Eco dedicated hosting for a small friend group (2026)
Eco (Strange Loop Games) is a civilization sim where every mine, factory and law hits the ecosystem — and the world keeps simulating when nobody is logged in. A small friend group wants one always-on planet so the economy and climate aren’t stuck on someone’s PC. Shockbyte, Apex, Nodecraft, GameTeam and Bisect all sell it. PebbleHost Eco page URLs we tried returned 404. Prices below were read from each host’s own Eco page. Confirm availability and the bill at checkout.
RAM, slots, ecosystem load and mods
- Friend-group fit: Shockbyte’s entry Rabbit plan is labeled 6 players / 3 GB — the natural small-crew band under ~$20. Deer (24 players / 5 GB) is community-sized. Nodecraft does not cap slots; its comparison table labels Budget Wake & Play “Not recommended for this game”. Eco’s ecosystem keeps running offline, so a small always-on crew usually sits on Premium 4–6 GB rather than Wake & Play. GameTeam’s FAQ says about 20–50 players, with a working economy needing a committed group more than raw headcount. Apex labels 2 GB as “Minimum for ECO” for basic servers.
- RAM honesty (host claims only — Eco can be heavy): GameTeam’s FAQ says 4–8 GB, noting the ecosystem simulation runs continuously so load does not drop when players log off. Shockbyte starts at 3 GB on Rabbit. Apex’s 2 GB card is labeled minimum / basic. Treat 2–3 GB as a light entry for a tight friend group early on; budget toward 5–8 GB once industry, pollution and mods stay active. Confirm RAM at checkout.
- Mods (host claims only): Shockbyte claims Full Mod Support / Mod Support (feature list; page also covers playing Eco with mods). Apex’s Eco page says the panel lets you install mods, change maps and settings. Bisect claims Modding Support. GameTeam’s FAQ says yes via the server
Modsfolder. Nodecraft’s Eco knowledgebase covers adding mods via Mod.io; the Eco landing page also says “Mod support is also in the pipeline!” — confirm current state at checkout. PebbleHost was not confirmed. See Night 6.
Comparison: Eco plans
Price sources: every price comes from the host’s own Eco page (fetched 24 Oct 2026, NZDT). No third-party or search-summary prices are used. Recurring monthly figures are preferred over first-month sale teasers (sales disclosed where shown). 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 | Rabbit · 3 GB · 6 players · $11.99/mo | Deer · 5 GB · 24 players · $19.99/mo Bison · 7 GB+ · 64+ players · $28.16/mo |
Full Mod Support claimed; Eco Web Interface; auto-updates & backups; DDoS; 72-hour refund; 3 GB is light once industry and pollution stay simulated | Global locations; Melbourne company (check for an AU node) | Labeled 6-player friend-group Rabbit plan under ~$20 |
| Apex Hosting | 2 GB · $7.99/mo recurring Labeled “Minimum for ECO”; first-month sale $5.99 (25% off disclosed) |
6 GB · $22.49/mo 12 GB · $38.99/mo EX 16 GB · $71.99/mo First-month sales disclosed on page; we quote recurring |
Panel claims install mods / maps / settings; FTP; DDoS; free subdomain; 7-day money-back (site-wide claim) | EX Series copy lists Ryzen 7 5800X (AU) — check location at checkout | Cheapest recurring entry with a clear “minimum for Eco” label |
| Nodecraft | Premium 24/7 · 4 GB · $19.98/mo Budget Wake & Play 4 GB $11.92 recurring (Nodecraft labels it “Not recommended for this game”; first-month sale $8.34) |
Premium 6 GB · $29.98/mo Premium 10 GB · $49.98/mo Budget 6 GB $17.88 · 10 GB $29.80 First-month sales disclosed on page; we quote recurring |
Static IP (Premium), save-and-swap, no host slot cap; Budget hibernates when unused — a poor fit while Eco keeps simulating; Eco KB covers Mod.io installs (landing also says mod support “in the pipeline”) | Sydney & Melbourne (+ Auckland) listed on the page | AU/NZ groups who want 24/7 RAM while the ecosystem keeps running |
| GameTeam | From $0.49/GB (Budget) Advertised “from” rates; billing term and plan totals not shown. TBD without a chosen GB amount |
Premium from $0.74/GB Premium tier present; plan totals still TBD without a chosen GB amount |
FAQ: 4–8 GB; ~20–50 players; Mods folder yes; ecosystem keeps simulating offline; AI copilot claimed; 72-hour money-back | Global locations (check for AU) | Pay-by-the-GB while the civilization grows |
| BisectHosting | TBD Eco page we read showed features, not a clear price rate |
TBD | Modding Support claimed; swap to 110+ games; instance manager; 3-day backups; NVMe; DDoS; stock can vary | 21 locations; the page showed an out-of-stock notice for a location | Check price and stock at checkout |
| PebbleHost | TBD Eco page URLs we tried returned 404 |
TBD | Not confirmed | Sydney listed for Minecraft | Home CTA / check directly |
Sources (host-owned): shockbyte.com, apexminecrafthosting.com, nodecraft.com, gameteam.io, bisecthosting.com (features; price rate not displayed). PebbleHost: no host-owned Eco page found (404). No host is crowned “#1”. Eco’s ecosystem simulation can be RAM-heavy even with few players online — confirm RAM at checkout.
Oceania note
Eco’s build-and-legislate loop tolerates mid ping better than a competitive shooter, but trading, vehicles and chat still feel late on a long US route. AU/NZ groups should look at Nodecraft (Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland listed on the Eco page), Apex EX copy that mentions AU hardware, or check at checkout for an AU / APAC node on Shockbyte, GameTeam’s global map, or Bisect stock (21 locations; out-of-stock notice on the page we read). See the Oceania ping guide.
Budget note and shortlist (not rankings)
- Labeled friend-group plan under ~$20: Shockbyte Rabbit, $11.99/mo (3 GB / 6 players). Step up to Deer ($19.99) if the economy grows past a small crew.
- Cheapest recurring “minimum for Eco” label: Apex 2 GB at $7.99/mo recurring (first-month $5.99 disclosed). Plan on more RAM once factories and mods land — FAQ-style hosts point at 4–8 GB.
- More RAM near AU/NZ (host warning heeded): Nodecraft Premium 4 GB ($19.98) or 6 GB ($29.98) rather than Budget Wake & Play.
- Pay-by-the-GB while the civilization grows (host claim): GameTeam Budget from $0.49/GB, Premium from $0.74/GB — confirm plan total, term and RAM (FAQ 4–8 GB) at checkout.
- If Bisect price/stock is hidden: use Shockbyte, Apex, Nodecraft or GameTeam first; home CTA for PebbleHost if you want to ask support whether Eco is coming.
- Similar nights: Minecraft small group (Night 1), Valheim (Night 2), Satisfactory (Night 12), Factorio (Night 17). Also budget under ~$20 and Oceania ping.
Official links (affiliate placeholders)
Buttons below point at official sites today (game pages where the host sells Eco; home 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.