturned (the starting offer comes with 4 GB RAM and 16 player slots):
Scavenger ($8.99/month)
Bandit ($9.99/month)
Liberator ($10.99/month)
Hero ($11.99/month)
Every plan provides automated backups and updates, on-demand support, and 24/7 runtime.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
Offers multiple billing cycles.
Fast server configuration.
Data centers on a global scale.
Automated backups and updates with every plan.
Instant setup.
Intuitive control panel.
Advanced security.
24/7 runtime.
On-demand chat support.
24-hour free trial.
Cons:
High minimum player slot.
Limited RAM.
Limited player slot options.
2. SparkedHost: Best for Budget Game Hosting
SparkedHost offers budget-friendly gaming servers equipped with industry-standard hardware backed by round-the-clock customer support. Their dedicated servers, available in 9 different locations worldwide, including the US, UK, and Asia, accommodate gaming enthusiasts with seamless player lobbies.
Key Features
Amazing Support: Their support team is always online so players around the world can access their service anytime.
Premium Locations: Their servers are located in big cities, such as New York and Mumbai, to accommodate as many people as possible.
Instant Setup: Servers are instantly set up after processing your payment.
DDoS Protection: All their servers have DDoS protection to keep their network secure.
Pricing
SparkedHost has three sets of subscriptions, with each one varying in price range:
Budget ($2.50 – $4.00/month)
Enterprise ($6.00 – $20.00/month)
Extreme ($24.00 – $40.00/month)
Whilst there are no player slot limitations, each plan does come with a recommended slot amount. The starting plan comes with 2 GB RAM and 1 dedicated vCore (recommended for 10 players).
Pros and Cons
Pros:
Multiple add-ons available.
Full-time support.
No player slot limitations.
Cheap prices.
9 premium locations.
Many pricing options to choose from.
Enterprise hardware.
48-hour money-back guarantee.
Cons:
Limited save uploads per month.
Limited mod installations per month.
Add-ons take 24 hours to set up.
3. Nodecraft: Best for Unlimited Player Slots
Nodecraft offers various features, including game switching and instant setup, with no slot limitations. Instead of charging you per player slot, you pay for storage and game-switching servers. With fast-acting hardware and a 100% uptime guarantee, you never have to worry about technical errors.
Key Features
Game Swapping: You can switch seamlessly between any games at no extra cost.
Cloud Backups: Back up your server to the cloud so you never lose your in-game progress.
Dedicated IP Address: Prevent port collisions and cyberattacks by using a dedicated IP address.
Instant Setup: Server setup is streamed live to your browser in seconds upon purchase.
Blazing Fast Hardware: Nodecraft uses Intel Xeon E-2174G servers, with over 3.8 GHz clock speed and enterprise-grade SSDs.
Pricing
Nodecraft offers the same four plans for every game (the first month is at a discounted price):
Nano ($9.98/month)
Keelo ($19.98/month)
Megs ($29.98/month)
Omega ($39.98/month)
The starting plan comes with 5 save & swap servers, 2 GB RAM, 10 GB SSD storage, and 20 GB Cloud Backups.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
Unlimited player slots.
Cloud backups.
24-hour free trial.
Instant setup.
Free Dedicated IP.
DDoS-Guard protected.
Game swapping.
Fast hardware.
Cons:
None of the plans are personalized for Unturned.
Expensive pricing.
Starting amount of RAM is low.
4. GTX Gaming: Best for Advanced Support
GTX Gaming is home to many advanced tools, including support for platforms such as MySQL, Steam Workshop, and RocketMod. Alongside their multitude of features, they’re also known for their global reach (14+ locations) and high clock speeds (up to 5 GHz).
Key Features
Offsite Backup Storage: Server backups are cloned and auto-saved to an offsite machine with every restart.
Game Switching: You can switch between games by submitting a ticket to their 24/7 support team.
Advanced Support: GTX Gaming has its own built-in Rocket Plugins manager and SQL Database, along with support for Steam Workshop via their control panel.
Worldwide Coverage: They have servers in many different locations, including Germany, Malaysia, and the US.
Pricing
Their starting price is $7.40/month, which comes with 5 GB memory, 100 GB disk space, and 20 player slots. You can pay extra for:
Migration ($7.47)
Better SSD ($6.23)
Higher clock speeds ($6.23 – $7.47)
More storage ($3.73 – $29.93)
Pros and Cons
Pros:
24-hour refund.
24/7 support.
Instant setup.
Enterprise-level DDoS protection.
Security is regularly upgraded.
Daily server backups.
Over 14 server locations.
High CPU speeds.
Game switching.
Cons:
High minimum player slot.
Migration fees.
Upgrading your storage can be expensive.
5. Survival Servers: Best for Easy Customization
Survival Servers uses powerful hardware alongside their custom in-house game panel, which makes it easy to manage and customize your server. All their servers are DDoS-protected, with RocketMod and plugin support available directly from the control panel.
Key Features
Instant Setup: Game servers are deployed and set up instantly.
Upgrade Server: You can easily upgrade your server and enable add-ons at any time.
Custom Game Server Control Panel: Their custom panel lets you customize your server with mods and maps, as well as switch locations with ease.
Pricing
Their starting price is $22.50/month for 12 player slots, 1 server, and monthly billing. You can remove their branding from your hostname for free — there are very few upgrade options available aside from this.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
Freely switch locations.
Instant setup.
Easy-to-use custom panel.
DDoS protection.
RocketMod support.
Fast NVMe SSDs.
Full FTP access.
Cons:
Limited locations available.
Very few player slot options.
Limited upgrade options.
Expensive prices.
Conclusion
Since its release in 2014, Unturned has gained popularity as a zombie co-op. However, playing with friends requires finding (or creating) a shared server to join. There are a few ways to get your hands on a game server, but hosting platforms like Hostari make it convenient to rent one.
Here at Hostari, we aim to make our servers quick and easy to implement, so gamers can focus on playing Unturned stress-free. Start your free trial today to get your Unturned server up and running in just 5 minutes.