Yes, you can host a Core Keeper server for free, but no option is truly unlimited. The most dependable no-cost route is running the official Core Keeper Dedicated Server tool on your own computer. It costs nothing to download, but your world is reachable only while that machine and the server process remain online. Hosted free tiers remove the home-PC requirement by paying for the service with advertising, resource caps, forced restarts or periodic extensions. Short trials last 24 or 48 hours and are useful for testing, not permanent hosting.
Godlike.Host offers hosted Core Keeper servers with its own game panel, SFTP access and free DDoS protection, if you would rather not host it yourself.
What “free Core Keeper server hosting” actually includes
There are three different offers commonly described as free:
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- Self-hosting: You run the dedicated-server software on a computer you control. There is no hosting bill, but you provide the hardware, electricity, internet connection and uptime.
- Free hosted tiers: A provider runs the machine for you. The provider may show advertisements, restrict memory or CPU, require periodic extensions, or impose a slot limit.
- Trials: A paid service is available temporarily without charge. These are designed to evaluate performance and control panels, not to keep a persistent world online indefinitely.
Before choosing, decide whether “free” means zero monthly cost, a server that stays online while you are away, or simply a way to test multiplayer. Those goals lead to different choices.
Free options and their stated limits
| Option | What you receive | Limits or conditions | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-host on your own PC | Official Core Keeper Dedicated Server Steam Tool (App ID 1963720) | Your world is online only while the host computer and server process are running; RAM, player capacity and uptime depend on your system and connection. | A small group that can leave one computer running |
| Squadnox free server | Ad-supported private server | Advertising funds the service; the listing states up to eight CPU cores and 16 GB of RAM, with no artificial slot limit stated. | Groups that accept ads and want more headroom than tiny free tiers |
| AxentHost free server | Server with no payment card and no stated slot limit | Promotional terms tie 2–16 GB of RAM to credits. The amount you receive depends on the credit arrangement. | Players willing to manage a credit-based offer |
| GHosting trial | Temporary hosted server | 48 hours; no card, subscription or automatic renewal stated. | Testing a world, mod setup or control panel for a weekend |
| Nodecraft trial | Temporary hosted server | 24 hours; no card required. | A one-day performance and setup test |
| Paid entry example | Game Host Bros plan | Plans listed from $11.99 per month with unlimited player slots; the provider states that an existing server can be transferred for free. | Continuous availability after free options become inconvenient |
Prices, trial durations and free-tier limits can change. Confirm the current terms on the provider’s checkout or plan page before creating a world you intend to keep.
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Self-hosting: the most reliable zero-cost route
Steam lists the Core Keeper Dedicated Server as a free Tool, separate from the game itself. The dedicated-server App ID is 1963720; the game’s App ID is 1621690. A self-hosted world does not depend on a provider’s advertising policy or free-tier timer, but it stops being available when you shut down the server process or the host machine.
Install the server through Steam
- Open Steam and switch the Library filter from Games to Tools.
- Find Core Keeper Dedicated Server and install it. Do not install only the normal game client; the dedicated server is a separate Tool.
- Launch the dedicated-server entry. A commonly documented Steam flow leaves Launch Dedicated Server selected and then chooses Play.
- Wait for the server window to initialize. The setup guide describes a Game ID appearing for friends to use when joining.
- Keep the dedicated-server process open for the entire session. Closing it makes the server unavailable.
The interface and labels can change with Steam or Core Keeper updates. If a named checkbox is missing, look for the equivalent launch option in the Tool’s properties or startup dialog rather than installing a second copy of the game.
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Run it headlessly with SteamCMD
For a machine that will host without a desktop session, one third-party setup guide gives this SteamCMD command:
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steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 1963720 validate +quitOn Linux, that guide says headless builds need xvfb (a virtual X display). The command downloads or validates the dedicated-server files; you still need to launch the server executable afterward and keep that process alive. The guide is not an official Pugstorm specification, so verify paths and launch arguments against the files installed on your operating system.
Keep the world reachable
- Leave the host computer powered on and prevent sleep while friends are playing.
- Keep the dedicated-server process running; stopping it takes the world offline.
- Use a stable wired or strong wireless connection where possible, and avoid rebooting the host during play.
- Back up the world files before changing server settings or moving the installation. The exact save location varies by operating system and installation method, so identify it from the files created by your current server rather than deleting folders at random.
No hardware specification or guaranteed player capacity is published in the available setup material. Test with the number of players you expect, watch memory and CPU usage, and reduce background workloads if the host becomes unresponsive.
Networking and joining friends
Published instructions disagree about whether port forwarding is required. One guide describes the official flow as working without forwarding. A Steam community discussion identifies UDP ports 27015–27016 as the defaults and recommends trying the connection without opening ports first, then forwarding those ports if friends cannot connect. Because the sources conflict, treat port forwarding as a troubleshooting step, not a guaranteed prerequisite.
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- Start the dedicated server and give friends the Game ID shown by the server flow.
- Have a friend on the same or another network attempt to join before changing router settings.
- If remote players cannot connect, check the host computer’s firewall for an allow rule for the dedicated-server executable.
- If the problem persists, forward UDP 27015 and 27016 from the router to the host computer’s local address, then retry.
- Do not expose unrelated ports, and remove the forwarding rule if you no longer run the server.
PC storefronts—Steam, Epic and GOG—can play together according to the cited setup guide. Console-to-PC crossplay is not available, so a console player cannot join a PC-hosted world through this arrangement.
Hosted free tiers: what you trade for zero monthly cost
Ad-supported hosting
Squadnox advertises a free private server funded by ads. Its listing states support for up to eight CPU cores and 16 GB of RAM and does not state an artificial player-slot ceiling. “No slot limit” does not guarantee unlimited practical concurrency: CPU, memory, network load and the game’s own behavior still determine how many players your world can handle smoothly. Expect advertising in the control panel or service experience in exchange for the $0 price.
Credit-based resources
AxentHost advertises a free server without a payment card and without a stated slot limit. Its promotional terms describe 2–16 GB of RAM selected through credits. Because the available memory depends on credits, confirm how credits are earned, when they expire and whether an idle server consumes them. A nominally large maximum is not the same as guaranteed memory for the life of your world.
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Small, timed free tiers
Other free plans in the market use hard caps such as a low memory allocation, a small number of player slots, one available location or a requirement to extend the server periodically. Those restrictions matter most for an always-on community: a server that must be renewed every few hours can disappear while nobody is watching it. Check whether the panel offers scheduled restarts, automatic renewal of a free allocation and downloadable backups before you invite a group.
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GHosting lists a 48-hour trial with no card, subscription or automatic renewal. Nodecraft lists a 24-hour trial with no card required. Use a trial to answer practical questions:
- Can every player connect from the storefront they use?
- Does the control panel expose the save files and backups you need?
- Is the server responsive with your normal player count?
- Do restarts preserve the world and configuration?
- Can you export the world before the trial ends?
Schedule the test when your group can play together. A trial that expires before anyone joins proves little about real-world latency or resource use. Download a backup before the end date so you can move the world to another host or your own computer.
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When paying is the simpler option
If the host computer cannot stay on, a paid plan is usually the practical next step. One listed provider, Game Host Bros, advertises plans from $11.99 per month with unlimited player slots and says an existing server can be transferred for free. “Unlimited slots” removes a contractual ceiling; it does not promise that any number of players will perform well, so still check memory, CPU and backup policies.
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Choose by uptime, not just price
| Your priority | Most suitable route | Why | Main compromise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spend nothing and control everything | Self-host with the Steam Tool | No provider timer, advertising or subscription; you own the files. | Someone must keep the computer and server process online. |
| Zero bill with less home-network work | Ad-supported hosted tier | The provider supplies the machine and public endpoint. | Ads and service limits; policies may change. |
| Large advertised memory at no charge | Credit-based or high-resource promotional tier | Potentially more headroom than a tiny free allocation. | Credits, promotional conditions and availability are not permanent guarantees. |
| Test before committing | 24- or 48-hour trial | Lets the group validate joining, performance and backups. | The server ends unless you later subscribe or migrate it. |
| Persistent shared world | Paid plan with clear uptime and backups | Designed for continuous access and support. | Recurring cost; slot and resource claims still need checking. |
Troubleshooting a free server
Friends cannot see or join the world
- Confirm the dedicated-server process is still running and the host computer has not slept.
- Verify that friends are using the current Game ID or connection details generated by the active server session.
- Test without port forwarding first, then try UDP 27015–27016 if remote connections fail, as described in the conflicting networking guidance.
- Check the operating system firewall and router for rules pointing to the correct local host address.
- Make sure everyone is using a supported PC storefront combination; console-PC crossplay is not available.
The server stops or resets unexpectedly
- Look for a free-tier expiry, required three-hour-style extension or provider restart notice in the hosting panel.
- Check whether a trial has ended; the listed trials last 24 or 48 hours.
- Export a backup before changing plans or reinstalling the server.
- On a self-hosted machine, inspect sleep, automatic updates and power-loss behavior.
Performance is poor
- Check the provider’s actual RAM and CPU allocation rather than its maximum headline figure.
- Reduce other workloads on a self-host computer and monitor resource use during a busy session.
- Test with the intended number of players; a no-slot-limit claim is not a performance guarantee.
- Move to a plan with defined resources if the free tier repeatedly runs out of memory or restarts.
Bottom line
For a small group that can leave a computer running, the free Steam dedicated-server Tool is the clearest long-term no-cost solution. Hosted free tiers are convenient but exchange money for ads, resource limits, credits or maintenance interruptions. Use 24- and 48-hour trials to test connectivity and backups, then pay only if your group needs a world that remains online when nobody’s home PC is available. Compare every offer on uptime, memory, player capacity, restart policy and data portability—not the word “free” alone.
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