Enshrouded Enshrouded’s voxel terrain system makes it hungrier than most survival games. Unlike tile-based worlds where the map loads in predictable chunks, Enshrouded tracks destructible terrain, player-built structures, and environmental changes across a large open world. All of that state lives in memory.
The good news is that server requirements are predictable once you understand what drives usage. Here’s the short version:
| Players | RAM | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 1-8 | 8GB | Solo, duo, or a small group |
| 9-16 | 10GB | Larger group |
| Any | 12-16GB | Optional headroom for large, long-running worlds, heavy building, or heavy mods |
If you’re hosting a group of up to 8 players, 8GB is the comfortable starting point. Read on if you want to understand why - or skip to the plans section if you just want to pick and go.
What actually eats RAM in Enshrouded
Player count gets all the attention, but it’s not the whole story. The official specs say each player adds about 100MB - which is true but misleading, because the indirect effects of more players matter more than the direct overhead.
Player count
Keen’s dedicated-server FAQ puts the idle server at roughly 4.4GB with no one connected. Each player adds around 100MB directly. On paper, a 16-player server only needs about 6GB. In practice, it needs a lot more because of everything else players cause to happen.
World exploration and loaded terrain
This is the big one. Enshrouded uses voxel-based terrain that’s fully destructible and modifiable. As players spread across the map, the server has to track the state of every region they’ve touched. A fresh world with two players sticking to one area is light. Eight players exploring in different directions, each uncovering new biomes and clearing fog - that’s a different workload entirely.
The terrain system is also why RAM usage tends to grow over time. A server that ran fine on 6GB during the first few sessions may start feeling tight after 20+ hours of play as more of the world gets loaded and modified.
Base building and voxel modifications
Every block placed, removed, or reshaped is tracked server-side. Small bases barely register. But Enshrouded attracts builders - and a group that’s spent dozens of hours constructing elaborate bases across multiple locations will push memory usage meaningfully higher than a group that’s focused on combat and progression.
Mods
Enshrouded’s modding scene is still growing, but mods that add content, modify terrain behavior, or expand crafting systems add to the baseline memory footprint. A modded server typically idles 1-2GB higher than vanilla. If you’re planning a modded setup, budget at least 2GB above what you’d pick for the same player count in vanilla.
Recommended plans by use case
Here’s how WinterNode’s plans map to common Enshrouded setups. All plans are $1.99/GB/month with no CPU limits - your server gets the processing power it needs without throttling.
| Your situation | Plan | Monthly cost | Why this works |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-8 players | 8GB | $15.92 | Starting point. Comfortable room for exploration and building |
| 9-16 players | 10GB | $19.90 | Room for a larger group spread across the map |
| Large, long-running world, heavy building, or heavy mods | 12-16GB | $23.88-$31.84 | Optional headroom. Not needed for player count alone |
Tip
You can upgrade your plan at any time from the client panel. Upgrades are prorated - you only pay the difference for the remaining billing cycle. Start with what you need today rather than over-provisioning for scenarios that may not happen.
Signs you need more RAM
RAM issues in Enshrouded show up differently than in most games. Because the voxel engine is doing so much, the line between “RAM problem” and “something else” can be blurry. Here’s what to look for.
Symptoms that point to RAM
- Server performance degrades gradually over long play sessions (terrain accumulation)
- Lag gets worse as more of the world gets explored, even with the same player count
- The server crashes or becomes unresponsive after hours of building
- Performance tanks when multiple players are building in different locations simultaneously
Symptoms that point to something else
- Lag spikes during combat but smooth otherwise - this is usually CPU, not RAM
- Rubber-banding or desync for specific players - likely a network issue between that player and the server
- Poor performance immediately on a fresh world - check your server startup parameters before assuming it’s hardware
Info
Enshrouded left Early Access with its 1.0 release on October 15, 2026. Keen Games says 1.0 reduces the memory used for server and client communication and lowers CPU impact. The figures above predate 1.0; we’ll update this guide once we’ve checked them on 1.0.
Getting started
Enshrouded hosting at WinterNode starts at $1.99/GB. An 8GB server - our starting point for 1-8 players - runs $15.92/month, and the 10GB we recommend for 9-16 players runs $19.90/month. No CPU limits, no hidden fees, no player slot restrictions. Enshrouded’s maximum is 16 players per server regardless of plan.
Every server includes NVMe storage, automated backups twice daily with 45-day retention, DDoS protection, and instant setup. If you’re coming from self-hosting, you’ll also skip the headache of port forwarding, firewall configuration, and keeping the server process running.
If you’ve already ordered and need help getting connected, check out our connection guide. Our support team plays these games - if something’s not working right, open a ticket and you’ll get someone who actually understands the problem.
Curious how that pricing and policy set compares to other hosts? Our Enshrouded hosting comparison checks price per GB, CPU policy, and support model across the field.
Frequently Asked Questions
Start with 8GB for 1 to 8 players and 10GB for 9 to 16. Memory use grows as players explore and build, so for large, long-running worlds, heavy building, or heavy mods, 12 to 16GB adds optional headroom. Player count alone doesn't require it.
4GB can run a light 1 to 2 player world, but it's tight. Keen's dedicated-server FAQ lists about 4.4GB at idle; the 1.0 update says it reduced the memory needed for server and client communication. 8GB is the comfortable starting point.
Yes. Each player adds roughly 100MB of RAM, but the bigger impact is that more players means more explored terrain and more bases - both of which increase memory usage beyond the per-player overhead.
Not for player count alone. 10GB covers 9 to 16 players. 12 to 16GB is optional headroom for large, long-running worlds, heavy building, or heavy mods.