How much RAM does a SkyFactory server need?
A SkyFactory server needs about 12 GB of RAM for five players, 17 GB for ten players and 27 GB for twenty, for SkyFactory 4 and SkyFactory 5 alike. Skyblock worlds are cheap to generate because they are mostly void, so a SkyFactory server starts lighter than a pack of its size with normal terrain. What grows is production: automated sieves, mob farms and machines packed into a small base. That is why we count it as a pack of around 200 mods rather than a large one.
| Players online | RAM needed | Plan size | Lowest price for that size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 to 5 | 12 GB | 12 GB | CheapestMinecraftHosting Builder, €9.60 a month in Poland (Warsaw) |
| 6 to 10 | 17 GB | 24 GB | CheapestMinecraftHosting Crew, €19.20 a month in Poland (Warsaw) |
| 11 to 20 | 27 GB | 32 GB | CheapestMinecraftHosting Guild, €25.60 a month in Poland (Warsaw) |
Astroworld Hosting lists SkyFactory at 5 GB for up to three players, 7 GB for up to eight and 10 GB for up to sixteen. A group that keeps its automation tidy can stay near those numbers; a group that builds big will end up near ours.
SkyFactory 5 server
A SkyFactory 5 server runs on Forge 47.4.0 for Minecraft 1.20.1 with Java 17, and the newest release counted on 27 September 2026 was 5.0.8 with 293 mods. Ex Nihilo Sequentia turns dirt, gravel and sand into ores through sieves and hammers, and the pack opens up into Thermal, Industrial Foregoing, Mystical Agriculture, Botania, Ars Nouveau and Draconic Evolution. SkyFactory 5 includes a chunk loader mod, so bases keep running while their owners are offline. That is useful, and it is also the first thing to check when a server gets slower week by week.
SkyFactory 4 server
A SkyFactory 4 server runs on Forge for Minecraft 1.12.2 with Java 8. It is the finished classic: 202 mods, last released as 4.2.4 in December 2021 and still among the most downloaded modpacks on CurseForge. Bonsai Trees, Prestige points, Compact Machines, Mekanism and ProjectE are part of it. A server runs one edition; worlds do not move between SkyFactory 4 and SkyFactory 5.
SkyFactory server setup
SkyFactory server setup takes four steps, for SkyFactory 4 and SkyFactory 5 alike:
- Order a plan with 12 GB or more for up to five players, and choose Forge.
- Install the pack from the panel. Search for SkyFactory 5 or SkyFactory 4, which are listed as separate packs, and pick the version your group has. The installer sets the Forge build and Java version for it.
- Start the server and wait for Done. Skyblock worlds need no pre-generation, so the first start is mostly mods loading.
- Agree on islands. Decide whether players share one island or each start their own before the first tree is planted.
SkyFactory server not starting: what to check
A SkyFactory server that will not start almost always has one of three problems: the wrong Java version, too little memory or client-only files. SkyFactory 4 needs Java 8 and SkyFactory 5 Java 17; a newer Java stops a 1.12.2 server at once. An OutOfMemoryError in the log means the plan is too small. And if you uploaded your own game folder instead of the server files, a client-only mod will stop the server; the log names it, and the fix is to install the server pack instead.
Best SkyFactory server hosting plans
The best SkyFactory server hosting for five players is a 12 GB plan at the lowest price you can find, because a void world asks little of the server at the start.
For 2 to 5 players with a modpack of about 200 mods on Java in Poland (Warsaw), the finder recommends Cheapest Minecraft Hosting Builder: 12 GB, AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, DDR5, for €9.60 a month when you pay monthly. The best plans at the other two hosts are Astroworld Standard Performance at €23.95 and Lodehost Standard at €23.95.
| If you want | Host and plan | Memory | Processor | Location | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest price | CheapestMinecraftHosting Builder | 12 GB | AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, DDR5 | Poland (Warsaw) | €9.60 |
| Balanced | Astroworld Standard Performance | 12 GB | AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, DDR5 | Poland (Warsaw) | €23.95 (€20.95 on 24 mo) New customers: €9.58 a month for the first 3 months, 60% off |
| More performance | Astroworld Standard Performance | 12 GB | AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, DDR5 | Poland (Warsaw) | €23.95 (€20.95 on 24 mo) New customers: €9.58 a month for the first 3 months, 60% off |
For up to five players, CheapestMinecraftHosting Builder gives you 12 GB for €9.60 a month in Poland, and Lodehost Standard costs €16.95 in Germany. Skyblock players who run big automation get more from reserved threads on the Performance line, such as Lodehost Standard for €23.95. Both SkyFactory editions are Forge packs; see Forge Minecraft server hosting. Feed The Beast's own takes on the idea, StoneBlock 4, Skies 2 and OceanBlock 2, are on FTB server hosting.