Choosing a Project Zomboid Server Host in Australia
A Project Zomboid run can last months, and all of it sits on the server. That makes the choice of host matter more than it does for most games. This guide covers what to check before you rent one in Australia, and how the main options compare.
MCHosts is our service, so we're obviously biased. We've stuck to facts below and left the conclusions to you. Prices and details were checked at the time of writing and may have changed since.
Where the server sits
Zomboid is a game where half a second of lag is the difference between a scratch and a funeral, and distance is the lag you can't tune away.
From the Australian east coast, a server in Sydney is roughly 10 to 40 milliseconds away. One in Los Angeles or Europe is 150 to 300. Check that a host has an Australian location for Project Zomboid, and whether it costs extra.
Which build it runs
Build 41 and Build 42 don't mix. A mod made for Build 41 won't load on a Build 42 server, and a player on a different version of the game can't join at all. So find out which build a host runs and who keeps it current.
Our servers run Build 42. They follow the current release and update themselves, so there's no version to pick and nobody arrives to a mismatch on a Friday night.
Workshop mods
If your group wants mods, ask how a host installs them and how your players get them.
On our panel you search the Steam Workshop from the Mods tab, or paste a link somebody sent you. A Build 42 filter shows only the mods their authors have marked for it. That matters, because the Workshop is still full of Build 41 mods that install and never load.
Your server downloads its own mods, and a new one takes two restarts before it's running. A player who's missing something sees what the server needs when they join, and Steam downloads it for them. See Adding mods to your Project Zomboid server.
Settings and sandbox rules
Zomboid's sandbox settings change the game more than most games' difficulty sliders do. Zombie population, loot rarity and whether the power stays on are all yours to set, so check how a host lets you get at them.
Ours come in two parts. The everyday settings are a form in the panel, with things like your password, the player limit and whether time passes while nobody is online. The sandbox rules are a file you edit from the panel's Files tab, and each option in it has a note listing its choices. Project Zomboid server settings covers both.
Backups, and room to grow
A run that's three months deep deserves better than one person's laptop deciding to install updates. It deserves a backup too, so ask whether backups are automatic and whether you can restore one yourself.
A long run also needs room to grow. Build 42 asks for more memory than the builds before it. The more of Knox Country your group explores, the more the server holds on to, and a Workshop mod list adds to that again. Check you can move up a size without starting over.
Currency, support and refunds
A plan billed in US dollars moves with the exchange rate, and most Australian cards add an international transaction fee of around 3% to every renewal.
Find out where the support team is as well. If it's overseas, a ticket sent late at night can sit until their morning.
A refund window lets you test the server from your own connection before you're committed. Check how long you get.
The main options for Australians
| Host | Based in |
|---|---|
| Shockbyte | Australia |
| Apex Hosting | United States |
| BisectHosting | United States |
| Nodecraft | United States |
| MCHosts | Australia |
Shockbyte
Shockbyte has been operating since 2013 and is based in Melbourne. It hosts Project Zomboid, and Sydney and Melbourne are both on its list of server locations. Its Australian pages show prices in AUD. Its refund is self-serve and lasts 72 hours.
Apex Hosting
Apex Hosting was founded in 2013 and is an American company. Its Project Zomboid page lists Sydney as a location and shows prices in US dollars. Refunds are available within 7 days under its terms.
BisectHosting
BisectHosting has hosted game servers since 2011 and is registered in the United States. It has 21 locations, Sydney among them, and its Project Zomboid page lists Steam Workshop support. Prices showed in AUD when we checked from Australia, and new customers get a 3 day money back guarantee.
Nodecraft
Nodecraft is an Oklahoma City company founded in 2012. It has locations in Sydney and Melbourne, plus Auckland for New Zealand players, and its Project Zomboid prices show in AUD. It offers a 7 day money back guarantee.
MCHosts
MCHosts (that's us) runs everything from Sydney, with billing in AUD and GST included. Our servers are in Sydney and nowhere else.
Plans run from A$22.50 a month for 6GB to A$60.00 a month for 16GB, which is a flat A$3.75 per gigabyte across six sizes. The smallest is 6GB because Build 42 asks for more memory than the builds before it.
Every plan runs Build 42 and updates itself. You also get Workshop mods from the panel, automatic backups you can restore yourself, a live console, full file access and DDoS protection, and your address stays the same when you move up a size. Support comes from the people who run the servers, in Australian hours. Every new server has a 7 day money back guarantee.
The short version
| Host | AU location | Billing currency | Refund window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shockbyte | Sydney, Melbourne | AUD on its Australian pages | 72 hours |
| Apex Hosting | Sydney | USD | 7 days |
| BisectHosting | Sydney | AUD shown for AU visitors | 3 days |
| Nodecraft | Sydney, Melbourne | AUD shown for AU visitors | 7 days |
| MCHosts | Sydney | AUD | 7 days |
Frequently asked questions
Can I host from my own PC instead? You can. The run then depends on that PC staying on, and anyone who plays at a different time has to wait for it. A hosted server stays up when you log off.
Does the world keep going while nobody is online? Not by default. Pause when empty stops time while the server is empty, so your crops stop growing, your generator stops burning fuel and your food stops rotting until somebody logs back in. You can turn it off in your settings.
How many players can join? Servers start with 32 player slots and you can change that in your settings. Project Zomboid itself warns that going above 32 can cause lag for everyone on.
Can I keep the server private? Yes. Set a server password, or turn off Anyone can join so that only accounts you create can get in.
Ready to see the plans? They're at mchosts.com.au/plans/project-zomboid, and Connecting to your Project Zomboid server covers getting everyone in.
