How to Host a Terraria Server for Free (3 Ways, 2026)

You can host a Terraria server for free three ways: use Host and Play from your own game, run the free dedicated server from terraria.org on a PC you leave on, or get a real hosted server paid for with GamezServers credits. Terraria is one of the lightest games to host, so the free options work well. The catches: the world goes offline with you or needs your PC on, TCP port 7777 has to be forwarded, and you download a new server after every patch. Here is each option.

Can you host Terraria for free?

Yes. Re-Logic gives the dedicated server away, it runs on Windows, Linux and macOS, and it needs very little memory. Every player still needs their own copy of Terraria.

Option 1: Host and Play

The quickest free way to play together on PC:

1. Click Multiplayer, then Host & Play.
2. Pick your character and world, and choose Friends Only or Invite Only.
3. Friends join through Multiplayer > Join via Steam, or from your Steam invite.

The catch: the world only runs while you play. When you quit, everyone is disconnected, and the world lives only on your PC. How to play Terraria with friends covers Join via IP and mobile players too.

Option 2: run the free dedicated server

A dedicated server keeps the world up on its own, so friends can mine and fight bosses without you.

What PC do you need?

Almost any PC made in the last decade can run a vanilla server, including an old laptop. That makes Terraria the best game in this list for a cheap always on home server.

Set it up in five steps

1. Download the server from the footer of terraria.org (the PC Dedicated Server zip). It must match the version your players run. If you own Terraria on Steam, TerrariaServer.exe is already in your game folder.
2. Write a serverconfig.txt next to the server:

world=C:\terraria\Worlds\OurWorld.wld
autocreate=2
worldname=OurWorld
difficulty=1
maxplayers=8
port=7777
password=secret123

3. Start it with TerrariaServer.exe -config serverconfig.txt, or ./TerrariaServer.bin.x86_64 -config serverconfig.txt on Linux.
4. Forward TCP port 7777 on your router to the server PC and allow the server through the firewall. See how to port forward a game server.
5. Join with Multiplayer > Join via IP: enter your public IP, then 7777 on the next screen, then the password.

For mods, run the tModLoader server instead. It is free, uses the same serverconfig.txt format and port, and players join through tModLoader. The full walkthrough is how to make a Terraria server, and how to add mods to a Terraria server covers modpacks.

What are the catches of hosting Terraria for free?

• The PC stays on. A gaming desktop running all month can add 10 to 20 USD to a power bill. An old laptop or mini PC is much cheaper, and Terraria runs fine on one.
• CGNAT. If your provider uses CGNAT, port 7777 cannot be forwarded and friends will not connect. How to host a game server without port forwarding explains workarounds.
• Updates by hand. After each Terraria patch you download the matching server, or friends see a version mismatch. See Terraria server version mismatch.
• Backups. Copy the .wld file somewhere safe before boss fights and updates. A corrupted world with no backup is gone.
• Your home IP. Everyone who joins sees it.

Option 3: a real Terraria server paid with credits

Terraria is one of the cheapest servers to fund with credits. Every GamezServers account gets a share link from the dashboard in one click, and it earns credits:

• 5 cents for every person who clicks the link, counted once a day per person.
• 10 USD in credits for every person who clicks the link and subscribes, once per person. Anyone counts, not just your friends.

Credits are money for servers, not a discount. They come off your bills automatically, and once they cover a server, which can be a few days of a small prepaid one, you can get it with credits alone and no card. They have no cash value outside GamezServers.

What you get: a real dedicated Terraria server with DDoS protection, backups, a live console and a file manager, live in about 60 seconds. Pick vanilla, tModLoader or TShock, set world size, difficulty and password in the panel, upload your own world, and update the game from the panel after a patch.

In credits, 25 clicks cover 3 days of the Starter plan and about 100 cover a month. One person who subscribes through your link earns 10 USD, two months of Starter. See how game server credits work and free game servers.

Other cheap ways to host Terraria

• Split the bill. Up to 10 friends each pay their own share, plus a 1 USD fee per share. The 4 GB plan split four ways is about 3.50 USD each.
• Half price first month. Your first subscription gets 50% off the first month.
• Prepaid rentals for a weekend playthrough. See cheap game server hosting.

To bring your world along, see how to upload a Terraria world to a server. Plans are on Terraria server hosting.

FAQ

Is the Terraria dedicated server free?

Yes. It is a free download from terraria.org for Windows, Linux and macOS, and Steam owners already have TerrariaServer.exe in the game folder.

What port does a Terraria server use?

TCP 7777 by default, set with port= in serverconfig.txt.

How much RAM does a Terraria server need?

About 2 GB for a vanilla small or medium world, 4 GB for a large world or a few mods, and 6 GB for Calamity or a big mod list.

Can friends play my Terraria world when I'm offline?

Only on a dedicated server. A Host and Play world goes offline when you quit.

Can I run a modded Terraria server for free?

Yes. tModLoader is free and includes a server. Players join through tModLoader, which downloads the server's mods for them.