How much does a Starbound server cost?

Via Pay-per-Use from about 0.0160 €/h for 2 GB RAM (Novakid) – five hours of exploring cost around 0.08 €. As a prepaid plan from 4.00 €/month, with term discounts up to 20 % at 360 days (effectively 2.80 €/month).

How many players fit on a Starbound server?

Starbound sets no fixed ceiling – you define the player count in the server configuration yourself. In practice RAM, CPU and the number of simultaneously loaded worlds determine how many people can play together smoothly.

How much RAM do I need for Starbound?

A small vanilla group runs fine on 2 GB. With more players and many explored planets we recommend 3-4 GB. With larger mod lists or total conversions plan for 6-12 GB.

Does my character live on the server?

No – and that is a peculiarity of Starbound. Your character with inventory lives locally on your machine, the universe with all planets and colonies on the server. So you can play the same character on other servers too.

Are changed planets preserved?

Yes. Every world someone enters and changes is stored on the server and stays exactly as you left it – even if nobody has been there for weeks.

Are Steam Workshop mods supported?

Yes. Races, items, weapons and total conversions are added via the mod list. All players need the same mods; large mod packs noticeably increase load time and memory use.

Which port does Starbound use?

TCP 21025 by default. At RespawnHost the port is set up and opened automatically – you don't need to configure anything on your router.

Can I upload my existing universe?

Yes. Upload the universe folder via SFTP to the server and keep playing right away – including all colonies, space stations and changed planets.

Can I protect the server with a password?

Yes, you set a server password in a single field in the panel. Only those who know it can enter your universe.

Can I grant admin rights?

Yes. Permissions for your team are defined in the server configuration – including access to the in-game console commands.

How are updates installed?

A server restart is enough – our system checks for new versions on start and installs them automatically. After changes to the mod list a prior backup is worthwhile.

We create automatic backups of your universe. You can also create manual backups and restore them with one click – especially sensible before installing large mod packs.

What happens when my credit runs out?

The server stops automatically. World, save game and settings are preserved. After topping up, everything continues right where you left off.

Is there a minimum contract?

No. RespawnHost has no contract and no minimum term. You top up credit and use it whenever you want.

Do I get SFTP access?

Yes, full SFTP access to all server files – including save games, configuration and logs.

How fast is my server online?

The server itself is online in under 90 seconds. Installing the game files takes another 1-3 minutes depending on the location.

How fast does your support respond?

Via Discord within minutes, in the ticket system within minutes to hours – usually on weekends too.

Starbound

Starbound Server Hosting

Name: Starbound Server Hosting
Brand: RespawnHost
SKU: starbound-hosting
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.7 (26 reviews)

Online in < 90 seconds
Freely adjustable slot count
Fairness guarantee: Pay-Per-Use

Rent a server now View all plans

4.7/5 stars on Trustpilot

Start instantly

<90

Seconds

Your server is online & ready in seconds

Online in 90 seconds

From click to running server — no waiting.

Simple & flexible

Easy setup, flexible terms, full control.

Safe & protected

DDoS protection, backups and modern hosting.

Billed by the second

Pay-per-use – only pay while your server runs.

Our most popular plans

Choose your plan

Choose a starting plan. Adjust RAM and how you pay in the next step.

From prices with a monthly subscription.

Slots

2GBRAM

from2.80 €/ mo

1.40 € per GB / month

Recommended for 4 players

Small crew, vanilla
6 CPU threads included
Proven server hardware
Premium DDoS protection
Game switching to 7 more games included

Slots

4GBRAM

from5.60 €/ mo

1.40 € per GB / month

Recommended for 8 players

First mods
6 CPU threads included
Proven server hardware
Premium DDoS protection
Game switching to 27 more games included

Choose your RAM

Set the memory to suit your server.

Choose your memory: 2–12 GB
Term: 30–360 days
6 CPU threads included

No slot limits – player counts are recommendations, tested on our hardware.

4.7/5 on Trustpilot · "CoC Modded" runs 50+ players stable on modern AMD Ryzen hardware

4,7/ 5

Our customers rate us as Excellent on Trustpilot

View all reviews

Basics

What is a Starbound server?

A Starbound server is a permanently running, dedicated multiplayer server for Chucklefish's 2D space sandbox. It holds your shared universe: every planet you have visited and changed, your colonies and space stations. Unlike many survival games your character stays on your own machine – so you can take it with you while the worlds are stored centrally. You set the player count yourself. At RespawnHost you rent one via Pay-per-Use from 0.0160 €/h or as a prepaid plan from 4.00 €/month.

Worlds stored centrally

Free slot count

Steam Workshop mods

Online in 90 seconds

Everything your universe needs

These features are included in every package and make your Starbound server the permanent home of your colonies.

Instant Setup

Your server is ready in under 90 seconds. No waiting, start playing right away.

Freely adjustable player count

Starbound sets no fixed ceiling – you define the slot count in the server configuration yourself.

Custom Control Panel

Real-time console, file manager, backup management and auto-restarts in one interface.

Per-Second Billing

Only pay when your server is online. The corresponding amount is deducted per second.

DDoS Protection

Our permanent DDoS protection keeps attacks away – at no extra cost.

Quality Gaming Support

Our support team consists of real gamers – Discord response within minutes.

Gaming Infrastructure

Premium hardware for your Starbound server

Cost calculator

Calculate your real costs for Starbound

Play time per day3h

1h24h

Your typical day

0:0024:00

Prepaid

4.00 €

runs around the clock

RespawnHost

~1.44 €

3h/day billed

Your savings

versus the prepaid plan, at 90 h/month

64 %

~2.56 €

The prepaid plan only pays off from around 8.3 hours a day. Below that, Pay-per-Use is cheaper.

Based on the 2 GB package. Actual costs may vary depending on usage.

Hardware & Infrastruktur

Optimized for Starbound

Processor

AMD Ryzen

RAM

DDR5

Storage

NVMe SSD

DDoS protection

Premium Gaming DDoS Protection

Uplink

25 Gbit/s

Uptime

100.00 %

Ping test

Germany · EU
Frankfurt am Main
—
US West
Salt Lake City, UT
—
US East
Charlotte, NC
—
India
Noida
—

Ping measured from each regional test server to your internet connection. In-game ping may differ. An unavailable result can mean the connection is blocked or the test server cannot be reached.

All systems operational

Live status on Instatus

Transparent Price Calculation

Our pricing models are completely transparent and fair. You only pay for what you really use.

You only pay when the server is online

No costs when your server is turned off. Pay only for actual usage.

Per-Second Billing

Balance is deducted live as soon as the server is online. Server off = no more cost consumption.

No hidden costs

When your server is turned off, no costs are incurred. No setup fees, no hidden costs.

Starbound price example

Maximum per month running 24/7 (2 GB)11.52 € / Month

Pay-per-use hourly rate≈ 0.0160 € / Hour

(0.0160 € × 720 Hours = 11.52 €)

Live billing

Credit is only deducted while the server is running. Stop it to save.

Example: 2 GB Package

2 hours online≈ 0.03 €

Server turned off0.00 €

Total costOnly what you play!

The difference to traditional hosters

Compare our features with those of traditional hosters and see for yourself why RespawnHost.com is the better choice.

Feature	RespawnHost.com	Provider A	Provider B	Provider C	Provider D
Pay only when server online
Server ready in under 90 seconds
Unlimited Slots
Unlimited NVMe SSD
Unlimited Cores
Custom Control Panel
Full SFTP Access
Free Databases
Premium Hardware *2

*2 Premium Hardware means for us Gaming Processors e.g. modern AMD Ryzen™ CPUs

*3 Sample of four major providers, surveyed in July 2026 from their public pricing and feature pages. Providers are not named because plans can change at any time — the survey date is what counts.

Frequently asked questions about Starbound servers

Starbound Server Hosting: a universe for your whole group

Starbound gives you a procedurally generated universe with practically unlimited planets – and the freedom to build on every one of them. In multiplayer that creates a requirement people easily underestimate: every world someone enters and changes has to be stored permanently. On a rented Starbound server that happens centrally, so your colonies still stand even when the original builder hasn't been online for weeks.

Why rent a Starbound server at RespawnHost?

Starbound cleanly separates character and world: your character with all equipment lives on your own machine, the universe with all its planets on the server. For a group that means everyone can come and go as they please and finds the shared colony unchanged – without anyone having to leave their PC running.

Technically Starbound stays modest, but grows with the number of visited worlds: every explored planet takes storage and wants to load quickly on entry. We use modern AMD Ryzen CPUs and NVMe SSDs – in Frankfurt am Main for Europe and Salt Lake City (Utah) and Charlotte (North Carolina) for North America, plus Noida for India.

Support that thinks along

Our support team plays the games themselves: whether a Workshop mod won't load, a universe needs migrating or the server balks after a mod change – reach us via ticket and Discord, usually on weekends too.

Features for space settlers

Official dedicated server: we run the server build from Chucklefish
Free player count: from a duo to a larger community
Steam Workshop mods: races, items, weapons and total conversions via the mod list
Persistent worlds: every changed planet stays exactly as you left it
Automatic backups: universe protection with 1-click restore
DDoS protection: permanently active, at no extra cost

Our web interface replaces editing starbound_server.config: server name, password, player count, admin list and mods are managed in the panel – and the real-time console shows you immediately whether the server starts cleanly.

Fairness redefined: the Pay-Per-Use principle

Starbound is played in bursts: a few long evenings, then a break. With our Pay-Per-Use model you only pay while your server is actually running – the hourly rate for 2 GB is around 0.0160 €, so five hours of exploring cost about 0.08 €.

Full cost control thanks to prepaid credit: top up, start immediately. No hidden subscriptions, no notice periods. For public servers meant to be reachable around the clock, the prepaid plan starts at 4.00 €/month with up to 20 % term discount.

Locations: Germany (EU), Salt Lake City, UT (US West), Charlotte, NC (US East), and Noida (India)

Choose between Germany (EU), Salt Lake City, UT (US West), Charlotte, NC (US East), and Noida (India). Compare locations with the ping test and consider where your fellow players are based.

Self-hosting or renting a Starbound server?

There are three ways to share a universe:

Hosting through the game: One player opens their universe from within Starbound. Free, but the worlds only exist while they are online – and their machine carries game and server at the same time.

Dedicated server on your own hardware: Chucklefish ships the server build with the game. But you need a machine running around the clock, a port forward for TCP 21025, and you have to maintain mods and updates by hand.

Rented server at RespawnHost: The server comes preconfigured, backups run automatically, port forwarding is unnecessary – and with Pay-per-Use you only pay for actual runtime on modern AMD Ryzen hardware.

Setting up a Starbound server: slots, mods & universe

You manage the important settings of your server entirely through our panel:

As a RAM guideline: a small vanilla group runs fine on Novakid (2 GB). Once more people join and many planets are explored, 3-4 GB (Apex/Avian) is comfortable. Anyone playing with larger mod lists or total conversions should plan for 6-12 GB – mods are by far the biggest factor for memory use in Starbound.

Player count: freely adjustable – Starbound sets no fixed ceiling
Server password: for private rounds, set in a single field
Admin rights: permissions for your team, including in-game console access
Steam Workshop mods: add races, items and total conversions via the mod list
Universe upload: upload an existing universe via SFTP and keep playing
Port: TCP 21025 – automatically set up and opened at RespawnHost

Last updated: July 2026

Character local, worlds on the server

This split is Starbound's biggest peculiarity – and the source of a few misunderstandings. Your character with inventory and progress lives in your local game folder. The universe with all planets, colonies and space stations lives on the server.

In practice that means: you can play the same character on several servers and take your equipment with you. But it also means local data loss costs you your character, while the shared colony sits safely on the server. So feel free to back up your character occasionally yourself – we take care of the universe.

Mods from the Steam Workshop

Even years after the 1.0 release Starbound has a very lively modding scene: additional races, weapons, furniture, reworked quests and entire total conversions such as Frackin' Universe. On the server you add them via the mod list and the rest runs automatically. Important: all players need the same mods – and large mod packs noticeably increase both load time and memory use.

Colonies: the reason for a permanent server

Starbound's colony system rewards persistence: you build rooms, tenants move in, pay rent and hand out quests. Some even join your ship as crew. That unfolds across many sessions and only works if the world doesn't vanish in between.

On a rented server you can also split the work: one person expands the living quarters while another gathers resources on an ice planet. At the next login you find both – and that's exactly where the feeling of a jointly grown base comes from, instead of a series of single-player sessions.