How much RAM does an ARK server need?Why dinos and structures weigh more than players

Published on September 2, 2026 · last updated on November 8, 2026

Guideline values

Values from experience for a server that runs stably. They are not a minimum for starting, but what keeps things running comfortably over the long term:

Our plans follow exactly this scale:

What really drives the requirement

In ARK, the link between player count and memory requirement is weaker than in almost any other game. Four other factors matter more:

• Tamed creatures. Every dino is a permanently simulated object with stats, hunger and position - even when nobody is nearby. A tribe with hundreds of animals puts load on the server around the clock.
• Structures. Every foundation, every wall, every box counts. Large bases are the second big item.
• The map. Sprawling maps such as Ragnarok or Fjordur bring more area and more wild creatures than The Island - see Maps compared.
• Mods. Structure and creature mods quickly multiply the requirement, see Install mods.

That also explains why a server needs more after three months than on day one - without a single additional player.

How to recognize a bottleneck

An ARK server that is running out of memory behaves in a characteristic way:

• The server gets slower over hours and runs smoothly again after a restart.
• It stutters briefly and regularly instead of being evenly slow.
• Crashes pile up at the times with the most active players.
• Saving the world takes noticeably longer than it used to.

The first point in particular can be eased well with scheduled restarts - but that does not replace a plan that fits the world.

What is not caused by memory

Not every problem is a RAM problem. Evenly low server performance without dropouts points more toward the CPU - and ARK simulates the world essentially in a single thread, which is why performance per core matters, not the number of cores. That is exactly what our game servers are designed for.

If only individual players experience stutter, it is usually their client or connection. And if nobody can get onto the server anymore, it is rarely the hardware but the address - see Fix connection problems.

Cleaning up helps more than upgrading

Before you book the next larger plan, it pays to take a look at the world itself. Three measures have an immediate effect:

1. Remove abandoned structures. ARK can let structures of inactive tribes decay automatically - one of the most effective settings of all, adjustable via the GameUserSettings.ini.
2. Limit the number of dinos. A limit per tribe keeps the number of tamed creatures within reason without spoiling anyone's fun.
3. Review your mods. Every mod that nobody uses anymore still costs memory.

If the server is still at its limit afterwards, an upgrade is the right answer - it is possible at any time, and the save is kept. How ARK compares to other games is shown in How much RAM do I need?; the prices of the four plans are in How much does an ARK server cost?

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