The Forest friend-server hosting — a private peninsula for a small group
You want an original The Forest world your mates can join without the host being online: 2–8 survivors, a password, and a base that persists. This page is not the same as The Forest overview or the Sons of the Forest friend server page. It covers the small-group, mostly-vanilla setup.
The job: private, small, always on
- Players: 2–8 friends. Shockbyte’s Survivor tier is labelled 8 players / 4 GB.
- Mods: official dedicated-server mod support is limited; see mods & plugins by host.
- Persistence: back up the save folder before game updates.
Comparison: who sells The Forest for a friend group
Each host’s The Forest URL was checked with a live GET on 24 Oct 2026 (NZDT). Prices are set by each host, in USD. TBD = not printed clearly in the page we read; 404 = the product URL returned 404 / no The Forest SKU found.
| Host | The Forest? | Friend-sized plan | Oceania | Approx. monthly (USD) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shockbyte | Sells (200) | Survivor · 4 GB · 8 players | Australian company; check node at checkout (TBD) | Survivor $9.99/mo Cannibal 5 GB / 24 players $17.99. | Labelled 8-player group. |
| Apex Hosting | Sells (200) | 2 GB entry | TBD at checkout | 2 GB recurring $7.99/mo First-month sale $5.99 — we quote recurring. | Cheapest always-on entry. |
| BisectHosting | Sells (200) | The Forest plans | Multiple locations; check Sydney stock | TBD No clear plan price in the page we read. | Config-friendly panel. |
| Nodecraft | Sells (200) | Budget Wake & Play 3 GB / Premium 24/7 3 GB | TBD at checkout | Budget $8.94/mo · Premium $14.98/mo Recurring; first-month sales shown separately. | Multi-game panel. |
| GameTeam | Sells (200) | Per-GB RAM | TBD on The Forest page | $0.49 / $0.74 per GB RAM Check total at checkout. | Budget small groups. |
| PebbleHost | 404 | The Forest URL returned 404 | — | — | Not an option for The Forest today. |
Oceania notes
Combat and building sync feel latency, and the server region sets everyone’s delay. Check for a Sydney node before paying. See the Oceania ping guide.
Price honesty
We only list prices the host prints clearly. Nothing here is invented. For cheaper all-round options, see budget under ~$20.
Official links (affiliate placeholders)
Related
Affiliate disclosure
HostForTheSquad may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page. Commission rates don’t decide table rows. Prices and stock change, so check on the host’s site before you pay.