Free self-hosted game server management

Host game servers on hardware you already own.

Swarm Hosts turns your PC, mini PC, home server, or VPS into a browser-managed game server platform. Start with one free swarmhost, unlimited local deployments, manual local backups, and read-only server logs.

Start free View supported games
  • 1 free swarmhost
  • Unlimited own-hardware deployments
  • Managed relay and DNS on higher tiers
  • Pro adds teams, automation, alerts, and remote backups

Early Access currently enables every feature for all accounts. When billing enforcement starts, accounts without a subscription will keep the Free plan.

The point

Stop rebuilding your game server setup every time.

Renting a server is easy until you need another game, another world, another clean address, another admin, or another backup before an update.

Without Swarm Hosts

  • Rent a new server for every game
  • SSH into machines to troubleshoot
  • Manually track ports and configs
  • Teach friends how to manage the server
  • Worry about backups and broken updates
  • Fight port forwarding when hosting at home

With Swarm Hosts

  • Use hardware you already own
  • Launch supported games from a browser
  • Manage local deployments from one browser workflow
  • Read server logs without exposing a host shell
  • Add managed relay slots when port forwarding is not worth the hassle
  • Use Pro or Scale for teams, automation, alerts, and remote backups

How it works

Three steps from spare hardware to playable server.

Under the hood, Swarm Hosts is a web/API control panel plus a lightweight Linux host agent that runs game servers through Docker.

01

Connect your hardware

Install the Swarm Hosts agent on a Linux machine with Docker and let it register itself to your account.

02

Launch a supported game

Pick a game, choose the host, set CPU and memory limits, choose a version, and launch from the browser.

03

Manage it remotely

Monitor status, inspect logs, restart servers, create backups, and add paid relay, DNS, team, and automation features when your community needs them.

Actually useful for free

Bring the hardware. Keep the control panel.

Free is for getting one self-hosted machine under control without paying for convenience layers. Swarm Hosts does not provide unlimited compute; it makes your own compute easier to operate.

  • 1 swarmhost on your own PC, mini PC, home server, or VPS
  • Unlimited local deployments on that host
  • Manual local backups
  • Read-only server logs
  • No managed relay, custom DNS, teams, remote backups, scripts, or Discord bot

What Swarm Hosts handles for you

The repetitive server work moves into one browser workflow.

Launch and inspect servers for free, then upgrade for relay access, DNS, teams, automation, alerts, and remote backup capacity.

Launch without rebuilding setup

Pick a supported game, choose your host, set CPU and memory limits, and launch from the browser.

Operate local deployments

Start, stop, restart, update, requeue, delete, and force-delete deployments from one control panel.

Inspect without host shell access

Read server logs and deployment state from the browser without exposing bash, root access, or the host filesystem.

Add cleaner player access

Higher tiers add managed relay slots and custom DNS records so communities get cleaner connection paths.

Protect worlds with backups

Use manual local backups on Free, automated local backups on Starter, and Backblaze B2 remote backups on Pro and Scale.

Bring in a real team

Pro includes 10 team seats; Scale includes 30, with account-level permissions built around community operations.

Plans

Start free. Add more control when your community needs it.

Higher tiers add managed relay slots, custom DNS records, team permissions, automation, alerts, and remote backup capacity.

Early Access: all features are currently enabled. When Early Access ends, accounts without a subscription will move to Free.

Free

Free

Details coming soon

For one self-hosted swarmhost and manual local operation.

  • 1 swarmhost
  • Unlimited local deployments
  • Manual local backups
  • Read-only server logs
Start free

Starter

Starter

Details coming soon

For a small server setup that needs relay access and clean DNS.

  • 2 swarmhosts
  • 1 managed relay slot
  • 1 custom DNS entry
  • Automated local backups
  • Server Console
  • Basic health checks
Enabled during Early Access

Community

Community

Details coming soon

For communities running multiple servers with more relay and DNS capacity.

  • Unlimited swarmhosts
  • 5 managed relay slots
  • 5 custom DNS entries
  • Server transfer between accounts
  • Basic alerting
Enabled during Early Access

Recommended

Pro

Details coming soon

For established communities that need teams, automation, alerts, and remote backups.

  • Swarmzone
  • 10 managed relay slots
  • 10 custom DNS entries
  • 10 team seats
  • Remote backups through Backblaze B2
  • 300GB remote backup cap and 30-day retention
  • Scheduled server scripts and Discord server bot
Enabled during Early Access

Scale

Scale

Details coming soon

For larger communities that need more seats, relay slots, DNS records, and backup capacity.

  • Swarmzone
  • 20 managed relay slots
  • 20 custom DNS entries
  • 30 team seats
  • 600GB remote backup cap and 60-day retention
  • Private or dedicated relay option
Enabled during Early Access

Docs, status, billing issues, abuse/security reports, and bug reports live outside the plan matrix. Plans focus on product capacity, not response-time promises or hands-on setup help.

Supported games

Built for the servers players actually ask for.

The catalog covers lightweight sandbox servers, survival games, factory games, and larger dedicated server workloads.

Minecraft Java game server
Minecraft Java
Valheim game server
Valheim
Palworld game server
Palworld
Factorio game server
Factorio
Satisfactory game server
Satisfactory
Also supports Rust, Terraria, 7 Days to Die, Project Zomboid, Counter-Strike 2, DayZ, Enshrouded, Unturned, and more. Open docs

Contact

Questions, early access help, or billing notes?

Join the Swarm Hosts Discord channel or email the team directly.

Join Discord info@swarmhosts.com

FAQ

Short answers before you connect a host.

Can I really use it for free?

Yes. Bring your own Linux host with Docker and use Swarm Hosts as the remote control panel for deployments on that hardware.

Do I still need port forwarding?

For direct public access, usually yes. Managed relay slots are the paid convenience layer for deployments where port forwarding is not worth the trouble.

What hardware do I need?

Any Linux PC, mini PC, home server, or VPS that can run Docker and has enough CPU, memory, disk, and ports for the game you launch.

Are relays live?

Relay-backed access is enabled during Early Access and becomes plan-capped later: 1 slot on Starter, 5 on Community, 10 on Pro, and 20 on Scale.

How do backups work?

Free includes manual local backups. Starter and Community add automated local backups, while Pro and Scale add Backblaze B2 remote backups with 300GB and 600GB caps.

Which games are supported?

Swarm Hosts includes templates for Minecraft Java, Valheim, Palworld, Rust, Factorio, Satisfactory, Terraria, and more in the docs catalog.

Start with your own hardware today

Create an account, connect a host, and launch from the browser.

Try a demo deployment if you want a quick look, then keep persistent servers on hardware you control.

Start free Read setup guide