Running your own Enshrouded world gives you more control over when and how your group plays, but there are two main ways to keep that world online: self-hosting the server on your own hardware or using dedicated Enshrouded hosting.
Both options can work well, but they suit different types of players. Self-hosting gives you more direct control over the machine running the server, while dedicated hosting removes most of the hardware, networking, and uptime responsibilities.
If you are planning to set up an Enshrouded server, understanding the differences between the two can help you decide which option makes the most sense for your group.
What Is Self-Hosting An Enshrouded Server?
Self-hosting means running the Enshrouded dedicated server software on hardware that you control.
For most players, this means using a spare PC, another computer in the house, or a machine that is also being used for gaming.
You are responsible for setting up the server files, configuring the server, keeping the machine online, and making sure your network allows other players to connect.
Self-hosting can be a good option if you already have capable hardware available and are comfortable managing the technical side of the server.
The main advantage is control. You decide exactly what hardware is used, where the files are stored, and how the server is managed.
However, the server is also completely dependent on that machine and your home connection.
What Is Dedicated Enshrouded Hosting?
Dedicated Enshrouded hosting means renting server resources from a game hosting provider instead of running the server from your own computer.
The server runs remotely in a data center and stays online independently of your personal PC.
You still control your Enshrouded world, settings, player slots, files, and other server options, but you do not need to maintain the physical hardware or keep your own computer running.
Dedicated hosting is generally the easier option for groups that want a persistent world where players can join at any time.
| Feature | Self-Hosting | Dedicated Hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Hardware | Uses your own PC or server | Hosted on remote server hardware |
| Uptime | Depends on your machine staying online | Designed to remain online continuously |
| Networking | Uses your home internet connection | Uses data-center networking |
| Setup | Manual server and network setup | Server is deployed for you |
| Management | Handled through files, commands, and the server machine | Usually managed through a game panel |
Hardware And Performance
Self-hosting means the performance of your Enshrouded server is limited by the hardware available on your machine.
If you are running the server and playing Enshrouded on the same PC, both the game and the server are competing for CPU and memory resources.
A separate machine avoids some of that competition, but you still need hardware capable of running the server reliably.
With dedicated hosting, the server resources are allocated separately from your gaming PC. You choose a plan based on the amount of RAM and CPU performance your server requires.
The amount of memory you need depends heavily on player count and server activity, with smaller groups generally requiring fewer resources than busy 16-player worlds. The Enshrouded server requirements can therefore be useful when deciding how many resources your server should have.
Uptime And Player Access
One of the biggest differences between self-hosting and dedicated hosting is when players can access the world.
With self-hosting, the server only exists while the machine running it is powered on and the server software is active.
That may be perfectly fine for a group that always plays together at the same time.
However, Enshrouded works particularly well as a persistent world where different players can join, build, gather resources, and explore independently.
Dedicated hosting keeps the server online without depending on one player’s computer. That means someone can join the world even if the person who originally created the server is offline.
Internet Connection And Latency
A self-hosted server uses your own internet connection.
That means your upload speed, connection stability, and other activity on the network can all affect the players connected to the server.
Downloads, streaming, video calls, and other devices using the same network can compete with the Enshrouded server for bandwidth.
Dedicated hosting runs from a data center instead, removing the server from your home connection.
You can also choose a server location closer to the majority of your players, which can help provide a more consistent connection for everyone in the group.
Server Setup And Management
Self-hosting generally involves more manual work.
You need to install the dedicated server, configure its files, handle networking, manage updates, and troubleshoot problems on the machine yourself.
Dedicated hosting simplifies much of that process by providing a game panel for everyday server management.
You still have control over the important options. Enshrouded allows you to change player slots, difficulty, permissions, communication settings, and many other gameplay values, and these Enshrouded server settings can still be customized when using a hosting provider.
The difference is mainly how you access and manage those settings.
Moving An Existing Enshrouded World
Choosing dedicated hosting does not mean you have to abandon an existing world.
If you already have a single-player or locally hosted save, you can transfer your single-player world to an Enshrouded server and continue playing with the progress your group has already made.
This can be particularly useful if your group originally started by playing locally and later decides that keeping the world online permanently would be more convenient.
Is Self-Hosting Or Dedicated Hosting Better For Enshrouded?
Self-hosting makes the most sense if you already have suitable hardware, are comfortable managing the server manually, and do not need the world online all the time.
Dedicated hosting is more convenient for groups that want the server available around the clock without relying on one player’s hardware or home connection.
The main difference comes down to responsibility. With self-hosting, you manage the machine, networking, server software, and uptime yourself. With dedicated hosting, those underlying parts are handled for you while you focus on managing the Enshrouded server itself.
Hosting An Enshrouded Server With Pine Hosting
With our dedicated Enshrouded hosting, your server runs independently of your own computer and can stay online for your group whenever they want to play.
You can manage the server through our game panel, including files, backups, settings, console access, and other server management tools without needing to maintain a separate machine at home.
Different plans are available depending on your player count and resource requirements, so you can start with a smaller server and increase the available resources if your world becomes more active.
If you want to move away from running the server yourself, you can bring your existing world with you rather than starting again. Once it is online, everyone in your group can access the same persistent world without depending on one player to host every session.
For groups that want to spend more time exploring Enshrouded and less time maintaining the machine behind it, Pine Hosting makes Enshrouded hosting simpler to get your server online and keep it running.
