How much RAM does a Project Zomboid server need?
Zomboid memory depends on how spread out your players are, not how many of them there are — the one game here where four people can cost more than twelve.
Recommendation
You need a server with at least
8GB
- Engine / Base OS:
- 4 GB
- Player Overhead:
- +2.4 GB
- Estimated Raw Usage:
- 6.4 GB
- Suggested cores:
- 4
- Disk to allow:
- 15 GB+
Cost scales with how many separate map regions are loaded, so spread-out players hurt more than crowded ones.
View 8GB PlansWhat actually drives Project Zomboid memory use
The map streams in cells around each player and keeps them loaded while anyone is nearby. Four survivors in four different towns hold four separate regions of Knox County in memory; twelve survivors in one base hold one. Every zombie, every dropped item and every piece of built furniture in a loaded cell is tracked individually.
The mistake to avoid
Sizing purely by slot count. If your server is a roleplay one where groups settle far apart, budget as though you have several times the players — and be aware that heavy map mods and vehicle packs raise the floor before anyone connects.