Best DayZ Server Hosting in 2026
Post-apocalyptic survival with deep modding and PvP combat.
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DayZ dedicated servers are where the real experience lives. Modded community servers with custom maps, traders, and loot economies define the modern DayZ experience — and they need capable hosting to run well.
We test each provider by running fully modded DayZ servers with 60+ bot-simulated players over 72-hour periods, tracking server FPS and restart stability.
Why DayZ Hosting Matters
The vanilla DayZ experience is solid, but community servers running 30+ mods are the standard. This means your host is doing far more work than the base game requires:
- Mod loading — Servers with many mods have longer startup times and higher memory usage
- Persistence system — Every dropped item, built structure, and buried stash is tracked server-side
- AI zombies — Infected spawns scale with player count and location density
- Vehicle physics — Networked vehicle simulation is notoriously CPU-intensive
Essential Hosting Features
When shopping for DayZ hosting, prioritize these features:
- Steam Workshop support — Automatic mod installation and updates
- Custom XML editing — Access to types.xml, events.xml for loot table customization
- Scheduled restarts — DayZ servers need regular restarts (every 4–6 hours) to maintain performance
- SFTP access — Required for mission file editing and manual mod configuration
Modded Server Requirements
| Setup | Players | RAM | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vanilla | 30–60 | 4GB | No mods, default map |
| Lightly Modded | 40–60 | 6GB | 10–15 mods, traders |
| Heavily Modded | 60–100 | 8–12GB | 30+ mods, custom map, vehicles |
Map Considerations
Custom maps like Deer Isle, Namalsk, and Banov can change server requirements significantly. Larger maps need more RAM for terrain streaming, and some custom maps have heavier AI spawning systems. Always check the map author's recommended specs before setting up your server.