Terraria Terraria is one of those games where the answer to “how much RAM?” depends mostly on what you’re doing with it. A vanilla small-world server with a few friends is surprisingly light - 1GB is usually fine. But install tModLoader and start stacking content mods, and suddenly you’re in a different conversation entirely.
Here’s the quick version:
| Setup | RAM | What it handles |
|---|---|---|
| 1GB | Small/Medium world, 2-3 players, vanilla | The budget option - works for casual co-op, not much headroom |
| 2GB | Medium/Large world, 4-8 players, vanilla | Comfortable for most vanilla servers |
| 3GB | tModLoader with light mods | QoL mods, maybe one smaller content mod |
| 4GB | tModLoader with Calamity OR Thorium | Single large content mod plus extras |
| 6GB+ | Multiple content mods stacked | Calamity + Thorium + others |
If you’re running vanilla Terraria, you can probably stop reading here and pick from the first two rows. (Unless you’re planning for 8-10 players or you know you’ll be doing lots of long, chaotic event nights - in which case, 3GB minimum.) If tModLoader is in your future, keep going.
Vanilla Terraria is surprisingly lightweight
Terraria’s server software is efficient. The official wiki lists 512MB as the minimum for a small world with a few players, and that’s not marketing speak - it actually works. The game loads the entire world into memory, but even a large world only adds a couple hundred megabytes to baseline usage.
What actually affects RAM in vanilla:
World size matters less than you’d think. Small, medium, and large worlds differ by a noticeable but not huge amount in memory. Player count and what’s happening on-screen usually matter more.
Player count is more significant. Each connected player adds overhead for their inventory, position tracking, and the entities around them. Going from 4 to 8 players is more impactful than going from a small to large world.
Boss fights and events spike usage temporarily. When the screen fills with projectiles and enemies during a Moon Lord fight or Pumpkin Moon event, RAM usage climbs. If you’re running right on the edge, those spikes are where you’ll feel it first.
For most vanilla servers, 2GB is the sweet spot. It handles medium or large worlds with 5-8 players comfortably and gives you headroom for events. If you’re just playing with one or two friends on a small world, 1GB works for a chunk of small co-op servers we host - it’s just not very forgiving if you change your mind later and want to add mods.
tModLoader changes everything
Here’s where Terraria hosting gets interesting. tModLoader transforms the game into something that can rival Minecraft modpacks for content - and for resource consumption.
One thing worth knowing about the ecosystem: some tModLoader setups run as 32-bit, which means you’ll hit a practical ceiling around 4GB of addressable memory. This catches people off guard when they’re self-hosting or using providers that default to 32-bit builds. (WinterNode runs 64-bit tModLoader by default, so this isn’t something you’ll run into with us - but it’s useful context if you’re comparing notes with friends on other hosts or running your own hardware.)
The 64-bit version removes this cap, though it typically runs a bit heavier at baseline and occasionally you’ll run into mod compatibility quirks depending on what you’re installing. Most popular mods work fine, but it’s worth checking if you’re using something obscure.
If you're hitting memory errors elsewhere
Running a tModLoader server that crashes with out-of-memory errors despite having RAM to spare? Check whether you’re on a 32-bit build. That 4GB ceiling is a hard limit for 32-bit executables regardless of your server’s actual memory.
What mods actually consume:
Quality-of-life mods like Recipe Browser, Boss Checklist, or Magic Storage usually don’t move the needle much by themselves. You can stack a dozen of these without significant impact.
Content mods are the heavy hitters. Calamity adds hundreds of items, enemies, and bosses. Thorium does the same. Each one adds a meaningful chunk of baseline usage - and stacking multiple big content mods is where memory planning actually matters.
We’ve seen Calamity + Thorium setups that started comfortable at 4GB but started hitting memory pressure after long play sessions with lots of world exploration. If you’re planning to run multiple content mods for an extended playthrough, 6GB gives you room to breathe.
Texture packs and visual mods contribute more than people expect. A comprehensive texture overhaul can add a surprising amount, though exact numbers depend heavily on which pack you’re using.
What most people actually need
Looking at our customer base, most vanilla servers land in the 1-2GB range, and most modded servers land in the 3-6GB range depending on how heavy the mod list is. The big jump happens when you add one or more large content mods.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown by use case:
| Your situation | Recommended RAM | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Small world, 2-3 friends, vanilla | 1GB | Minimum that works, cheap way to start |
| Large world, 4-8 players, vanilla | 2GB | Headroom for events and boss fights |
| tModLoader, QoL mods only | 2-3GB | Light mods don’t need much extra |
| tModLoader with Calamity | 4GB | Comfortable for single content mod |
| tModLoader with multiple content mods | 4-6GB | Where memory planning starts to matter |
| Public server, 10+ players, heavy mods | 6GB+ | Player overhead stacks with mod overhead |
Picking your plan
Start with what you’re doing today, not what you might do in six months. Most groups don’t end up using the “future plans” they size for. If you’re kicking off a vanilla playthrough with friends, 2GB is plenty. You can always upgrade later.
Upgrades are prorated
If you start at 2GB and realize you need 4GB after installing tModLoader, you only pay the difference for the remaining time on your billing cycle. There’s no penalty for starting conservative.
A few practical notes:
World size isn’t locked. You can start with a small world to keep things light, then create a new large world later if you want more exploration space. Also: most groups don’t regret choosing medium. Small can feel cramped for longer playthroughs; large is great but you’re paying a bit more in memory to keep it comfortable.
Mods can be added incrementally. You don’t need to plan for Calamity + Thorium + Fargo’s Souls from day one. Start vanilla, see if your group finishes a playthrough, then consider mods for round two.
Player count fluctuates. If you’re planning a server for “up to 10 people” but realistically 3-4 play regularly, size for the regular count. Occasional larger sessions might see some lag, but that’s better than paying for headroom you rarely use.
Troubleshooting RAM issues
If your server is struggling, RAM might not be the culprit. Terraria servers can hit CPU bottlenecks during intense fights - especially with heavy tModLoader setups - even when memory is fine.
Signs you actually need more RAM:
- Out-of-memory crashes (check server logs)
- Gradual performance degradation over long sessions
- Issues that get worse as more players join
Signs it’s probably something else:
- Lag spikes during boss fights but fine otherwise (likely CPU)
- Rubber-banding or teleporting enemies (likely network/tick rate)
- Issues that happen immediately on server start (likely mod conflicts)
If you only change one thing, check logs first - memory errors are usually obvious, and CPU bottlenecks usually show up as “everything tanks during fights but recovers after.”
Getting started
We’re obviously biased, but WinterNode exists because we wanted hosting that didn’t nickel-and-dime people. If you’ve ever priced a server and realized the “cheap plan” doubles after add-ons, you know what we mean.
All our game servers are $1.99/GB - a 2GB Terraria server runs $3.98/month, a 4GB modded setup is $7.96/month.
We run 64-bit tModLoader by default, so you won’t hit the 4GB memory ceiling that catches people on other hosts. You can select tModLoader as your server software when ordering, or our support team can help you switch if you start vanilla and decide to add mods later. All plans include instant setup, automatic backups, and human support via tickets and Discord.
Everything’s backed by our 48-hour refund policy, so there’s no risk in trying things out.
Frequently Asked Questions
A vanilla Terraria server runs well on 1-2GB of RAM for small groups. Modded servers using tModLoader typically need 3-4GB, and heavy modpacks like Calamity plus Thorium may need 4-6GB.
Yes. tModLoader adds overhead and mods consume additional memory. The default 32-bit version of tModLoader is capped at 4GB regardless of your server plan, but 64-bit tModLoader can use more.
If you play alone, 2GB can be enough to support Calamity. We recommend 3-4GB minimum if you'll have multiple players, and 4-6GB if combining it with other large content mods like Thorium.
The official minimum is 512MB for a small world with 2-3 players and no mods. In practice, 1GB gives you more headroom and handles small vanilla servers comfortably.