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
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 Minecraft Java on one free swarmhost, then add more local deployments as your hardware allows.
- 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.
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 host agent. Linux is the proven game-server path today, and Windows hosts can report foundation capability status while full deployment proof is completed.
Connect your hardware
Install the Swarm Hosts agent on a Linux machine with Docker, or connect a Windows foundation host, and let it register itself to your account.
Launch a supported game
Pick a game, choose the host, set CPU and memory limits, choose a version, and launch from the browser.
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
Trust and control
Your server stays yours.
Swarm Hosts coordinates game servers from the browser, but the compute, world files, and host access stay on hardware you control.
No rented box required
Start with your own Linux PC, mini PC, home server, or VPS. Swarm Hosts manages the workflow; it does not take over your machine.
Tokens, not passwords
The agent registers with an account token from your Profile page. Do not share tokens publicly; rotate them if one is exposed.
Operate without handing out shell
Use browser actions, deployment logs, file management, backups, and sharing instead of giving friends direct host login access.
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.
Free
Free
Included during Early AccessFor one self-hosted swarmhost and manual local operation.
- 1 swarmhost
- Unlimited local deployments
- Manual local backups
- Read-only server logs
Starter
Starter
Included during Early AccessFor 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
Community
Community
Included during Early AccessFor 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
Recommended
Pro
Included during Early AccessFor 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
Scale
Scale
Included during Early AccessFor 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
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.
Early Access is intentionally focused on games we are comfortable letting real users try today. Minecraft is the flagship experience while the broader catalog stays internal for validation.
Enabled now: Minecraft Java, ARK: Survival Ascended, Factorio, Counter-Strike: Source, Garry's Mod, and Left 4 Dead 2. More games will return after validation.
Open docs
Contact
Questions, early access help, or billing notes?
Join the Swarm Hosts Discord channel or email the team directly.
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. Windows foundation hosts can register and report capability status while full game deployment validation continues.
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. Windows hosts need a Docker setup that can run Linux containers.
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 currently features Minecraft Java and a smaller validated Early Access catalog. Larger libraries will return only when the hosting experience is good enough to trust.
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.