Minecraft modpack hosting for a small friend group — ATM, RLCraft, heavy packs (2026)
Vanilla friends fit on 4 GB. Big kitchen-sink packs do not. If the squad wants All the Mods, RLCraft or a large Create/tech pack, RAM and single-core CPU speed decide whether the night is fun or a lag slideshow. Here’s what each host publicly lists for heavy packs, and where we couldn’t confirm a number.
RAM tiers for modpacks (4–8 friends)
- Light / medium packs (~25–100 mods): 4–6 GB. Night 1 plans mostly cover this.
- RLCraft (1.12.2, older but heavy): plan around 6–8 GB for a small group; host guides cluster here. Confirm against your host’s pack page.
- All the Mods 10 (400+ mods): BisectHosting’s ATM10 page says the pack recommends 10 GB. Other public guides put 8 GB as a bare floor for 3–5 players staying close together, and 10–12 GB for 5–10 players with automation.
- Endgame automation (Mekanism, AE2, chunk-loaded bases): 12–16 GB. This is driven by loaded chunks more than player count.
- CPU matters as much as RAM: the main game loop runs mostly on one thread, so a fast modern core beats extra gigabytes once you have enough RAM.
Comparison: heavy-modpack plans
Apex, Bisect and Shockbyte 8/12 GB prices come from a dated third-party comparison (checked 12 Oct 2026) and match those hosts’ 4 GB list prices from Night 1. TBD means we couldn’t confirm a recurring price for that tier. Check it on the host’s checkout page.
| Host | One-click modpacks | 8 GB (USD/mo) | 12 GB (USD/mo) | Install ease | Oceania | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ShockbyteAU brand | Installer supports CurseForge, FTB, Technic, ATLauncher packs | $31.99 list Budget line 8 GB $15.99 (budget CPU) |
$47.99 list | Own control panel; pick a pack, then install | Australia location; Melbourne company | AU squads who want one-click installs and accept a higher $/GB |
| Apex Hosting | “Hundreds of modpacks” one-click | $27.99 | $38.99 EX 16 GB dedicated cores $71.99 |
Multicraft-based panel; 7-day refund window | Sydney listed | Hands-off groups who value support and a refund window |
| BisectHosting | 2,300+ modpacks; dedicated ATM10 pre-install page | $23.99 | $35.99 | Starbase panel; pack selector pre-installs at purchase; 3 days of backups | Sydney listed, but stock/waitlist can apply | Best list $/GB among the big three for ATM-class packs |
| GameTeam | Forge / NeoForge / Fabric; AI copilot helps with installs | TBD Priced per GB from ~$0.49/GB Budget; set RAM at checkout |
TBD | Assisted rather than a large curated library (not confirmed) | Region not confirmed on the landing page | Budget testers; check the CPU tier before heavy packs |
| Nodecraft | Modpack installs via panel (library size not confirmed) | TBD | TBD | Panel-focused; game swapping; backups | Sydney & Melbourne | AU/NZ ping first; price heavy tiers at checkout |
| PebbleHost$/GB | 12,000+ one-click modpacks on Premium | Budget ~$8 at $1/GB Premium 8 GB: TBD |
Budget ~$12 at $1/GB Premium: TBD |
Full file access, custom JAR | Sydney (Budget + Premium; AU Premium EPYC 4465P) | Cheap RAM with Sydney listed. Use Premium CPU for ATM-class packs. |
Sources (Oct 2026): bisecthosting.com ATM10 page, dsnservers.com comparison (dated 2026-10-12), plus the official pages cited on Night 1. No host is crowned “#1”.
Oceania note
Heavy packs make ping problems worse: block-break desync and machine GUIs feel bad above ~150 ms. For AU/NZ squads, shortlist hosts with Sydney/Melbourne nodes (Shockbyte, Apex, Nodecraft, PebbleHost, and Bisect if it has stock). Pay monthly first and ping-test with the whole group. See the Oceania ping guide.
Practical shortlist (not rankings)
- ATM10, 4–6 friends, lowest list price: BisectHosting 12 GB ($35.99). Check Sydney stock first if you’re in AU/NZ.
- Want a refund window and support: Apex 12 GB ($38.99).
- RLCraft on a budget, AU: PebbleHost 8 GB. Pick Premium if the CPU struggles.
- Over ~$20/mo is normal here: heavy packs break the under-$20 budget. Trim the pack or the player count if money is tight.
Official links (affiliate placeholders)
Buttons below point at official sites today. 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.