Squad sits in a category of its own among games in this guide — it’s the only title where the server itself needs an official licence from the developer before it can appear where players actually look. Without an Offworld Industries (OWI) server licence, your server ends up in the Custom Server Browser, which comparatively few players browse. Obtaining a licence, furthermore, requires meeting strict ongoing requirements: at least 10 active admins, always-public access, a minimum of 80 slots, and community behaviour standards enforced within 14 days of any report. For a UK milsim unit or gaming community serious about building a playerbase, understanding the OWI licence system is therefore as important as choosing the right hardware. This guide covers providers from our full UK hosting panel with GBP pricing — and crucially explains what the licence system means in practice before you spend anything.
Unlike any other game in this guide, Squad requires an application to Offworld Industries to appear in its primary server browser. Consequently, a server without a licence is hidden from most players. Obtaining one requires a minimum of 10 active admins, 80+ player slots, always-public status, and demonstrated community management. The licence also mandates staying on approved hosting infrastructure — in practice, this means choosing from OWI’s approved partner list matters.
Squad runs on Unreal Engine 4 with up to 100 players, vehicle physics, VoIP processing, base building and real-time ballistics simultaneously. As a result, it needs 16–20GB RAM for 50-player servers and 32GB+ for full 80–100 player matches. Furthermore, UE4’s single-threaded AI and physics processing means high single-core clock speed is specifically important — not just total RAM allocation.
Squad’s suppression system, vehicle handling and VoIP integration are all noticeably affected by latency in a way that arcade shooters are not. Suppression inaccuracy, radio delay and vehicle control all feel wrong at 80ms+ ping. A London UK server keeps British players under 20ms, which in practice means the difference between smooth coordinated tactics and a game that feels unresponsive.
Best Squad server hosting UK
Ranked by UK/London node, UE4 single-core CPU for 50–100 player battles, RAM headroom, OWI licence compatibility and GBP value. DatHost does not offer Squad — top 3 is LOW.MS / Host Havoc / GTX Gaming.
LOW.MS
Gold Pick
🇬🇧 London UK
LOW.MS earns the top UK spot for Squad through strong single-core hardware, a London UK node that puts British milsim units under 20ms, and scalable RAM that covers the full range from a 50-player community server to a 100-player licensed server. Notably, Squad’s RAM requirements are unusually sensitive to player count — a 50-player server needs 16GB, whereas a full 100-player server specifically requires 32GB or more. LOW.MS’s scalable architecture therefore allows starting at a reasonable spec and upgrading as the community grows, without migrating to a new provider.
Full FTP access and file manager cover all Squad’s config files — Server.cfg for server identity, LayerRotation.cfg for map cycles, Admins.cfg for admin Steam IDs, Rcon.cfg for remote management, and License.cfg for OWI licence integration. Additionally, Corero inline DDoS protection on the London node matters specifically for Squad: licensed servers with active communities are consistently targeted by DDoS attacks, and downtime during a match is significantly more disruptive in a milsim context than in casual games.
Overall, at entry pricing from £8.12/mo with scalable RAM, a 5-day refund and the hardware profile that Squad’s UE4 engine specifically benefits from, LOW.MS represents the strongest UK package for both emerging and established Squad communities.
- ✓ Ryzen 9 9950X — high single-core for UE4 tick stability
- ✓ London UK — sub-20ms for UK milsim units
- ✓ Scalable RAM — 16GB to 32GB+ as community grows
- ✓ Full config access · OWI licence compatible
- ✓ Corero DDoS · 5-day refund · 4.8★ Trustpilot
- ✗ Not listed as official OWI partner (verify compatibility)
- ✗ Squad-specific panel features fewer than GTX Gaming
Host Havoc
Silver Pick
🇬🇧 London
Host Havoc’s Squad-specific TCAdmin template covers the configuration options that milsim server admins specifically need — LayerRotation.cfg management for map cycling, Admins.cfg for tiered admin roles (cameraman, referee, moderator, admin, owner), RCON configuration for remote management tools, and licence file integration. Furthermore, their SquadJS compatibility is particularly relevant for serious community servers: SquadJS is the Node.js-based admin framework that most licensed Squad servers use for automated moderation, seeding rewards, player tracking and Discord integration.
At sub-10-minute support response and 4.8★ from 1,515 reviews, Host Havoc is the right choice when fast expert help matters — for example, when a config change breaks the map rotation during an active seeding session, or when RCON connectivity stops working after a Squad game update. Their 72-hour refund window provides adequate time to verify config files load correctly and test RCON access before committing long-term.
- ✓ Own hardware — stable tick rate during combined-arms peaks
- ✓ London UK · Squad-specific template
- ✓ SquadJS compatible · RCON · full config access
- ✓ 4.8★ from 1,515 reviews · <10 min support
- ✓ NVMe · DDoS protection · auto backups
- ✗ 72h refund (shorter than LOW.MS 5-day)
- ✗ Entry pricing higher for Squad’s RAM requirements
GTX Gaming
Bronze Pick
🇬🇧 London + Stockholm
Dedicated Squad panel
GTX Gaming has provided Squad server hosting since the game’s early access launch — consequently, their control panel template has been refined through years of Squad-specific feedback. Notably, they offer dedicated CPU cores and unlimited RAM, which specifically removes the guesswork around memory allocation for large servers: instead of choosing a RAM tier and risking under-spec, the server uses what it needs. Furthermore, their Squad panel includes sliders, text input fields and toggle menus for Squad-specific settings, making it accessible for milsim units whose admins may not be comfortable editing raw config files.
London and Stockholm UK nodes cover British and Scandinavian milsim communities — a practically significant pair, since many UK units include members from Norway, Sweden and Finland. Their 7-day refund gives the most testing time of our top 3, which matters for Squad specifically: verifying that OWI licence integration, RCON connectivity, map rotation and SquadJS all function correctly takes several days of actual gameplay to confirm.
- ✓ Squad hosting since early access — deep game familiarity
- ✓ Dedicated cores + unlimited RAM — no over-spec guesswork
- ✓ London + Stockholm · dedicated Squad panel
- ✓ 7-day refund · 4.7★ (1,386 reviews)
- ✓ 4.8GHz hardware · DDoS protection
- ✗ Higher entry price vs LOW.MS
- ✗ 24h refund policy sometimes listed (verify current)
All Squad hosting providers compared
GBP ($1=£0.741, ). ✅ UK = confirmed London node. OWI = confirmed OWI partner or compatible. ⚠ = verify directly. DatHost does not offer Squad.
| # | Provider | GBP/mo | 🇬🇧 UK? | RAM | Trustpilot | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LOW.MS | from £8.12 | ✅ London | Scalable 10–30GB | 4.8★ (193) | Ryzen 9 9950X · 5-day refund · Corero DDoS | Visit → |
| 2 | Host Havoc | from £7.41 | ✅ London | Configurable | 4.8★ (1,515) | Own HW · Squad template · SquadJS · <10 min | Visit → |
| 3 | GTX Gaming | from £13.32 | ✅ London + Stockholm | Unlimited | 4.7★ (1,386) | Dedicated Squad panel · 4.8GHz · 7-day refund | Visit → |
| 4 |  BisectHosting | ~£8.89–13 | ✅ London | Plan dependent | 4.8★ (25,348) | 21 locations · 15 min support · NVMe | Visit → |
| 5 |  Apex Hosting | ~£11+ | ✅ London | Plan dependent | 4.8★ (8,054) | Beginner-friendly · guided setup · 7-day | Visit → |
| 6 |  Gaming Deluxe | ~£10 | ✅ London · GBP | Plan dependent | 4.5★ (82) | UK company · GBP billing · DDR5 5.0GHz+ | Visit → |
| 7 |  Shockbyte | ~£7.41+ | ✅ EU | Plan dependent | 3.8★ (10,176) | Budget entry · unlimited slots · 72h refund | Visit → |
| 8 |  Nitrado | ~£5–12 | ✅ EU | Plan dependent | 3.6★ (7,403) | Pay-as-go · EU nodes | Visit → |
| 9 |  G-Portal | ~£7/mo equiv. | ✅ Frankfurt | Plan dependent | 4.0★ (2,836) | Pay-as-go · Squad mod manager · Frankfurt DE | Visit → |
| 10 |  SparkedHost | from £5.93 | ✅ EU + UK | Plan dependent | 4.8★ (2,291) | 9 locations · 48h refund · Apollo panel | Visit → |
| 11 |  ScalaCube | ~£5.93 | ✅ UK + EU | Plan dependent | 4.5★ (4,713) | UK node · beginner-friendly | Visit → |
| 12 |  Survival Servers | ~£7.41+ | ✅ EU | Plan dependent | 4.7★ (862) | EU nodes · NVMe · instant setup | Visit → |
| 13 |  Indifferent Broccoli | ~£12.59 | ⚠ Germany EU | Uncapped pool | 4.4★ (792) | Uncapped RAM · 7-day refund · EU only | Visit → |
| 14 |  Hostinger | £7.03+ | ✅ UK VPS | VPS configurable | 4.7★ (66k+) | VPS · root access · manual setup required | Visit → |
| 15 |  Godlike Host | ~£7.41 | ✅ EU | Plan dependent | 3.8★ (416) | Squad listed · EU nodes · Ryzen | Visit → |
| 16 |  Wabbanode | ~£8.89 | ⚠ Verify | Ryzen DDR5 | 4.7★ (42) | Ryzen 9 7950X DDR5 · verify UK node + Squad | Visit → |
DatHost does not offer Squad. ⚠ = verify directly. Prices GBP, . Ports: UDP/TCP 7787–7788 (game), 15000 (beacon), 27165 (query), TCP 21114 (RCON). OWI licence: license.offworldindustries.com.
OWI server licence — the most important factor specific to Squad hosting
Squad is the only game in this guide where a developer-issued licence determines whether your server appears in the primary browser tab. Without an Offworld Industries (OWI) server licence, your server is relegated to the Custom Server Browser — which comparatively few players check. Understanding the licence requirements before committing to a hosting plan is therefore essential, because they impose constraints that affect both your hosting choice and your community’s admin structure.
- Appears in Squad’s primary server browser tab
- Significantly more player visibility and traffic
- Recognised community status within Squad
- Access to OWI support and hosting Discord
- Eligible for OWI partner hosting arrangements
- Only visible in Custom Server Browser
- Dramatically fewer players discover your server
- No OWI support or recognition
- Still functional for private communities / clan use
- Good starting point before applying for a licence
OWI licence requirements — what you must commit to
Licensed servers must run at least 80 player slots. Servers of fewer than 80 slots are ineligible for a licence and should remain in the Custom Server Browser. In practice, this means a full 80-player server requires 16–20GB RAM at minimum — consequently, the licence requirement directly drives your hosting spec.
Each licensed server requires at least 10 active admins covering monitoring duties during busy hours. More servers require proportionally more admins — three servers, for example, require 30 admins total. Furthermore, admins must monitor the server in-game or remotely during peak times, which in practice means establishing an active community before applying.
Licensed servers must remain publicly accessible at all times. Adding a password or hiding the server will result in immediate licence revocation. This is notably different from other games where private passworded community servers are common — Squad’s licence specifically prohibits this for licensed entries.
Offworld Industries staff must always have admin access to your server. OWI developers may join to observe or test — moreover, in-game admins are notified when an OWI developer connects. Admin commands are only used with permission from online admins, however the access must always be enabled and functioning.
Switching hosting providers must be reported to OWI. Furthermore, licensed servers using game server providers must use OWI’s approved partner list — moving to a non-approved provider is prohibited. In practice, this means checking your prospective host’s OWI partner status before applying for a licence.
Licensing is not guaranteed — OWI may reject any application at its discretion. Applications require community history, Discord server details, admin team information and hosting details. Approved applications receive a licence ID and key to add to your server’s License.cfg. Communities can apply for up to 4 licences — additional ones require specific justification.
Server.cfg & key config files — what each one does
Squad uses multiple config files, all located in SquadGame/ServerConfig/. Understanding each file’s role prevents the most common admin mistakes — specifically, confusing Admins.cfg roles, misconfiguring the map rotation, or leaving RCON open without a password.
Assigns admin roles to Steam 64 IDs. Available roles in ascending authority: cameraman (spectate), referee (warn), moderator (kick, mute), admin (ban, change map), owner (full control). Format: Admin=STEAM64ID:role per line. Add all 10+ required admin Steam IDs here — OWI specifically checks admin coverage during licence review.
Controls which specific layers (map + game mode + faction combination) cycle on the server. Each line is one Layer ID — for example, Yehorivka_AAS_v1 or Tallil_RAAS_v2. Notably, Layer IDs differ from the display names shown in-game, so reference the Squad wiki’s layer list. Additionally, ExcludedLayers.cfg removes specific layers from the vote pool without removing them from the rotation.
Configures RCON access on TCP port 21114 (default). Set a strong password — RCON provides full admin control, consequently an open or weak RCON is a serious security risk. SquadJS connects via RCON, so this file must be correctly configured before SquadJS can function. Format: Password=YourRCONPassword with optional IP allowlisting.
Tickrate — 50 vs 60
Squad’s default tickrate is 50, set via the FIXEDMAXTICKRATE=50 launch parameter. Increasing this to 60 improves responsiveness — specifically, hit registration and vehicle handling feel tighter. However, 60 tickrate uses approximately 20% more CPU per player. In practice, 50 tickrate is the correct default for most servers; only communities with consistently high CPU headroom should consider 60. Some competitive events specifically run 60 tickrate, however daily public servers generally perform better and more stably at 50.
RAM, CPU & disk — Squad’s hardware requirements by player count
Squad is among the most hardware-demanding games in this guide. Unlike lighter survival games where RAM is mostly determined by world size, Squad’s requirements scale directly with player count, vehicle count and active map complexity. Planning the right spec upfront avoids the performance problems that drive players away from underspecced servers.
| Server type | Players | RAM min | RAM comfortable | Disk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small community / unlicensed | 40–60 | 16GB | 20GB | 30GB |
| Licensed standard (80 slots) | 60–80 | 20GB | 24GB | 30GB |
| Licensed full (100 slots) | 80–100 | 28GB | 32GB | 35GB |
| Competitive / event server | 50–80 | 20GB | 24GB | 30GB |
Squad’s Unreal Engine 4 processes AI, vehicle physics, ballistics and server logic largely on a single thread. Consequently, a high single-core boost clock — specifically 4.8GHz+ — provides noticeably more stable tick rates during intense combined-arms engagements than EPYC-based hosts with lower clock speeds, even if the latter have more total cores.
Running a 100-slot server on 16GB is a common and costly mistake. Squad’s RAM usage spikes during peak player count — moreover, vehicle-heavy maps like Tallil and Yehorivka specifically use more memory than infantry-focused maps. When RAM is exhausted, the server begins swapping, which causes severe performance degradation visible to all players as rubber-banding and missed inputs.
Squad requires multiple ports — specifically UDP/TCP 7787–7788 (game traffic), UDP/TCP 15000 (beacon), UDP/TCP 27165 (Steam query) and TCP 21114 (RCON). Managed hosts configure all of these automatically. For self-hosted or VPS setups, all five port pairs must be open in both the firewall and any network security groups.
SquadJS — the admin layer that serious Squad servers run
SquadJS is an open-source Node.js framework that connects to your server’s RCON and provides automated administration capabilities beyond what Squad’s built-in admin commands cover. Most licensed Squad servers with active communities use SquadJS — in practice, it’s become the de facto standard for serious server management.
- Automated team-kill warnings and bans
- Seeding mode with automated rule announcements
- Seeding rewards (reserve slot access for seeders)
- Player tracking and session logging
- Discord integration for admin alerts
- Automated map rotation management
- Real-time layer vote systems
- RCON-based admin command interface
SquadJS requires Node.js running on a server with RCON access to your Squad game server. In practice, most managed hosts run SquadJS either on the same machine as the Squad server or on a separate lightweight instance. The framework connects via your Rcon.cfg password and can therefore be deployed without access to the Squad server’s file system.
Configuration is via JSON files — notably, it’s more complex than a basic Squad setup, consequently some admin teams opt for pre-configured SquadJS templates shared within the community. The official repository is at github.com/Squad-Wiki/SquadJS with comprehensive documentation.
Best UK Squad host for your community type
Ryzen 9 9950X · London UK · scalable to 32GB RAM · full config access · Corero DDoS · 5-day refund · from £8.12/mo. Specifically suited to communities growing from unlicensed to licensed scale — RAM upgrades without migration.
Dedicated Squad panel · unlimited RAM · Squad hosting since release · London + Stockholm · 7-day refund. Particularly strong for communities at 80–100 player licensed scale — unlimited RAM removes guesswork, and dedicated Squad panel simplifies layer rotation management.
Own hardware · London UK · Squad template · SquadJS ready · <10 min support · 4.8★ from 1,515 reviews. Best when config issues or RCON connectivity need fast expert resolution — specifically, post-update troubleshooting benefits from their Source and UE4 expertise.
Private clan servers don’t need an OWI licence — consequently, they can be password-protected and run at any slot count. Both LOW.MS and Host Havoc provide the full config access, RCON support and London latency that milsim training events specifically need.
Guided setup · London · beginner-friendly panel · 7-day refund · 4.8★ from 8,054 reviews. Best for communities setting up their first Squad server who want guided Admins.cfg, LayerRotation.cfg and RCON configuration without editing raw files.
UK-based · London · GBP billing · DDR5 5.0GHz+ · ~£10/mo. Best for UK milsim units or gaming organisations that require GBP invoicing — particularly relevant for clubs that process server costs through a shared treasury or organisational budget.
Squad server hosting UK — FAQ
FIXEDMAXTICKRATE=50 in the launch parameters. Increasing to 60 improves hit registration and vehicle handling feel — however, it adds approximately 20% CPU load per player. For most public servers, 50 tickrate provides the best balance of performance and stability. Competitive event servers with controlled player counts sometimes run 60 tickrate when CPU headroom allows. Setting it below 50 (for example, 40) reduces CPU pressure at the cost of noticeably worse game feel — consequently, 40 tickrate is only appropriate as a last resort when server performance is critically degraded.cameraman (spectate only), referee (can issue warnings), moderator (can kick and mute players), admin (can ban and change maps), and owner (full unrestricted control). Format each line as Admin=STEAM64ID:role. For an OWI licence, you need at least 10 admins with at minimum moderator access — consequently, building a trusted admin team before applying is critical. Use RemoteAdminListHosts.cfg to pull admin lists from external URLs, which simplifies managing admins across multiple servers.