RAM & CPU calculator for game servers
How much RAM and how many vCPUs do you need for 50, 100 or 200 players in Minecraft, FiveM, Rust, ARK or CS2? Pick the game and player count and we show a realistic estimate, plus the cheapest plan in our catalog that meets it.
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Why does the RAM you need vary so much by game?
Not every dedicated server consumes memory the same way. Minecraft runs on a JVM, and Java's garbage collector needs plenty of spare heap to avoid noticeable lag spikes — that's why a modded or plugin-heavy server needs meaningfully more RAM than a vanilla one with the same player count. Rust, on the other hand, loads the entire map (procedural terrain, structures, saved entities) into memory persistently, so map size weighs almost as much as player count — which is why Rust is notoriously RAM-hungry even with few players. FiveM uses OneSync to sync entities (peds, vehicles, objects) across every connected client, and that sync overhead scales with both player count and the number of active resources/scripts, not just raw players.
Methodology: how we calculate this estimate
For each game we start from a base RAM figure (the empty process, no players, default map/world loaded) and add a per-player RAM cost, using figures typical of what each game's hosting community and providers report. We add a 20% operating margin on top (automatic backups, admin panel, usage spikes) before rounding up to the nearest whole GB. For modded Minecraft we multiply both the base and the per-player cost, since a heavy modpack (ATM, RLCraft, etc.) can use several times more than vanilla or Paper with light plugins. This is a directional guide, not an exact guarantee — real usage always depends on which mods, plugins or resources you install.
And vCPU? It's not just about RAM
Minecraft and ARK lean heavily on a single main thread for world simulation, so adding more vCPU helps only up to a point — clock speed matters more there. Rust and FiveM spread load (physics, scripting, networking) across more threads, so they benefit more from added vCPU as player count grows. That's why the calculator also recommends a vCPU count, not just GB of RAM.
FAQ
Why does Rust need so much more RAM than Minecraft?+
Because Rust keeps the entire map (terrain, player structures, entities) loaded in memory persistently, regardless of how many players happen to be online at a given moment. Minecraft, by contrast, only keeps the chunks of the world near players (or forced by plugins) loaded, so its usage scales more directly with player count.
Does this estimate include the operating system?+
Yes — the base RAM for each game in this calculator already assumes headroom for the operating system (typically Linux) and lightweight auxiliary processes. The extra 20% margin we add also covers automatic backups and usage spikes, not just the game itself.
Can I upgrade my plan later if I run short on RAM?+
Yes. If your server grows more than expected (more players, more plugins or mods), you can move to a larger plan from your dashboard without losing your data or configuration.
What if I run a lot of plugins or mods beyond what's assumed here?+
This calculator uses typical figures for a reasonable install of the chosen game/framework. If you add many heavy plugins (economy, anti-cheat, large custom maps) or an especially demanding modpack, add some extra margin on top of the recommended RAM — or start with the recommended plan and scale up if needed.
You have your number — now get the server
Get the plan we just recommended (or a bigger one) with automatic provisioning and a dedicated IP.
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