Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about OctopusCloud hosting. Still stuck? Get in touch.
Pricing & getting started
How much does game server hosting cost?+
Pricing is transparent and charged per GB of RAM: $1.50/GB per month on our DDR4 (Budget) tier and $2/GB on DDR5 (Premium). No setup fees, and you can cancel anytime. Cheaper games like Terraria start from about $1.50/month; larger games like Rust start around $12/month.
What is the cheapest game to host?+
Terraria is our most affordable, from about $1.50/month. Minecraft and Core Keeper start around $3/month. See the games page for each game's starting price.
Is OctopusCloud good for modded Minecraft?+
Yes. We support Fabric, Forge and Quilt, plus custom JAR uploads, so you can run modpacks like All the Mods and RLCraft. We recommend the Premium CPU tier and at least 8 GB of RAM for large modpacks.
Do I need to port-forward or have a static IP?+
No. Every plan includes a free subdomain you can share with players right away - no port forwarding or router changes required.
Do you offer a free trial?+
We don't offer a free trial, but there are no setup fees or contracts and you can cancel anytime. Start with the smallest plan and upgrade instantly whenever you need more.
Performance & hardware
What's the difference between Budget CPU and Premium CPU?+
- Budget: AMD Ryzen Zen 2 / Zen 3 on DDR4. Great for vanilla and light plugins.
- Premium: newer AMD Ryzen Zen 4 / Zen 5 on high-frequency DDR5. Ideal for modpacks and large servers.
- Both include 4 vCPU cores, with an optional boost to 8 cores for $5/mo.
How much RAM do I need?+
A rough guide (performance also depends on plugins, mods, and world size):
- 2 GB: up to ~10 players, vanilla / light plugins
- 4 GB: ~20 players, moderate plugins
- 6–8 GB: 40+ players, plugin-heavy SMPs
- 12–16 GB: small-to-mid modpacks
- 16 GB+: large modpacks (ATM, RLCraft) and big networks
You can upgrade instantly at any time, so it's fine to start smaller.
How many players can my server handle?+
Effectively unlimited. Real-world capacity depends on your plugins, world size, and CPU tier. See the RAM guidance above for ballpark numbers.
Do you limit CPU usage?+
Every plan includes 4 vCPU cores. Need more power? Add the 8-core CPU boost for $5/mo at checkout or from your dashboard. Fair-use policies still apply to protect node stability.
Can I run modpacks like ATM10, BetterMC, or Vault Hunters?+
- Yes, Premium CPU recommended.
- NVMe + Ryzen means fast world generation.
What happens if my server uses too many resources?+
We'll notify you first. If usage is extreme, a temporary CPU cap may apply to protect other customers.
Server software & files
Do you support Java and Bedrock?+
Yes, we support all major server types:
| Type | Edition | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Vanilla | Java | Official unmodified Minecraft. Best for simple SMPs and purist gameplay. |
| Paper | Java | Most popular high-performance server. Great for plugins, SMPs, and lag reduction. |
| Purpur | Java | A fork of Paper with extra performance tweaks and customization options. |
| Spigot | Java | Lightweight plugin server, stable for older versions or simple setups. |
| Fabric | Java | Modern modding platform. Used by BetterMC, All of Fabric, and many modpacks. |
| Forge | Java | Classic modded server loader. Required for large packs like RLCraft, ATM, etc. |
| Quilt | Java | Successor to Fabric with advanced modding features. |
| Bedrock Dedicated Server (BDS) | Bedrock | Official Mojang Bedrock server. Supports all Bedrock platforms. |
Do you support custom JAR files?+
You're not locked to preset server types. Upload any .jar and run whatever you want.
Can I upload my own world or plugins?+
Yes, full file access via SFTP and the control panel's file manager.
What control panel do you use?+
The modern Pterodactyl panel, with a live console, file manager, backups, and SFTP.
Features
How fast is setup?+
Instant. Your server is automatically provisioned within about a minute of checkout, with no manual approval or waiting.
How do I connect to my server?+
Every plan includes a free subdomain you can hand out to players right away. You can also point your own domain at the server if you prefer.
Where are your Minecraft servers located?+
Our servers are located in the Eastern USA.
Do you offer DDoS protection?+
Yes, game-optimized anti-DDoS is included on all plans.
Do you offer backups?+
- 3 days of automatic backups are included on every plan.
- Need more history? Upgrade to 7 or 30 days of retention at checkout.
Can I get a dedicated IP?+
Most servers run great on a free subdomain. If you need a dedicated IP (for example, for Bedrock on the default port), contact support.
Billing & account
What payment methods do you accept?+
All major credit and debit cards, processed securely through Stripe. We never see or store your card details.
What billing cycles do you offer?+
- Monthly
- Quarterly: save 5%
- Semi-annually: save 10%
- Annually: save 15%
Can I upgrade or downgrade later?+
Yes, instantly, with no data loss.
Can I cancel anytime?+
Yes. You can cancel from your account billing portal at any time and keep your server until the end of the paid period.
What happens to my data after I cancel?+
When you cancel, your server stays online until the end of your paid period. After that, we keep your server and its backups for 30 days.
- Resubscribe within 30 days and everything is restored exactly as you left it: worlds, files, and backups.
- After 30 days, your server and all associated backups are permanently deleted and can't be recovered.
Want a copy before then? You can download your world and files anytime from the panel, or contact support if you need a hand.
Is there a setup fee or contract?+
No setup fees and no long-term contracts. Pay for the cycle you choose and cancel whenever you like.
Do you offer refunds?+
We want you happy with your server. If something isn't right, contact support and we'll do our best to make it right. See our Terms for full refund details.
Can I host multiple servers on one plan?+
Yes, you can host multiple Minecraft or other game servers on one plan as long as your resources allow it. Contact support about splitting your resources.
What support do you offer?+
Our team is available via our support page and Discord community to help with setup, performance, and billing questions.
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