How to Host a Factorio Server for Free (2026, Incl. Raspberry Pi)

You can host a Factorio server for free by clicking Host saved game in Factorio, or by running the free headless server on a spare PC with UDP port 34197 forwarded. Since September 2026, Factorio 2.1 also has an ARM64 headless build that runs on a Raspberry Pi 5. The world is only online while that machine is.

What are the free ways to host a Factorio server?

Factorio is one of the cheapest games to host because the server is light. Your options:

The headless server is a free download from factorio.com with no login needed, and it does not need its own copy of the game. Players still need to own Factorio to join.

How do you host Factorio from the game for free?

The quickest free option needs no extra software:

1. In Factorio, click Multiplayer, then Host new game or Host saved game.
2. Choose the visibility: Public, Steam or LAN. Steam visibility lets Steam friends join without an address.
3. Set a password if you want one and start.
4. Friends join from the server browser, Steam, or Connect to address with your public IP.

Factorio uses one port, UDP 34197. For friends outside your network, forward it on your router. The Factorio wiki on multiplayer notes that routers which randomise outgoing ports can also cause trouble.

The limit: when you close the game, the server is gone. Nobody can keep building while you sleep.

How do you run a free Factorio headless server?

The headless server runs the full simulation without graphics, so it needs very little.

1. Download the headless build from factorio.com/download. It is a Linux build, so use a Linux machine or Windows Subsystem for Linux, or run the normal Windows game with the --start-server option.
2. Create a map:

   ./bin/x64/factorio --create ./saves/my-save.zip
   

3. Copy the example settings in data/server-settings.example.json to server-settings.json and set the name, password and visibility. Every key is explained in our server-settings.json guide.
4. Start the server:

   ./bin/x64/factorio --start-server-load-latest --server-settings ./data/server-settings.json
   

5. Forward UDP 34197 on your router to the machine and allow it through the firewall. See the port forwarding guide.
6. Share your public IP and players use Connect to address.

The full self hosting walkthrough is in how to make a Factorio server.

Can a Raspberry Pi run a Factorio server?

Yes, now. Friday Facts #446 on 18 September 2026 announced Factorio for ARM64 Linux, with the standalone build "available on our website, including the headless version", and Wube showed it running on a Raspberry Pi 5. Two things to know:

• It is 2.1 only. On factorio.com the ARM64 headless download is offered for experimental 2.1.20, not stable 2.0.77. Every player then has to opt into the 2.1 experimental branch to join. Read the Factorio 2.1 update guide first.
• A Pi has limits. A Pi 5 is fine for a small group and a growing base. Big Space Age megabases or overhaul mods want a faster CPU, and since every player simulates the whole map anyway, the slowest player's PC matters more than the server.

The same ARM64 build also opens up ARM cloud machines, including free tier ARM instances some cloud providers offer. Free tiers come with availability limits and terms that can change, so treat them as a bonus rather than a guarantee.

What are the catches with free Factorio hosting?

• Uptime. A home server goes offline with power cuts, Windows updates and sleep mode.
• Port forwarding and CGNAT. If your internet provider uses CGNAT, forwarded ports never reach your router. Compare your router's WAN IP with a "what is my IP" site. If they differ, home hosting will not work for outside players.
• Updates. Factorio requires the exact same version on the server and every player. When Steam updates your game, you have to update the server by hand or nobody can join. The version mismatch fix covers this.
• Public listing. To show up in the public server browser, the headless server needs your factorio.com username and an auth token in server-settings.json.
• Your home IP is shared with everyone who joins.

How much does Factorio server hosting cost?

Factorio is cheap to host because it needs little memory. Our plans:

New customers get 50% off the first month, and you can split the bill with up to 10 friends at a 1 USD fee per share. A Standard server split between four players is about 3.50 USD each a month. No contract, cancel any time.

When is free hosting the right choice?

Free is great when your group always plays together, or when you have a spare machine and a real public IP. Paid hosting makes sense when friends play at different times, port forwarding fails, or you would rather not update and back up the server yourself.

Hosting Factorio with GamezServers

Our Factorio servers come online about a minute after checkout. Space Age is one switch in the panel, mods sync to players automatically, Update game backs up your map and keeps you on the same version as your group, and the Factorio version setting lets you pick stable, experimental or an exact build. See Factorio server hosting or the Factorio quick start.

FAQ

Is the Factorio headless server free?

Yes. The headless server is a free download from factorio.com that needs no login and no extra copy of the game. Every player who joins needs their own copy of Factorio.

Can I host a Factorio server without port forwarding?

Not reliably. Players joining a headless server by IP need UDP 34197 to reach it. The easy way around port forwarding is a hosted server, which has its own public address. More options in hosting a game server without port forwarding.

Can a Raspberry Pi 4 run Factorio?

Wube's ARM64 announcement showed a Raspberry Pi 5. Older or weaker boards may run small maps, but expect them to struggle as the factory grows.

Does Factorio's free server work with Space Age?

Yes. Enable the space-age, quality and elevated-rails mods in mod-list.json. Every player who joins needs to own Space Age.

How much RAM does a free Factorio server need?

About 2 GB for a vanilla map with a few friends, 4 GB for Space Age, and 8 GB for megabases or big overhaul mods.