The Forest dedicated hosting for a small friend group (2026)
This page is for The Forest — the original Endnight survival horror (peninsula, cannibals, caves), not Sons of the Forest (Night 16). A small friend group wants one always-on island so the save isn’t stuck on someone’s PC. Shockbyte, Apex, Nodecraft, GameTeam and Bisect all sell it. PebbleHost page URLs we tried returned 404. Prices below were read from each host’s own The Forest page. Confirm availability and the bill at checkout.
RAM, slots, crew and mods
- Friend-group fit: GameTeam’s FAQ says 8 is the supported session size. Shockbyte’s Survivor plan is labeled 8 players / 4 GB — the natural friend-group band. Bigger Shockbyte Cannibal / Mutant tiers (24 / 36+ players) are community-sized, not a 2–8 crew.
- RAM honesty (host claims only): Apex labels 2 GB as the minimum for The Forest. GameTeam’s FAQ says 4–6 GB. Shockbyte starts at 4 GB on Survivor. Nodecraft’s “Best for Vanilla” callout sits on 3 GB Budget / Premium. Treat 2 GB as a light entry (Apex claim); budget 4–6 GB for a full 8-player island.
- Mods (host claims only — mixed): Shockbyte’s page says dedicated hosting gives “full control over … mods”. Apex’s panel copy mentions installing mods. Nodecraft labels the listed plans Best for Vanilla. GameTeam’s FAQ states plainly: “The Forest has no official dedicated-server mod support.” Bisect’s The Forest page did not spell out a mods claim. See Night 6. Do not confuse this with Sons of the Forest mod notes.
Comparison: The Forest plans
Price sources: every price comes from the host’s own The Forest 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apex Hosting | 2 GB · recurring $7.99/mo 25% off first month $5.99 — we quote the recurring $7.99 |
6 GB · $22.49/mo 12 GB · $38.99/mo Same 25% first-month sale on those tiers |
Page labels 2 GB “Minimum for The Forest”; panel copy mentions installing mods; switch games anytime | Check for an AU / APAC node (EX series mentions Ryzen 7 5800X for AU) | Cheapest listed always-on recurring entry under ~$20 |
| ShockbyteAU brand | Survivor · 4 GB · 8 players · $9.99/mo | Cannibal · 5 GB · 24 players · $17.99/mo Mutant · 6 GB+ · 36+ players · $19.08/mo |
Page claims full control over settings, difficulty and mods; auto-updates & backups; DDoS; 72-hour refund | Global locations; Melbourne company (check for an AU node) | Labeled 8-player friend-group Survivor plan |
| Nodecraft | Budget Wake & Play · 3 GB · recurring $8.94/mo Sale first month $6.26 — we quote recurring $8.94; hibernates when unused |
Premium 24/7 · 3 GB · recurring $14.98/mo Sale first month $10.49; 4 GB Premium recurring $19.98 |
Plans labeled Best for Vanilla; game swap; cloud backups; no player-slot limit claimed | Sydney & Melbourne (+ Auckland) on other games — confirm for The Forest at checkout | Vanilla friend group that wants Wake & Play or always-on Premium |
| GameTeam | From $0.49/GB (Budget) Advertised “from” rates; billing term and plan totals not shown. TBD |
TBD Premium tier present; billing term switch shown without a clear total |
FAQ: 4–6 GB; max session 8; no official dedicated-server mod support; weekly billing; 72-hour money-back; AI copilot claimed | Global locations (check for AU) | Short weekly seasons while the peninsula is “survived” |
| BisectHosting | TBD The Forest page we read showed features, not a clear price rate |
TBD | Swap to 110+ games; instance manager; 21 locations; 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 The Forest 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 The Forest page found (404). No host is crowned “#1”. This is The Forest, not Sons of the Forest.
Oceania note
The Forest is co-op survival horror — building and exploration tolerate mid ping better than a competitive shooter, but cannibal raids and cave fights still feel late on a long US route. AU/NZ groups should check at checkout for an AU / APAC node on Apex or Shockbyte, Nodecraft’s Sydney / Melbourne / Auckland nodes (confirm they apply to The Forest), 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)
- Cheapest listed always-on recurring: Apex 2 GB, $7.99/mo recurring (first-month sale $5.99 disclosed) — under the ~$20 budget. Apex calls 2 GB the minimum; step up if the island feels tight.
- Labeled 8-player friend group: Shockbyte Survivor, $9.99 (4 GB / 8 players).
- Vanilla + Wake & Play or Premium: Nodecraft Budget from $8.94 recurring, or Premium 3 GB $14.98 recurring (first-month sales disclosed).
- Weekly binge seasons (host claim): GameTeam from $0.49/GB — confirm plan total and RAM at checkout; FAQ says no official dedicated-server mod support.
- If Bisect price/stock is hidden: use Apex, Shockbyte or Nodecraft first; home CTA for PebbleHost if you want to ask support whether The Forest is coming.
- Want the sequel instead? Sons of the Forest (Night 16). Similar nights: Valheim (Night 2), 7 Days to Die (Night 10), Abiotic Factor (Night 30).
Official links (affiliate placeholders)
Buttons below point at official sites today (game pages where the host sells The Forest; 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.