A smooth 7 Days to Die server needs enough RAM for your world size, sensible zombie limits and a restart once a day. Start with 8 GB for a small group on a small world, and 12 GB for most groups. Blood moon nights are the real test, so plan for those, not a quiet afternoon.
How much RAM you need
RAM is the server’s memory. 7 Days to Die keeps the world around every player, every zombie and every land claim in it.
| World | 1 to 4 players | 5 to 8 players | 9 or more players |
|---|---|---|---|
| Navezgane or 6144 random world | 8 GB | 12 GB | 16 GB |
| 8192 random world | 12 GB | 12 GB | 16 GB |
| 10240 random world | 16 GB | 16 GB | 16 GB or more |
Add a size for big overhaul mods. You can change plans any time without losing your world.
Settings that cost the most
| Setting | Where | Default | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
MaxSpawnedZombies |
serverconfig.xml |
64 |
Zombies alive across the whole world. The game scales it up on blood moons and in buildings with sleepers. Raising it has a huge effect |
| Blood Moon Count | Sandbox options | 8 per player | Horde size on blood moon nights. Each player gets their own share |
ServerMaxAllowedViewDistance |
serverconfig.xml |
12 |
How far players can see, from 6 to 12. Lower uses much less memory |
WorldGenSize |
serverconfig.xml |
6144 |
Bigger worlds take longer to build and more memory to run |
MaxSpawnedAnimals |
serverconfig.xml |
50 |
Animals cost less than zombies, but they add up |
DynamicMeshEnabled |
serverconfig.xml |
true |
Shows distant buildings. Limited to land claims by default |
Good settings for a smooth group server:
- Keep
MaxSpawnedZombiesat64or lower. Players rarely notice the difference, and the server does. - Set
ServerMaxAllowedViewDistanceto8or10if RAM is tight. - Keep the blood moon count at 8 or below for groups of 6 or more. See blood moon and difficulty settings.
Blood moon nights
On a blood moon, the server sends a horde at every player at once. That’s when RAM and CPU peak.
- Players who defend one base together cost less than players spread over the map, each with their own horde.
- Lots of turrets, explosions and falling blocks cost CPU too.
- Look at Overview after a blood moon. If RAM touched your plan’s limit, go up a plan before the next one.
Restart once a day
Long-running servers slowly use more memory. A daily restart clears it.
- Open Schedules.
- Add the preset Daily restart with warnings. It warns players 5 minutes and 1 minute before.
- Pick a quiet time, and not a blood moon night.
The server saves with saveworld before it restarts. If it’s asleep at that time, the restart is skipped, since nobody’s playing.
World size and save size
The save grows as players explore and build. MaxChunkAge can reset areas nobody has visited for a set number of days, and SaveDataLimit caps the save size in MB. Both are off by default (-1). Areas near land claims and bedrolls are protected from resets.
If your group wants a fresh start, change GameName to start a new save. The old one stays, so you can switch back.
Pick the right region
Choose EU or US East, whichever is closest to most of your players. Low ping matters when a feral is at the door. You pick the region when you create the server. Ask support at support@wilderack.com if your group moves.
Read the graphs on Overview
Overview shows CPU, RAM, players and network over 24 hours and 7 days.
- RAM near your plan’s limit on blood moon nights: lower the horde size or
MaxSpawnedZombies, or move up a plan. - CPU high when players spread out: that’s each player loading their own area. Lower the view distance.
- RAM creeping up day after day: normal over a long uptime. A daily restart resets it.
- Network spike when a new player joins: they’re downloading the world. It settles once they’re in.
If the server crashes, Console shows a helper card with a plain-words hint. See common errors for more.
Questions
How much RAM does a 7 Days to Die server need?
About 8 GB for a few friends on a small world, 12 GB for most groups, and 16 GB for 10240 random worlds, overhaul mods or bigger groups. Blood moon nights use the most.
Why does my 7 Days to Die server lag on blood moon nights?
Every player gets their own horde, so the server suddenly tracks many more zombies. Lower the blood moon zombie count, keep MaxSpawnedZombies near 64, and make sure your plan has enough RAM.
Does world size affect 7 Days to Die server performance?
Yes. A 10240 world takes much longer to generate, uses more memory and makes bigger saves than a 6144 world. Pick the smallest size your group will enjoy.
Sources we checked
- Server7 Days to Die Wiki (official)
- V3.0 Dead Hot Summer release notesThe Fun Pimps
- Command Console7 Days to Die Wiki (official)
