There is no evidence-based universal winner for Enshrouded hosting in 2026. For most PC groups, start with GPORTAL, GTXGaming, Nitrado, 4Netplayers and Shockbyte, then compare the same player count, RAM allocation, region, tax treatment, backups and renewal price. GPORTAL is the clearest feature-led choice because Keen Games identifies it as a partner and its current offer documents 4–16 slots, 50 GB of backup storage, DDoS protection, rapid provisioning, NVMe hardware and Enshrouded Mod Loader support. GTXGaming, Nitrado, 4Netplayers and Shockbyte are useful value comparisons, with the dated 16-player snapshots ranging from £14.49 to €16.19 or $18.99 depending on provider and currency.
This is a feature and price comparison, not an independent performance test. The available evidence does not establish which host has the lowest latency, fewest outages or best performance in every region. The right choice depends on your platform, group size, RAM, location, mod plans, backup needs and tolerance for provider terms.
What should you look for in an Enshrouded server host?
Every rental in this comparison runs the same official Keen Games dedicated-server software. Hosting companies mainly differ in hardware allocation, locations, control panels, backups, support, refund terms and the way they price slots or RAM. Treat a provider’s advertised slot count as only one part of the specification.
Use RAM as the first compatibility check
Keen Games’ official FAQ reports that the dedicated-server process uses approximately 4.4 GB of physical RAM while idle, with up to 100 MB of additional RAM per player, and says the server should use no more than 6 GB in total. That makes 6 GB a sensible minimum floor for a normal group. AFK Times’ provider comparison recommends 8 GB or more for a full 16-player server, leaving headroom for busy areas, updates and operating-system overhead.
A low slot price can therefore be misleading. The October 15, 2026 comparison records a 16-player ZAP-Hosting snapshot at €13.06 with only 2 GB of RAM. That price is not equivalent to a properly provisioned 16-player server unless the plan is upgraded.
Check what “backup” actually means
Enshrouded world saves are typically 1 MB to 100 MB, and world saves are created every five minutes according to Keen Games. Character saves are stored on clients rather than on the dedicated server. Ask whether backups are automatic, how long they are retained, whether storage is off-site, and whether you can restore a chosen point yourself.
Match the platform before comparing prices
The rentals listed by most providers are PC/Steam servers. PS5 hosting is a separate product category, and PS5 players cannot join PC servers at version 1.0. Confirm the platform at checkout rather than assuming that a PC plan will accept console players.
Which Enshrouded host is best for most PC groups?
GPORTAL is the strongest feature-led choice, while GTXGaming, Nitrado, 4Netplayers and Shockbyte deserve a like-for-like value comparison. None can be declared the universal performance winner from the available evidence.
GPORTAL: best documented feature set
Keen Games names GPORTAL as a dedicated-server partner. Its current Enshrouded page advertises 4–16 slots, 50 GB of backup space, DDoS protection, rapid provisioning, NVMe hardware and support for the unofficial Enshrouded Mod Loader (EML). The October snapshot lists €7.90 from for 30 days and €23.20 for 16 players in the EU view; an accessed US page showed $20.95 for 30 days. Country, tax and currency settings can change the displayed amount.
Choose it when the partner relationship, documented backup capacity and EML support matter more than finding the lowest headline price. The offer page did not state a refund policy in the comparison, so check the checkout terms before paying.
GTXGaming: competitive value with many locations
GTXGaming’s snapshot shows £6.29 for four players and £14.49 for 16 players with 5 GB of RAM. It lists broad European and global locations, and 8 GB costs extra. A 5 GB allocation is close to the official total target but leaves less headroom than an 8 GB plan for a full group. The listed refund window was 24 hours.
Nitrado: flexible rental periods
Nitrado’s snapshot lists £6.99 for six players and £15.13 for 16 players. It advertises automated backups and a “Ready for 1.0” listing, with custom terms from three to 365 days. The comparison did not state a refund on the offer page. The flexible term length can suit a group that wants to pay for a defined campaign rather than a fixed monthly cycle.
4Netplayers: tax-inclusive European option
4Netplayers lists €11.98 for 10 players and €16.19 for 16 players, with tax included in the dated snapshot. It offers European locations, automatic backups and FTP access, and the comparison lists a 14-day withdrawal right. Verify whether that withdrawal right applies to your country, payment method and a service that has already been activated.
Shockbyte: inexpensive entry, but check the RAM
Shockbyte’s snapshot lists $9.99 for five players with 4 GB of RAM and $18.99 for 16 players with 8 GB. The 4 GB entry plan is below Keen Games’ approximately 4.4 GB idle figure before player overhead, so it is not a sensible full-group configuration. A 72-hour self-service refund is listed. Compare the 8 GB plan, not the entry tier, when pricing a 16-player world.
How do the advertised prices compare for 2026?
The following figures were checked on October 15, 2026 by AFK Times. They are shown in each provider’s displayed currency and are not exchange-rate normalized. Taxes, discounts, country settings and renewal prices can change the amount you actually pay.
| Provider | Entry snapshot | 16-player snapshot | Relevant specification or policy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4Netplayers | €11.98 for 10 players | €16.19, tax included | European locations, automatic backups, FTP access; 14-day withdrawal right listed |
| Apex Hosting | $22.49 with 6 GB RAM | $27.99 with 8 GB RAM | RAM-based pricing; no Enshrouded mod support stated in the comparison |
| BisectHosting | $11.99 with 4 GB RAM | $23.99 with 8 GB RAM | EML support and three days of free backups; sells RAM rather than slots |
| GPORTAL | From €7.90 per 30 days | €23.20 per 30 days in the EU snapshot; $20.95 on the accessed US page | Keen Games partner; 4–16 slots, 50 GB backup space, DDoS protection, Mod Loader and NVMe hardware |
| GTXGaming | £6.29 for four players | £14.49 with 5 GB RAM | European and global locations; 8 GB costs extra |
| Host Havoc | $10 for four players with 8 GB | $40 with 8 GB | Premium-priced snapshot; 72-hour refund listed |
| Indifferent Broccoli | $5.99 for one player | $20.99 | Two free days without a card; RAM described as uncapped |
| Nitrado | £6.99 for six players | £15.13 | Automated backups; custom three-to-365-day terms; “Ready for 1.0” listing |
| Pingperfect | $13.52 for eight players with 9 GB | $35.21 with 10 GB | 48-hour free trial; nightly off-site backups and panel mod manager listed |
| Shockbyte | $9.99 for five players with 4 GB | $18.99 with 8 GB | 72-hour self-service refund; entry plan can be too small for a full group |
| Survival Servers | $19 for eight players | $28 | Separate PS5 offer; paid three-day trial; refund language is inconsistent across materials |
| ZAP-Hosting | €3.27 for four players with 2 GB | €13.06 with 2 GB | Lowest headline price in the table, but below the cited RAM target unless upgraded |
Do not rank these rows by sticker price alone. A 4 GB, 5 GB, 6 GB, 8 GB, 9 GB or 10 GB plan represents a different technical fit, and currencies cannot be compared without conversion and tax treatment. Ask each provider for the renewal price and the cost of adding RAM before deciding.
Which provider is cheapest for 16 players?
Among the dated snapshots, GTXGaming is £14.49, Nitrado is £15.13, 4Netplayers is €16.19 with tax included, Shockbyte is $18.99 with 8 GB, GPORTAL is €23.20 in the EU view, and the remaining listed 16-player prices are higher in their displayed currencies. There is no single globally cheapest option because the currencies, tax rules and included RAM differ.
Compare equivalent configurations
- Set the player count to 16 at every provider.
- Choose at least 6 GB, and preferably 8 GB, where RAM is selectable.
- Select the same practical region for your group.
- Include tax, setup fees, backups and any paid control-panel or file-access features.
- Record the renewal price rather than only the first term or promotional price.
On that basis, GTXGaming’s £14.49 plan may look attractive, but its snapshot includes 5 GB and charges extra for 8 GB. Shockbyte’s $18.99 plan explicitly includes 8 GB, while 4Netplayers’ €16.19 figure includes tax. These are not directly interchangeable totals.
How much RAM does an Enshrouded server need?
Use 6 GB as the practical minimum for a normal server and 8 GB as the safer target for a 16-player group. Keen Games’ figures are approximately 4.4 GB at idle, up to 100 MB per player and under 6 GB in total; provider guidance cited by AFK Times commonly recommends 8 GB or more for 16 players.
Why a 2 GB plan is not an equivalent bargain
A 2 GB plan is below the official idle figure before any players connect. It may be advertised for a low slot count, but it should not be treated as an adequate 16-player configuration. Upgrade the RAM or select a different plan before migrating a valuable world.
What else consumes capacity?
Leave room for the operating environment, control panel processes, temporary update activity and unusually busy scenes. RAM alone does not prove performance: CPU scheduling, storage, network route and host oversubscription also matter, but the available sources do not provide independent cross-provider benchmarks for those variables.
Which hosts support mods and backups?
Enshrouded has no official mod support or Steam Workshop in the compared material. Mods use the unofficial Enshrouded Mod Loader (EML). GPORTAL and BisectHosting explicitly mention EML support; other providers should be treated as unconfirmed unless their current documentation says otherwise.
Mod-focused choices
GPORTAL combines EML support with 50 GB of advertised backup space. BisectHosting lists EML support and three days of free backups. Pingperfect lists a panel mod manager and nightly off-site backups, although the comparison does not establish that its manager supports every EML workflow. Confirm the loader version, file access and restart procedure before installing a modded world.
Back up before the first 1.0 load
The comparison says the save format is converted the first time an older world is loaded into version 1.0. Make a manual copy before that load, even when automatic backups are enabled. Check whether the provider lets you download the save, choose a restore point and keep a backup after cancellation.
Is Enshrouded server hosting available on PS5?
PS5 hosting is separate from PC hosting, and PS5 cannot cross-play with PC at version 1.0. The October 15 check found Survival Servers as the only listed provider offering a separate Enshrouded PS5 server, with eight- or 16-slot choices and PlayStation Plus required.
Availability, launch status and console pricing are especially volatile. Confirm that the checkout product is explicitly marked PS5, ask whether the region is available to your group and do not buy a PC/Steam rental expecting console access. Survival Servers lists a paid three-day trial, but its FAQ and general terms use conflicting refund language; obtain the applicable terms before payment.
Which server location should you choose?
Choose the closest practical region to the majority of players. The comparison lists European, North American, South American, Asian and Australian locations. For Enshrouded co-op, differences of tens of milliseconds generally matter less than avoiding a distant continent, packet loss or an overloaded host.
When players are spread across regions
Count the players who will be online most often and choose a location that minimizes the worst connection rather than optimizing for one person. If the group is evenly split, trial the closest two regions when a provider permits migration or a short refund window. Keep the world backup before changing location.
Why currency can change the apparent winner
Most providers in the comparison do not clearly state VAT inclusion. GPORTAL and ZAP-Hosting vary displayed prices by country. Compare the final checkout total in your billing country and record the renewal amount; a lower pre-tax figure is not necessarily cheaper.
Should you rent an Enshrouded server or self-host?
Renting is usually simpler for a persistent group: the world stays available when the owner is offline, while the host handles network administration, updates, backups and usually DDoS mitigation. Self-hosting can avoid a recurring fee when you already have suitable hardware, a reliable connection and time to maintain Windows, firewall rules, ports, saves and updates.
What renting changes
- Persistent availability without leaving a personal PC running.
- A control panel for starting, stopping and updating the server.
- Provider-managed network infrastructure and, on some plans, DDoS protection.
- Backup and restore features that vary by provider and plan.
- Recurring cost and dependence on the provider’s cancellation, renewal and refund terms.
What self-hosting requires
- A machine that can sustain the roughly 4.4 GB idle process plus player overhead and the operating system.
- A stable upstream connection and a way for friends to reach the server.
- Firewall and port configuration; Keen Games lists 15637 as the default query port.
- Manual save backups, updates and recovery testing.
- A plan for outages, reboots and access when the host machine is unavailable.
Keen Games says dedicated servers are available for players who do not want friends to depend on the host being online, and notes its partnership with GPORTAL for in-game rental. Character progression remains with clients, while world progression is stored on the dedicated server, so protect the world files separately from players’ local character data.
How do you choose a provider without overpaying?
- Define the platform. Select PC/Steam or the separate PS5 product before comparing plans.
- Estimate concurrency. Use the number of players online together, not the size of your wider friend list.
- Set the RAM floor. Reject 2 GB offers for a normal group; target 6 GB minimum and 8 GB for 16 players.
- Pick a region. Use the closest practical location and verify that all regular players can connect.
- List operational needs. Note EML, FTP or file access, automatic backups, off-site copies, restore controls and DDoS protection.
- Read the terms. Check trial length, refund conditions, tax, billing interval, cancellation process and renewal price.
- Test before migrating. Use a listed trial or short refund window to check connection, panel usability, save upload and restore.
- Keep your own backup. Download the world before installing mods, loading an older save into 1.0 or changing hosts.
What are the main failure modes?
The server runs out of memory
Symptoms include failed starts, restarts during busy play or a provider warning about resource use. Move from a 2 GB or 4 GB plan to at least 6 GB, preferably 8 GB for a full group, and remove unnecessary server-side processes.
A world is damaged during a version change
Do not load an older world into 1.0 without a separate copy. Download the save, retain the original, then test the converted world before allowing the whole group to play.
Players cannot connect
Confirm that everyone is using the same platform and game version, then check the selected region, server status, firewall rules and the default query port 15637 where relevant. A PS5 player cannot solve this by changing a PC server setting because the platforms do not cross-play at 1.0.
A modded server will not start
Verify that the host explicitly supports EML, that the loader and game versions match, and that you can access and restore the server files. Disable the newest mod and restore the last known-good backup one change at a time.
The final bill is higher than the advertised price
Recheck country, VAT, currency conversion, billing duration, add-on RAM, backup storage and renewal pricing. Snapshot prices are not guarantees of a current promotion.
Which provider fits each type of Enshrouded group?
| Group priority | Shortlist | Why | Verify before purchase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Partner relationship and features | GPORTAL | Keen Games partner; documented backups, DDoS protection, NVMe hardware and EML | Country price, renewal and refund terms |
| Value for a full PC group | GTXGaming, Nitrado, 4Netplayers, Shockbyte | Competitive dated 16-player snapshots | Equivalent RAM, tax, region and renewal price |
| Mod-focused setup | GPORTAL, BisectHosting | Both explicitly mention EML support | Loader version, file access and restore workflow |
| Try before committing | Indifferent Broccoli, Pingperfect | Two free days without a card or a listed 48-hour trial | What the trial includes and whether migration is allowed |
| PS5 requirement | Survival Servers | Separate PS5 offer found in the dated comparison | PS5 launch status, PlayStation Plus, price and refund wording |
Use the shortlist as a starting point rather than a performance ranking. No independent source in this comparison proves a universal latency or uptime leader.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can PC and PS5 players join the same Enshrouded server?
No. At version 1.0, PS5 players cannot join PC servers, so a mixed PC-and-PS5 group needs to choose one platform rather than trying to bridge two rentals.
Does Enshrouded have an official mod workshop?
The compared information does not list official mod support or a Steam Workshop. Community modifications use the unofficial Enshrouded Mod Loader, so compatibility and support can change with game updates.
What port does an Enshrouded dedicated server use by default?
Keen Games lists 15637 as the default query port. If you self-host, confirm the current server configuration and open the required firewall rule only after checking your network setup.
Are Enshrouded character saves stored with the rented server?
No. The official FAQ says character progression stays with clients, while world progression is stored on dedicated servers. Keep your own record of characters and download world backups before moving hosts.
Can I rely on a provider’s advertised refund period?
Treat it as conditional. Windows can differ by country, product, payment method and whether service activation has begun; one listed provider has conflicting FAQ and terms language. Read the checkout terms that apply to your order and save a copy.
The Bottom Line
For a PC group, compare GPORTAL, GTXGaming, Nitrado, 4Netplayers and Shockbyte on equal RAM, region, taxes, backups and renewal terms; choose GPORTAL when its documented partner status and feature set justify the price. Use at least 6 GB of RAM, target 8 GB for 16 players, and treat PS5 as a separate non-cross-play product.