Don't Starve Together dedicated hosting for a small friend group (2026)
Don't Starve Together is co-op survival for a backyard crew that wants one world that stays online between sessions. Shockbyte, Nodecraft, GameTeam and Bisect all sell it. Apex and PebbleHost page URLs we tried returned 404. Prices below were read from each host’s own page.
RAM, slots, caves and mods
- Friend-group fit: Shockbyte’s entry Wilson plan is labeled 6 players / 2 GB. GameTeam’s FAQ says 6–16 players depending on how heavily the world is modded. A 2–6 friend group is the sweet spot.
- Caves / shards (host claims only): GameTeam states a DST world runs two processes — surface and caves — and that both share the plan; it also claims “Caves Included, Configured” and mods enabled on master and caves together. Shockbyte, Nodecraft and Bisect’s DST pages we read do not spell out caves/shards. If you want caves, confirm at checkout that the plan covers both shards.
- RAM: Shockbyte sells 2 / 3 / 4 GB+ tiers. Nodecraft starts at 4 GB. GameTeam’s FAQ says 2–4 GB because master and caves share the plan. Rule of thumb: small vanilla crew on 2–3 GB; caves + light mods on 4 GB+.
- Mods: Shockbyte claims “Full Mod Support” and a built-in file explorer for Workshop-style installs. Bisect claims full mod / modpack support. GameTeam claims Steam Workshop mods via dedicated_server_mods_setup.lua, synced on both shards. Nodecraft’s page labels some tiers “Best for Vanilla” / “Best for Modding” but does not detail a DST mod installer. See Night 6.
Comparison: Don't Starve Together plans
Price sources: every price comes from the host’s own Don't Starve Together page (fetched 24 Oct 2026, NZDT). No third-party or search-summary prices are used. For Nodecraft we quote the recurring price, not the first-month sale price. TBD means the host page showed no price, or the page URLs we tried returned 404. Confirm at checkout.
| Host | Entry tier | Bigger tiers | Notes | Oceania | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ShockbyteAU brand | Wilson · 2 GB · 6 players · $6.99/mo | Webber · 3 GB · 12 players · $11.99 Maxwell · 4 GB+ · 24+ players · $18.00 |
Full mod support claimed, auto backups, full file access, 72-hour refund; caves/shards not spelled out on the page we read | Global locations; Melbourne company (check for an AU node) | Cheapest confirmed always-on server for a small crew |
| Nodecraft | Premium 24/7 · 4 GB · $19.98/mo Budget Wake & Play 4 GB $11.92 (Nodecraft labels it “not recommended for this game”; first-month sale $8.34) |
Premium 5 GB · $24.98; 6 GB · TBD Budget 5 GB $14.90 · 6 GB $17.88 First-month sales disclosed on page; we quote recurring |
Static IP (Premium), save-and-swap, no host slot cap; tiers labeled Best for Vanilla / Modding; caves/shards not spelled out | Sydney & Melbourne network-wide | AU/NZ groups who want more RAM headroom |
| GameTeam | From $0.49/GB (Budget) Premium shown at $0.74/GB. Advertised “from” rates; billing term and plan totals not shown. TBD |
TBD | Claims caves included (both shards), mods synced on master + caves, weekly billing, 72-hour refund; FAQ 2–4 GB / 6–16 players | Global locations (check for AU) | Groups that want host-claimed caves + weekly seasons |
| BisectHosting | TBD Priced per GB; the rate didn’t display on the page we read |
TBD | Full mod / modpack support claimed, instance manager, swap to 110+ games, NVMe, 3-day backups; caves/shards not spelled out | 21 locations; the page showed an out-of-stock notice for a location | Check price and stock at checkout |
| Apex Hosting | TBD Don't Starve Together page URLs we tried returned 404 |
TBD | Not confirmed | — | Check directly |
| PebbleHost | TBD Don't Starve Together page URLs we tried returned 404 |
TBD | Not confirmed | Sydney listed for Minecraft | Check directly |
Sources (host-owned): shockbyte.com, nodecraft.com, gameteam.io, bisecthosting.com (features only). No host is crowned “#1”.
Oceania note
Don't Starve Together is mostly PvE survival, so it tolerates ping better than a shooter, but combat, kiting and caves travel still feel late on a long US route. AU/NZ groups should look at Nodecraft (Sydney and Melbourne), or check at checkout for an AU node on Shockbyte or GameTeam, or Bisect stock. See the Oceania ping guide.
Budget note and shortlist (not rankings)
- 2–6 friends, always on: Shockbyte Wilson, $6.99 — well under the ~$20 budget.
- More RAM near AU/NZ: Nodecraft Premium 4 GB ($19.98) or 5 GB ($24.98).
- Caves + weekly seasons (host claim): GameTeam from $0.49/GB — confirm plan total and caves at checkout.
- Similar nights: Terraria (Night 9), Core Keeper (Night 18), V Rising (Night 14) and Abiotic Factor (Night 30).
Official links (affiliate placeholders)
Buttons below point at official sites today (game pages where the host sells Don't Starve Together; home/games list where it does not). Tracked affiliate URLs will replace the #aff-* anchors once programs approve — see affiliates.md.
Related (pipeline)
Affiliate disclosure
HostForTheSquad may earn a commission if you purchase through links on this page (Shockbyte, Apex, BisectHosting, GameTeam, and others when approved). Commission rates do not decide table rows or “best for” notes. Prices and stock change — always verify on the host’s site before you pay.