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Subnautica 2 Self-Host vs Paid Hosting - Honest Calculator

Subnautica 2 is out now in Early Access. Co-op is host-based and there's no official dedicated-server tool, so the real choice is running an always-online world on your own VPS/home machine versus renting a managed always-online session. Plug in your real numbers - VPS cost, time-value, crew size, crossplay needs - and we'll show you the honest annual cost both ways.

Your situation

Subnautica 2 supports up to 4 players in co-op at launch.
Crossplay (PC ↔ Xbox) is on by default; a stable always-online host removes peer-host friction. No PlayStation version exists.
Default $20/hr. Set to 0 if you genuinely don't mind tinkering.

Self-host parameters

Default $15 - Hetzner CCX13 (4 vCPU / 16 GB) - comfortably handles 4-player Subnautica 2 plus crossplay routing. Verify pricing.
Use the advertised monthly rate of any host you'd consider. Subnautica 2 dedicated server tooling is still rolling out, so prices vary across providers.

How we calculate

The math is intentionally simple and conservative - every assumption is editable above. Time costs are based on real reports from Subnautica modding community + Hetzner / DigitalOcean tutorials for similar Unity-engine games. Sources:

  • VPS pricing baseline - Hetzner CCX13 (4 vCPU / 16 GB RAM) at €15.59/mo (≈ $19 USD). Source: hetzner.com/cloud
  • Subnautica 2 server requirements - 4 vCPU + 8 GB RAM for 4-player co-op (per Unknown Worlds early specs). Underwater simulation + base persistence + crossplay routing add CPU pressure beyond Subnautica 1
  • Setup time estimates - beginner 4-6 h, intermediate 2-3 h, pro 1 h. Crossplay setup adds 1-2 h regardless of skill (enabling cross-network play and keeping an always-online host up, since co-op is host-based with no dedicated-server binary)
  • Patch / update breakage - Unknown Worlds historically pushes ~1 server-breaking update per quarter on Subnautica franchise. Modded servers (post-launch BepInEx ecosystem) add ~2 modpack-side breakages per quarter
  • Power cost (home option) - 60 W average draw × 24 × 30 = 43 kWh/month × $0.15/kWh ≈ $7 USD/mo

This calculator does not bake in: DDoS-mitigation, hardware failure recovery, ISP upload bandwidth (Subnautica 2 needs ~3-6 Mbps up at 4 players), or the value of your weekend when crossplay routing breaks mid-session. Add those manually if they apply.

Frequently asked

Is Subnautica 2 self-hosting actually cheaper?

Pure cash-out: a $5-10/mo VPS will technically run a 2-3 player Subnautica 2 server. But that VPS is undersized once you hit full 4-player co-op with mods, and the time cost (setup + 2-3 h/quarter for patches) usually erases the savings unless your time-value is zero.

What VPS specs does Subnautica 2 need?

Per Unknown Worlds' announced specs, 4 vCPU + 8 GB RAM is the baseline for 4-player co-op. Hetzner CCX13 (4 dedicated vCPU + 16 GB RAM) at ~€15.59/mo is the cheapest mainstream option that comfortably covers it. Underspeccing causes the underwater simulation to stutter when multiple bases load simultaneously.

Will modding work the same as Subnautica 1?

Probably yes - Unknown Worlds has stayed close to Unity + BepInEx for both games. The community modpack ecosystem will form within weeks of launch, similar to Subnautica 1's QMods → BepInEx evolution. Modded servers add CPU + RAM pressure; budget 12-16 GB RAM if you plan to mod heavily.

Does crossplay work on a self-hosted Subnautica 2 world?

Crossplay between PC and Xbox is on by default (there is no PlayStation version). The complexity for self-hosting isn't a dedicated server - there isn't one - it's that co-op is host-based, so you have to keep a host machine online 24/7 for the world to stay up. Each Xbox player also needs cross-network play enabled in their account settings. Managed hosting just runs the always-online host for you.

Is the 2-day money-back enough to test paid hosting?

Yes - Subnautica 2 sessions spin up in about 2 minutes. You'll have time to verify region latency for your crew, test crossplay between PC and Xbox players, and run a session before the trial expires. If it doesn't work for your group, you cancel before billing.

Why does the calculator default time-value to $20/hr?

That's roughly the median US net wage. If you genuinely don't mind tinkering or this is a hobby project, set it to 0 - the calculator will then compare on cash cost only and self-host wins for most situations. The $20/hr default catches people who under-estimate the opportunity cost of their weekend lost to keeping a host machine online at 11 PM.

What about save-file backups?

Self-host: your responsibility. Set up a cron job that copies SaveGames to a remote bucket weekly minimum. Paid hosting on Supercraft includes daily off-server backups by default - important for shared 60+ hour worlds where save corruption costs everyone progress.

Not ready to order? Let us know what's holding you back.

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