Satisfactory dedicated hosting for a small friend group (2026)
In Satisfactory, how big the factory is drives RAM use more than how many people play. Two friends with a late-game megabase can need more memory than eight who just landed. Below: RAM and slot tiers, mods, Oceania locations and recurring prices, with each price source labelled.
RAM by factory stage
- Early game (Tiers 1–4): 6–8 GB. Shockbyte’s and Nodecraft’s entry plans are 6 GB.
- Mid game (trains, drones): about 12 GB³.
- Late game or megabase: 16 GB or more³. Autosaves cause memory spikes, so leave headroom.
- Slots: official servers allow small player counts. Most friend groups are 2–6, so slot caps rarely matter.
Mods
Satisfactory mods use the Satisfactory Mod Manager (SMM) on clients, and mods must be installed on the server through file upload (SFTP/FTP). Shockbyte lists “Mod Support” on its own page. Nodecraft offers SFTP and publishes an SMM guide³. Big mods add RAM, so move up a tier. Mod tooling by host: Night 6.
Comparison: Satisfactory plans
Price sources: Shockbyte and Nodecraft prices are from their own Satisfactory pages (Oct 2026). Apex prices are third-party (³). Confirm at checkout. BisectHosting is TBD because third-party sources contradict each other. TBD means we couldn’t confirm it.
| Host | Entry tier | Bigger tiers | Mods / notes | Oceania | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ShockbyteAU brand | Biomass Burner · 6 GB · 4 players · $14.99/mo | Fuel Generator 8 GB · 12 players · $19.99 Nuclear Power Plant 10 GB · 24+ · $24.96 |
Mod support, crossplay, Steam betas, FTP, 72-hour refund | Australia location (Melbourne company) | Cheapest confirmed always-on entry; 8 GB stays under $20 |
| Apex Hosting | 6 GB · $22.49³ (labelled the minimum) | 10 GB $35.00³ · 20 GB $64.99³ · EX 16 GB $71.99 | Own guide for uploading saves³; 7-day refund³ | APAC EX hardware listed (see Night 10/11) | First-time admins who want hand-holding |
| BisectHosting | TBD Third-party reports disagree |
TBD | Mod support and 3-day backups³ | Sydney among 21 locations; stock varies | Check the price live at checkout |
| GameTeam | TBD | TBD | TBD | Not confirmed | Check its Satisfactory page directly |
| Nodecraft | Premium 24/7 6 GB · $29.98 recurring Budget Wake & Play 6 GB $17.88 (hibernates; Nodecraft says “not recommended for this game”) |
Premium 8 GB $39.98 · Budget 8 GB $23.84 / 12 GB $35.76 | SFTP, game swapping, cloud backups | Sydney & Melbourne | Weekend-only AU/NZ groups (Wake & Play), or Premium for an always-on factory |
| PebbleHost | TBD | TBD | TBD | Sydney listed for Minecraft; check for Satisfactory | Check the product page directly |
Sources (Oct 2026), host-owned: shockbyte.com Satisfactory, nodecraft.com Satisfactory. ³ Third-party: MamboServer (Apex, Nodecraft notes), WinterNode RAM guide / Bisect notes. Confirm at checkout. No host is crowned “#1”.
Oceania note
Satisfactory handles latency fairly well, but vehicles, hypertubes and building in co-op still rubber-band on long routes. AU/NZ squads: shortlist Shockbyte (AU), Nodecraft (Sydney and Melbourne) and Bisect if Sydney has stock. See the Oceania ping guide.
Budget note and shortlist (not rankings)
- 2–4 friends, early game: Shockbyte 6 GB, $14.99.
- Mid game under ~$20: Shockbyte 8 GB, $19.99. That’s the edge of the budget page.
- Weekend-only AU group: Nodecraft Wake & Play 6 GB, $17.88 (hibernates).
- Other base-builders: 7 Days to Die, ARK, Minecraft modpacks.
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.