PebbleHost review

PebbleHost gets pricey for high-end game server hosting needs, but for a simple server for you and a few friends, it’s very affordable. It’s also reliable, easy enough to use, and offers good support. Clearly laid out interface. Well priced for smaller packages. Great support. Can get expensive. 72-hour refund policy is somewhat limited. Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

PebbleHost has been around since 2017 and despite not often featuring among best Minecraft server hosting provider lists it is still a great host. It offers three different types of plan encompassing budget, premium, and extreme. Understandably, the prices vary wildly depending on what you choose here with the budget servers proving the highlight for those on a tight budget. PebbleHost sticks to focusing on its Minecraft server hosting rather than including other games, but you can also sign up for VPS hosting or dedicated server hosting if you want more freedom. For gaming communities, there’s also Discord bot hosting. If you’re looking for the best dedicated server hosting, it could be worth checking out PebbleHost but in this review, we’ve focused on its dedicated Minecraft server hosting options. Here’s how we found the PebbleHost experience to be.

PebbleHost offers three tiers of Minecraft server plans. All its plans offer 24/7 customer support via Discord, a free MySQL database, full FTP access, unmetered storage, a free subdomain creator, unlimited slots, and global server locations. Where plans differ is in terms of the hardware involved. The budget range uses older CPUs such as the Intel i9-9900k and Ryzen 5700X, and DDR4 memory. The premium range uses the Ryzen 7900 CPU and DDR5 memory, with the Extreme range using the same hardware but also offering dedicated CPU threads. The two pricier plans also provide a one-click Modpack installer and free automatic backups which are bordering on essential for any Minecraft server admin.

For all servers, you can use a sliding scale to increase the RAM involved, and whether you want any additional CPU threads for your server. The cheapest budget server offers just 1GB RAM but costs only $3 per quarter. A more mid-range option comes from the Premium server with 5GB RAM which is $11.25 per month. The cheapest Extreme server has 6GB of RAM and 3 threads and starts at $37.50. PebbleHost offers a 72 hour refund policy which isn’t the longest but is fairly standard with other competitors like Shockbyte offering similar.

During the signup process, Advanced DDoS mitigation is added onto the price tag but you can unselect it. Another options include a dedicated IP, and additional MySQL databases. Whatever you decide, payment is possible via credit or debit card, Apple and Google Pay, as well as Paypal, FastSpring, and crypto currencies. Costs can ramp up (more on if it’s worth it later) but everything is laid out in a clear and obvious manner.

The sign up process with PebbleHost is straightforward and instantly offers up access with passwords for the client side of things and the control panel. During sign up, you’ve already picked what server type you want installed so that’s one step removed. All you really need to do is get the server started and operational. On the control panel, there’s a list of options on the left hand side with easy ways to check out the file manager, set up your MySQL database, and add subusers which is great if you want to add admins or even a co-owner to your plan. The jar manager helps you switch between different versions like Paper, Vanilla, or Spigot.

For the most part, everything is clearly laid out so you won’t get confused. Opt for anything but the budget plan if you want a one click install for mod packs as well as automatic backups, and there’s even less work involved for you. If you’ve never set up a Minecraft server before, you won’t get too confused here. PebbleHost offers servers located in North America (Canada), Europe, and the UK. Premium server users also have the option of a server located in Australia or Singapore, as well as the US. When signing up, keep an eye on what’s available as some server locations sell out.

I used a server based in Europe, as am I, and saw a steady 30-35 ping. There was no downtime either which is always welcome news. How well the server operates really does depend on the plan you choose. While $3 per quarter seems like a bargain for the cheapest plan, in reality, you won’t get far with it. Even with no one active on the server, half the RAM is allocated, and once someone logs on, the CPU usage soars. It’s best to invest a little into something that actually suits your needs.