Hosting a Project Zomboid server means renting a machine that runs the dedicated server around the clock so your survivors keep their world, their bases, and their loot whether or not the host is online. A hosted server gives you a permanent IP and port, full control over the three config files Project Zomboid writes, and proper Steam Workshop mod support that the in-game “Host” option cannot match. This guide walks through deploying a Project Zomboid server on the LoafHosts LPV5 panel, editing it with the built-in Project Zomboid Config Editor, tuning the sandbox rules, choosing which maps load, and installing Workshop mods and collections with the Mod Manager. By the end you will have a server your friends can join and a clear picture of every setting LoafHosts exposes for it.
Why Run a Dedicated Project Zomboid Server
Project Zomboid lets you host a co-op session straight from the game, but that ties the world to your machine, your upload bandwidth, and your session. Close the game and everyone is disconnected, and the world only advances while you are playing. A dedicated hosted server runs the Project Zomboid dedicated server as a standalone process, so the apocalypse keeps ticking 24/7. It also unlocks the three files the dedicated server reads, the server INI, the SandboxVars Lua preset, and the spawn-regions map list, which the in-game host menu never fully exposes.
Tip: A dedicated server keeps your world, bases, and character progress alive even when nobody is online
Tip: Players connect to one fixed IP and port instead of a host who comes and goes
Tip: You get full control of the server INI, sandbox rules, and map list, the things that define how your apocalypse plays
Tip: Hosted hardware handles large groups and heavy mod lists far better than a home PC running both the game and the server
Note: Project Zomboid writes three config files into
Zomboid/Server/, named after your server:<name>.ini,<name>_SandboxVars.lua, and<name>_spawnregions.lua. LoafHosts edits all three for you.
Sizing Your Custom Server
Loafhosts runs one configurable Custom server: you slide RAM from 1 to 32 GB and storage from 10 to 500 GB and pick a protection tier. More CPU and RAM headroom matters for Project Zomboid once you raise the player count or load a heavy Workshop mod list, because the simulation gets more expensive with every extra survivor and every extra mod. A smaller build is excellent value for a small friends-only world. Pricing starts at $13.50/mo, and longer billing cycles save up to 25%.
Tip: Size up on RAM and CPU headroom if you run a larger group, a big mod list, or several map mods at once
Tip: A smaller build is plenty for a small co-op world and keeps costs down
Tip: Every Custom server uses AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D CPUs, DDR5 memory, and NVMe storage
Tip: Every Custom server includes unlimited player slots, so sizing is about performance, not a seat cap
Note: The Advanced and Strict protection tiers add Terabit.io L4/L7 DDoS filtering
Note: The Basic protection tier includes standard DDoS mitigation; Terabit.io filtering comes with Advanced and Strict
Picking a Server Region
Latency matters in Project Zomboid the moment more than one person is fighting the same horde, so host close to the bulk of your players. Custom servers are available in New York, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Frankfurt, which covers US East, Central, West, and EU, with Montreal available for Strict protection.
- List where your core players actually live, not where you live
- For a US East or Canadian group, choose New York, or Montreal if you want Strict protection; for European groups, pick Frankfurt
- For a Central US group, choose Dallas
- For a US West or Pacific group, choose Los Angeles
- If your group is split, favor the region with the most players and the lowest average ping
Tip: Pick the closest region even if it is not the one nearest you; ping is felt most when multiple players share a screen-edge
Deploying Your Server on LPV5
Loafhosts runs the LPV5 panel inside LoafHub at hub.loafhosts.com. After checkout your Project Zomboid server deploys in about 60 seconds with no setup fees, so you can move straight to configuration.
- Configure your Custom server, pick your region, and complete checkout at loafhosts.com
- Open LoafHub at hub.loafhosts.com and log in
- Select your new Project Zomboid server to open the LPV5 panel
- Wait for the 60-second deploy to finish and the server to show a ready state
- Open the Console tab so you can watch the first boot
- Press Start and let the server build its world the first time
Tip: There are no setup fees, so the price you saw at checkout is the price you pay
Tip: Bookmark hub.loafhosts.com for quick access to the panel
Note: A brand-new Project Zomboid server has no config files until its world is first initialised. The panel’s Bootstrap action (covered below) can seed them so you can configure and add mods before the first launch.
Editing Settings with the Config Editor
LoafHosts includes a Project Zomboid Config Editor that reads and writes the three files the dedicated server uses, so you never have to hand-edit INI or Lua. It presents one unified, type-aware form: text boxes, number fields, on/off toggles, and dropdowns, each with a plain-English label and a tooltip drawn from Project Zomboid’s own option data. The editor is split across the three files, the server INI, the SandboxVars sandbox preset, and the spawn-regions map list, and groups the most important INI settings into labeled sections.
| Section | What it controls |
|---|---|
| Server Identity | Public name, description, public listing toggle, server password, welcome message, max players, ping limit |
| PvP & Safety | PvP on/off, the safety system, the safety indicator, and melee/firearm damage modifiers |
| Loot Respawn | How often loot respawns, the respawn cooldown, the per-container item cap, and whether player constructions block respawn |
| Sleep & World Save | Pause-when-empty, auto-save interval, and whether sleeping is allowed |
| Map / Spawn / Mods | The map list, the forced spawn point, the Workshop item IDs, and the active mod folder list |
| RCON & Voice | The RCON port and password, plus voice chat and 3D positional voice toggles |
The editor recognises the full set of Project Zomboid server options, roughly ninety INI keys including the complete anti-cheat protection family, safehouse rules, and Discord integration fields. Anything outside the curated sections appears under a “Show all settings” expander so you can reach every option without it cluttering the common ones.
Tip: Max Players defaults to 32 and can be raised, but every extra slot costs CPU and bandwidth, size it to your group
Tip: Turn the Public Listing toggle off for a private, friends-only world; leave it on to appear in the in-game browser
Tip: Set a Server Password (and an RCON Password) before you ever start the server publicly, both are stored in plaintext on disk, so use long, unique values
Warning: Saving config writes to disk only, it does not restart your server. After you save, the panel shows a banner reminding you that a restart is needed, because Project Zomboid only re-reads the INI at boot and reads the sandbox and spawn-region files once when the world loads. Save, then click Restart when you are ready.
Tuning the Sandbox: Zombies, Loot, and Climate
The SandboxVars file is where Project Zomboid keeps the difficulty knobs, and the Config Editor exposes it as the same kind of typed form, seeded from the game’s Survival preset. The curated sandbox sections cover the settings most groups want to change first.
| Section | What it controls |
|---|---|
| Zombie Population | Overall zombie count, distribution, the population multiplier, and respawn hours/rate |
| Zombie Lore | Speed, strength, toughness, and the infection transmission model |
| Time & Climate | Day length, temperature, and rain |
| Loot Rarity | Food, weapon, medical, and ammo loot abundance |
| Character | The XP multiplier and how fast stats decrease |
The population multiplier maps directly onto the in-game presets, 4.0 is Insane, 3.0 Very High, 2.0 High, 1.0 Normal, 0.35 Low, and 0.0 turns zombies off entirely, and the XP multiplier accepts anything from 0 up to 10 for a faster or slower grind. Every other SandboxVars value from the Survival preset is available under the same “Show all settings” expander, so even niche knobs are reachable.
Tip: Drop the population multiplier toward Low for a relaxed building-focused world, or push it to Insane for a horde-survival challenge
Tip: Raise the XP multiplier for a faster character build-up; leave it at 1.0 for the vanilla grind
Note: Sandbox changes apply when the world next loads, so save your sandbox edits and restart the server before expecting new behaviour in-game
Choosing Which Maps Load
Project Zomboid’s spawn-regions file decides which maps players can spawn into. A vanilla server ships with the four base-game maps, Muldraugh, West Point, Rosewood, and Riverside, and the Config Editor lets you tick which of those are enabled. When you install Workshop map mods through the Mod Manager, their map names are discovered automatically and added to the picker, so you can enable them alongside the vanilla maps. If a map you added by other means is not in the list, you can still type its name in by hand.
Tip: Enabling fewer spawn regions concentrates players, which is handy for a small co-op group that wants to find each other
Note: In the map list, “Muldraugh, KY” must be the final entry, the panel keeps that ordering for you automatically when you install map mods
Installing Steam Workshop Mods and Collections
LoafHosts includes a Project Zomboid Mod Manager that browses the Steam Workshop and installs mods, maps, and whole collections without a SteamCMD step or an asset wipe. Project Zomboid downloads subscribed Workshop items at boot, so applying mods is a single server restart rather than a full reinstall. Each Workshop item carries both a numeric Workshop ID and one or more text mod IDs (the actual mod folder names); the Mod Manager resolves those for you and writes the matching WorkshopItems=, Mods=, and (for maps) Map= entries into the server INI.
- Open the Mod Manager for your Project Zomboid server in the panel
- Browse or search the Workshop, or paste a Workshop item ID or URL directly
- Expand a collection to install all of its child items at once
- Add the mods and maps you want, the manager writes the Workshop IDs, mod folders, and map entries for you
- Click Apply to restart the server; Project Zomboid downloads the subscribed items on boot
- Remove a mod anytime; the manager keeps mods and maps that other installed items still share
Tip: Browsing and searching the Workshop needs a Steam Web API key configured by the host; if browse is unavailable, paste a Workshop ID or URL instead, that path always works
Tip: Install map mods through the Mod Manager so their maps appear in the Config Editor’s spawn-region picker automatically
Note: Apply triggers a restart, not a reinstall, your world, saves, and existing mods are not wiped
Warning: Every connecting player must subscribe to the same mods locally, so share your mod list (or the collection link) with your group whenever you change it
Going Live and Inviting Players
Once the server boots cleanly with your settings and mods, it appears in the in-game server browser under the Public Name you set, or you can hand out the IP and port for a direct connect. Project Zomboid uses one port for the game and an extra UDP port the panel allocates, both shown in your server details.
- Confirm the console shows the server fully started and the world loaded
- Copy the server IP and port from the panel
- In Project Zomboid, use Join then enter the IP and port, or find your Public Name in the browser
- Have one player join and confirm their mods match and the world loads
- Share the IP, port, and any server password with your group
Tip: A direct connect with the IP and port is the most reliable way in, especially for a private server that is hidden from the public browser
Tip: If you change the mod list, every player needs to update their subscriptions before they can rejoin, so announce big changes
Keeping the Server Healthy
A Project Zomboid server runs best with light routine maintenance: scheduled restarts, backups before you change mods or sandbox rules, and an occasional look at the console for warnings. The LPV5 panel includes scheduling and backup tools so this can be mostly hands-off.
Tip: Set the in-game auto-save interval in the Config Editor and schedule a periodic restart so the world is saved and memory stays clean
Tip: Take a backup before adding mods, swapping maps, or changing sandbox difficulty
Note: Loafhosts offers a 3-day money-back guarantee on game servers if the host is not the right fit
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Project Zomboid server hosting cost?
The Custom server starts at $13.50/mo, and you scale the price by sliding RAM and storage to fit your server. Longer billing cycles save up to 25%, and there are no setup fees.
Do I have to edit INI or Lua files by hand?
No. The Project Zomboid Config Editor reads and writes all three server files, the server INI, the SandboxVars sandbox preset, and the spawn-regions map list, through one typed form with labels and tooltips. A “Show all settings” expander reaches the long tail of options, so you never have to touch raw INI or Lua unless you want to.
How do I install mods on my Project Zomboid server?
Use the built-in Mod Manager. Browse or search the Steam Workshop, or paste a Workshop ID or URL, add mods, maps, or whole collections, and click Apply. The manager writes the Workshop IDs, mod folders, and map entries into your server INI and restarts the server, which downloads the items on boot, no reinstall and no asset wipe.
Do I need to restart after changing settings?
Yes. Saving config writes to disk only; the panel shows a banner reminding you to restart. Project Zomboid re-reads the server INI at boot and loads the sandbox and spawn-region files when the world loads, so a save followed by a restart is what makes your changes take effect.
Can I change the maps players spawn into?
Yes. The Config Editor’s spawn-region picker lets you enable or disable the four base-game maps, Muldraugh, West Point, Rosewood, and Riverside, and any Workshop map mods you install appear there automatically. The panel keeps “Muldraugh, KY” as the required final map entry for you.
Where are Loafhosts Project Zomboid servers located?
Custom servers are available in New York, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Frankfurt, with Montreal available for Strict protection. Choose the region closest to most of your players to keep latency low.
Can I get a refund if Project Zomboid hosting is not for me?
Yes. Loafhosts offers a 3-day money-back guarantee on game servers, so you can try Project Zomboid hosting and request a refund within that 72-hour window if it is not the right fit.