Palworld Co-op vs Dedicated Server: Which Should You Use?

Use co-op if you are two to four friends who play at the same time and the host is happy to keep the game open. Use a dedicated server if you want the world online all the time, more than four players, or your own rates and rules. A dedicated server holds up to 32 players.

Both modes are the same game. What changes is where the world runs, who can join it and how much setup you take on. The table compares them, and the sections below help you choose.

Co-op and dedicated server at a glance

	Co-op	Dedicated server
Players	Up to 4, according to the Steam page	Up to 32
Where the world runs	On the host’s game	On a separate server, without a game window
When it is online	Only while the host plays	Whenever the server runs
How players join	The host’s invitation	An IP address and port, or the in-game community list
Settings	The in-game options	Every option in `PalWorldSettings.ini`
Setup	None	Install the server, open a port or use a host
Cost	Free	Your own hardware, or a monthly plan with a host

When co-op is the right choice

Your group is small. Two to four players fit the limit.
Everyone plays together. The world only exists while the host is in game.
You want zero setup. No server, no ports, no files.

The trade-off is that the host’s PC runs the world and renders the game at the same time. Big bases with many working Pals make that harder.

When a dedicated server is the right choice

You want the world always on. Pocketpair describes the dedicated server as hosting a world without running it from a game client, so the host does not need to keep the game open. Your Pals keep working while everyone is offline.
You play at different times. Nobody has to wait for the host.
You have more than four players. A dedicated server supports up to 32.
You want control. You set experience, capture and drop rates, the death penalty and raids in PalWorldSettings.ini.

Performance: who does the work

In co-op, the host’s computer runs the world and also renders the game for the host. A busy base with many working Pals, or a raid, competes with the graphics for the same CPU. A dedicated server runs the world on its own, without a game window, so all of its resources go to the simulation. That is why groups with big bases often move to a server even when they are only four people.

Console players and cross-play

Pocketpair says that dedicated and community servers are cross-play enabled by default for the Steam version, Xbox series and the Microsoft Store PC version, macOS and PS5. The platforms are controlled by CrossplayPlatforms, whose default is (Steam,Xbox,PS5,Mac). To join from Xbox or PS5, the server must be a community server, which means it uses the -publiclobby argument and appears in the in-game list.

Run it yourself or rent it

If you pick a dedicated server, you can run it on your own computer or rent one. Plan on 4 or more CPU cores and 8 GB of memory for a group of friends, and more for a full server. At home you also need to forward UDP port 8211 and keep the machine on. With a host, those parts are handled for you. How much RAM a Palworld server needs shows how to size it, and how to set up a Palworld dedicated server covers both routes step by step.

Starting in co-op and switching later

You do not have to decide forever. Many groups start in co-op, then move to a server when the base grows. The world can be copied, but the host character needs a fix because co-op stores the host under a fixed ID. Back up first, and read the migration guide before you start.

What it costs when you share it

A server on our smallest Palworld plan, the 8 GB plan, costs $6.96 USD per month. Split among four friends, that is $1.74 USD each, which is a simple sum, not a quote of any discount. With the 12 GB plan at $9.99 USD, four friends pay about $2.50 USD each. Compare that with leaving a PC on at home for the same hours, plus the time you spend on ports and updates. If you share the cost, a hosted server is often cheaper than it looks.

Three groups, three answers

Three friends, weekends only. Co-op works. You play together, so the world does not need to run without you.
Six friends in different time zones. A dedicated server fits. Nobody has to wait for the host, and the Pals keep working while the group is offline.
A community that wants rules. A dedicated server gives you admin commands, a password and a ban list. See PalWorldSettings.ini explained.

Quick pick

If this is you	Choose
Two or three friends, same evening, no setup	Co-op
Four friends who play on different days	Dedicated server
A community of 10 or more	Dedicated server
Console players in the group	Dedicated server, as a community server
You want custom rates, mods or your own rules	Dedicated server

FAQ

How many players can play Palworld co-op?

Up to 4. The Steam store page says that online co-op supports up to 4 players together, while a dedicated server can allow up to 32 players.

Does the world stay online when the host leaves?

In co-op the world runs on the host's game, so it stops when the host leaves. A dedicated server runs without a game window, and Pocketpair says the host does not need to keep the game client running at all times.

Can Xbox and PS5 players join a dedicated server?

Pocketpair's guide says servers are cross-play enabled by default for Steam, Xbox, PS5 and Mac. Players on Xbox or PS5 can join only if the server is deployed as a community server, which appears in the in-game list.

Can I move my co-op world to a dedicated server later?

Yes, but the host's character does not carry over automatically. Follow how to move a Palworld co-op world to a dedicated server.

Is a dedicated server worth it for four players?

If you all play at the same time and do not mind the host being online, co-op is free and simple. A dedicated server is worth it when the world should stay online for people who play at different hours, or when you need more than four players.

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Written by TheGameHosting Team, the people who run our servers in Dallas and Amsterdam and answer your tickets.

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