ARK: Survival Evolved is a game best played with your friends or players around the world. You will need a reliable ARK: Survival Evolved server hosting provider or you could face slow run times and compromised security.
For smooth and lag-free gameplay, our team reviewed some of the top-performing companies to find the most ideal ARK server host for you.
Reviews of the Top ARK Server Hosting
1. GameServers
GameServers is the oldest hosting company in the industry and has 36 server locations all over the world. Their control panel is highly simplified and allows you to configure the game machines, adding more admins, switch server locations, or adding different mods and plugins.
Customer support provides a great service despite the lack of chat functionality. Our team got a fast reply when they tested the support staff.
Despite their high range price, GameServers are still among the best ARK server hosting companies. Along with the option to share payments with members, you have a 5-day money-back option.
Pros
- Money-back guarantee
- Fast and no lag promise
- Customizable
- Can add other admins
- Very fast and responsive support staff
- Very widely available and has the largest network
- Affordable pricing
- Complete mod support
Cons
- No chat function
- No automatic updates or backups
2. GTX Gaming
GTX Gaming is one of the best-performing server hosting providers for ARK, with server locations worldwide. Their prices are affordable, and before subscribing for one of the company’s plans, you can benefit from a 24-hour free trial.
The infrastructure runs on powerful servers with 4.2GHz clock speed i7 processors and RAID SSDs. Due to the direct connection to the electrical grid, you no longer have to fear power outages.
Other features included in GTX Gaming offers are free DDoS protection, daily server backups, free game servers debranding, easy game switching tools, automatic mod updater, and many more.
Pros
- Widely available
- 24-hour money back guarantee
- Powerful servers
- DDoS protection for free
- Game switching
- Allows a 24-hour free trial
- Affordable
- Can provide up to 250 slots
- Automatic offsite backups
Cons
- No chat function
- No location switching
3. PingPerfect
PingPerfect offers hosting services from six server locations spread across the world. Their servers use the latest Xeon processors and have a minimum of 32GB RAM.
Among their outstanding features, our experts noticed the free 1GB storage for web hosting, free DDoS protection, free debranding, custom full-backup system, and the friendly TCAdmin control panel. They also offer a game switching facility.
The middle range price and the 15% discount on annual payment are other pros for choosing this company. Although you have only 24 hours to change your mind, PingPerfect still offers good value for money.
Live chat, email, and ticket system are the options you have to contact their 24/7 support team based in the UK.
You can also check our complete review of PingPerfect here.
Pros
- 48-hour free trial
- More than adequate customer support
- 1GB free storage
- DDoS protection
- Game switching available
- Best global coverage in 6 continents
- Free web hosting
Cons
- Only accepts USD, EUR, and GBP
- No automatic updating of mods
4. ServerBlend
As an official ARK: Survival Evolved Server API Partner, SeverBlend’s plans include automatic updates and backups, location switching, one-click mod installation, auto-updating mods, free DDoS [1] protection, free debranding, free migration service, and many more.
Some special features that got our team’s attention are the free Procedural Map Generation and the game server bot that allows you to control the server from the Discord app.
After testing and checking multiple reviews, we concluded that the ServerBlend support team is one of the best in the industry similar to the top-performing server hosting we reviewed for Minecraft. Available via chat, email, or ticket system, they will sort your issues quickly and professionally.
Pros
- Very affordable pricing
- DDoS protection
- Many free services
- Auto updating mods
- 2-week money back guarantee
- You can control everything from their Discord
- An official ARK hosting server partner
- Full support system
Cons
- Requires a high number of minimum slots
- Doesn’t take AUD
5. Nitrous Networks
Nitrous Networks is a company focused on Minecraft servers. However, they managed to secure a comfortable place among the best ARK: Survival Evolved server hosting providers.
Although they offer premium connectivity via their robust game servers, there are only a few server locations. Nevertheless, Nitrous Networks have positive reviews among the ARK community.
Their custom control panel is very intuitive and easy to use. Other great features are free DDoS protection, free web hosting, MySQL server, and a free Mumble Voice server.
Their 24/7 customer support is very reliable and fast, sorting any server control issues. Despite the high price, Nitrous Networks remains a top-rated host.
Pros
- Highly reviewed
- DDoS protection
- Web hosting is free
- Accessible customer support
- Money back guarantee for a week
- Free MySQL server
Cons
- No automatic backups or updates
- No location switching
6. LOW MS
LOW MS is one of the newest ARK hosting providers in the industry. Although their price is somewhere in between, they offer the lowest cost for large player slots. Like most hosting providers, LOW MS offers discounts for long term subscriptions.
Server locations are spread across four continents and their data centers host a sturdy infrastructure – Intel CPUs up to 5GHz, Intel NVME SSDs, DDR4 memory.
LOW MS offers an easy to use control panel, free DDoS protection, full FTP access, instant setup, Steam workshop integration, and many more. Our experts will add that the 24/7 support is absolutely the best feature of the company.
Pros
- Offers promotions and discounts
- Very widely available with servers in 4 continents
- Free DDos
- Setup is quick and easy
- 24/7 support
- Works with Steam
- Affordable for large slots
- Highly reviewed
Cons
- Quite a new server hosting
- Will take time to solidify their position as a host
7. Host Havoc
Another recognized name on our best ARK server hosting providers list is Host Havoc. They are a young hosting company focused on gaming support. Their servers are located on three continents, thus offering great speed.
You will pay a $0.50 price per slot to add to the initial 30 players which cost $15. An important note is that you cannot get more than 100 slots. Host Havoc has a robust infrastructure consisting of Ryzen and Xeon E-series CPUs of 4.6GHz and NVMe SSDs. Adding a reliable uplink, there’s no wonder that the host delivers a 99.9% uptime.
Although this host doesn’t offer automatic server backups, your plans include free DDoS protection, instant setup, server command-line manager, all mods and DLCs supported.
Pros
- No downtime
- Affordable prices
- Free DDos
- Quick and easy setup
- 3-day money back guarantee
- Offers a discount
- Full MOD support
Cons
- No location switching
- No automatic backup
8. Streamline Servers
Streamline Servers is a very reliable and well-known game server host similar to the Fragnet server hosting we reviewed. With numerous server locations across the world and sturdy Xeon e6 CPU processors, this host offers a great gaming experience.
Although they don’t offer a custom control panel, their TCAdmin 2 does a good job when it comes to server settings, instant installation, or one-click installation.
Despite the high price, many customers are happy with this provider. You have many payment options, including cryptocurrency. The 48-hours money-back guarantee gives you enough time to reconsider the choice you made.
Customer support is another feature praised by users, although there is no chat or email functionality.
Pros
- Affordable slots
- Can accept cryptocurrency
- A long 48-hour money back guarantee
- Easy installation
- Established in 2007
Cons
- No automatic mod update
- No chat or email function
9. Nodecraft
Nodecraft stands aside at first by its very powerful control panel, known as NodePanel. This is what a player needs: easy setup, a straight-forward option to manage and configure the server.
The server locations are spread across three continents and the infrastructure consists of Xeon CPUs, dedicated SSDs and HDDs, and DDoS protection.
Using Linux as the operating system, Nodecraft offers high end performance and enhanced security. Although the support team is not very familiar with the game, they will solve any hosting server related issues.
This host offers a free trial and affordable plans that include an unlimited number of players.
Pros
- Easy to set up and understand
- Secure services
- Has a free trial option
- Affordable payment plans
- Does not limit the number of players
- Servers in three different continents
Cons
- The support isn’t 24 hours
- Limited currencies
10. AGS Hosting
AGS Hosting is one of the fast-growing companies that try to prove their high quality service via top-class customer service and reliable infrastructure.
Operating from server locations spread on three continents, AGS Hosting offers a series of nice features meant to improve your gaming experience. The plans include free features like DDoS protection, debranding, cluster support, and PGARK.
Unlike other control panels, their TCAdmin is nice and modern, allowing you to manage and install mods. Automatic backups and updates are other features offered by AGS Hosting.
In addition, 24/7 customer support is available via live chat and ticket system. The agents reply fast and they are very friendly and knowledgeable.
Pros
- Has wide coverage
- 14-day money back guarantee
- Offers game switching
- DDoS protection
- Mods are easy to install
- Automatic updates and backup
- Cluster support is free
Cons
- No email support
- Only supports PC
Ark Server Hosting Buyer’s Guide
When you are ready to pay for a server hosting service, we advise you to look up for these criteria. The more boxes you check, the better you’ll be informed to choose the top server hosting providers for ARK.
Ease of Setup
Usually, many gamers are tech-savvy and this helps them to choose an ARK server host suitable for their needs. However, most of the game’s fans will require technical assistance with setting up an ARK server.
Before subscribing to a hosting company’s services, check if the setup process is easy and the instructions are clear and understandable. And it should not last more than a few minutes.
Performance
A good ARK game hosting provider should offer servers that deliver top-notch performance with low ping. When shopping for hosting services, you should check the details regarding the different companies’ server locations.
The hardware and the location of the data centers are important factors that contribute to the high quality of the hosting services. Check whether the host you have in mind has sturdy hardware. Also, make sure they perform regular security updates.
Hosting ARK servers implies the existence of SSD drives, DDR4 memory, and high-performance CPUs. All these factors contribute to the servers’ stability and high performance.
For other reliable server hosting, you can also check cheap Ark server hosting providers here.
Support Times
When you try to find the best ARK game hosting provider, make sure you check how their customer support is. There’s nothing more unpleasant than a slow response when your game crashes. Response time is a very important element of the overall hosting service.
The best hosting providers offer 24/7 customer service with an average response time of 15 minutes. Some companies though will reply to your questions only the next day.
Don’t forget to look into their contact methods. Perhaps you prefer speaking on the phone with an agent instead of typing your queries in a live chat.
Price
Budget is another decisive factor when choosing the ARK hosting provider. If you need a large server for many players to join, you will require more slots.
The price per slot is usually ranging from $0.50 to $1.00, but you can find better deals. Most of these ARK server hosting providers offer discounts if you choose to pay for longer periods, rather than a monthly based payment. This could save you up to 20%.
Mods
Installing extra mods to game servers implies additional fees. Many hosting providers offer a one-click install via a custom control panel for adding mods.
Any ARK: Survival Evolved player would like to play other maps than The Island. Therefore you will need to use other Downloadable Content (DLCs). Not all hosting providers allow this, so check before subscribing to their services.
The best ARK server hosting providers will offer you automatic mod installation, updates, or DLC. And this will save you a lot of time and effort so you could focus on the game rather than technical stuff.
To summarize, the best game hosting provider should be able to handle and manage the implementation of new content, files, and maps.
FTP Access
FTP access is an important feature that helps you restore or backup your game files. In case of unplanned outages, you will not risk to lose the progress you made so far in the game.
Most of the game hosting companies will offer free full FTP access to configure and back up the servers. However, some will have additional fees for this feature, so it is worth checking.
Reasons Why You Need a Server Host
Running a gaming server from home requires a lot of work, technical knowledge, and resources. Plus, this is an adequate solution if you play only with a small group of friends. Although hosting your own server is cheaper than renting, there are some downsides you should consider.
First of all, it is very unlikely to be able to house more than 100 players. Your home connection will not support it. Secondly, you will have to maintain the server, fix it when it crashes, take the blame for the issues, and many more.
If you find the best ARK hosting provider, all the burden is lifted from your shoulders while having the same degree of freedom and customization. Despite the server location, you will have the best game experience.
(For reliable hosting providers, you can also check our list of Ark server hosting in Australia here)
FAQ
How much is a server on ark?
The cost of a server on ARK highly depends on the number of slots you require as more slots means more players. Also, additional features like installing extra mods or DLCs might add to the monthly bill.
For cheap Ark gamers, you can also check the best cheap Ark: Survival Evolved server hosting here.
Our Top Pick For an Ark Server Hosting: GameServers
Our expert gamers landed on GameServers as the top pick for Best ARK server hosting. The platform has extensive experience in the field and offers a no lag promise to its loyal users. GameServers is priced affordably and has customer support at the ready to address any potential issue that may arise.
Confused about how you can fully automate a server manager? Then, you can check our guide about how to use the ARK Server Manager easily. Read next!
