Apex Hosting Review: Is It Good & Safe? (2024)

What Is Apex Hosting and Why Is It Popular?

Apex Hosting is a game server hosting provider based in Florida. Using the company’s services, people can set up private servers for games like Minecraft, Terraria, Valheim, Ark, and more.

Overall, Apex is best known for having multiple locations worldwide and a beginner-friendly panel interface.

Apex Hosting Review: Top Features

Here are the top features of this Apex Hosting review:

Customizable Domain Names: Every server on Apex has a distinct IP: Port, which is a string of numbers that refer to the raw address. While you can share it with other players to direct them to your server, remembering the combination is often a hassle. Apex hosting minecraft server tackles this issue by providing users with a sub-domain that “masks” the raw address.

The sub-domain follows this formula by default:

[your server’s name.apexmc.co]

That’s much easier to remember and share, provided you pick a coherent name from the start.

Note: Just keep in mind that your sub-domain needs to have a unique name. Otherwise, it’ll be rejected.

Multisite: Although Apex doesn’t offer a multisite package, you can create multiple server profiles. This way, you’ll get to switch between games (or Minecraft versions) without sacrificing any progress you’ve made.

Pre-Configured Mini-Games: Apex offers a list of pre-configured games for Minecraft server owners. This includes popular picks like the Hunger Games one available for one-click install.

Wide-Range Map Support: Building is a huge aspect of Minecraft, but creating a map can be time-consuming. So, if you want to focus on the exploration part of the game, you’ll need to resort to pre-made maps.

Apex allows users to upload customized maps from sites like PlanetMinecraft and CurseForge.

Full Hosting Database Access: All the packages from Apex come with free access to a full MySQL database. To create and manage the files, you just need to head to the panel and click on MySQL on the left-hand menu. You can even have multiple databases for a single server.

It provides quick access to MYSQL and will come in handy if you ever need to shift to something like a Bungeecord gameplay, where you must share information between three or more servers.

One-Click Mods Installer: Apex Hosting offers over 200 modpacks that you can install with one click only. Each pack has a bunch of mods contributing to an overarching theme. For instance, the Big Dig pack has around 64 mods, and the Agrarian Skies has approximately 53 mods.

You don’t have to settle for the packs on the Apex installer, though. It’s possible to expand your options with third-party sources. However, you’ll have to put in some effort with a manual installation. This process includes finding a modpack available for server download on sites like CurseForge, Technic, and ATL, then prepping the jar folder before uploading it to Apex using FTP programs.

Either way, make sure you pick a Forge server to be able to host modded Minecraft games.

Plugins Manager: If you’d rather not bother with modpacks, consider opting for plugins.

You can add plugins to your Apex-hosted Minecraft game on Bukkit, Spigot, or Paper server versions. You just have to head to the Plugin List in the panel, pick a plugin, and restart the server.

That said, Apex Hosting recommends manual installation. It takes longer than the automated Plugin List method, but Apex has an in-depth guide to walk you through the process.

Low Latency Connections: Apex has servers in more than 170 countries, which makes it easier for users to get decent ping worldwide.

Make sure to test the ping for different locations to see which will work best for you.

Apex is pretty transparent about the hardware they use at every location. This way, users can check out the specs and pick a nearby server that guarantees as few lags as possible.

Easy-to-Use Multicraft Control Panel: Apex boosts the user experience by providing a customized web-based version of the Multicraft control panel. With a few clicks, server owners can use the panel to update the settings, find logs, manage plugins, install mods, add scheduled tasks, and much more.

To access the settings, you must go to “config files” in the left-hand menu on the panel. Just remember to restart the server to apply these changes.

Direct FTP Access: Apex’s Multicraft control panel also allows users to access FTP files directly without needing third-party tools. This feature is handy when you want to edit more files than just what the panel labels “editable.”

Enterprise Console: Apex was acquired by one of the leading hosting companies, Nitrado. That’s why you might come across the Nitrado Enterprise Console while browsing Apex’s site. It’s a good fit for game developers looking to offer their games on official servers or give players the ability to create private servers.

Unlimited Storage: Regardless of the plan tiers, all Apex server hosting services come with unlimited storage space.

Backups, Security, and Data Protection: Apex-hosted servers can handle large DDoS attacks up to 300gbps. Apex sets up automated offsite backups. Here, the only catch here is that the automated backups happen once daily. Still, you can do it manually or set a scheduled task from the control panel.

Reliable Customer Support: Apex Hosting’s users can access a customer support (CS) team available 24/7 via chat. People who already have an account and don’t mind waiting can also open a ticket.

Moreover, users rarely need to contact the CS team. Instead, they can find the answers they’re looking for in the Apex Knowledgebase (available in both English and Spanish).

Network SLA: Apex promises its users a 99.9% uptime SLA (service level agreement.) If the company fails to keep up with this SLA, you might be entitled to compensation in the form of account credit.

Is Apex Hosting Good? Pros and Cons

Let’s take a look at the perks and drawbacks to expect if you choose to go with Apex:

How to Install Apex Hosting

Apex Hosting prides itself on its 5-minute setup process, which goes as follows:

Step 1) From the official website, head to the pricing tab, pick a plan, fill in the configurations, provide payment details, and finalize your order. (More on the pricing information later!)

Step 2) Check your email inbox for the Multicraft control panel login details and IP: Port.

Step 3) Open your Minecraft launcher and add a new server using the IP: Port.

Step 4) Login to the Multicraft panel using the information in the email to configure your server.

Step 5) Stop the server and use the one-click installer in the control panel to install modpacks if needed.

However, you should keep in mind that you’ll still need to install modpacks on your Minecraft launcher if you run a multiplayer game. Apex has a handy guide on doing that if this is your first time.

Apex Hosting Pricing Review

Since every game’s RAM requirements differ, the available packages vary based on which game you choose.

For a Minecraft server, your pricing options are:

Price: Plans start at $2.99, billed monthly for a 512MB proxy or $7.49 for the first month of a basic 2GB RAM package. Then, the price goes up to $44.99 (with a recurring price of $59.99) for 16GB in the robust EX Series. All packages come with a 10% discount if billed quarterly.

There recommended Apex hosting plan is the 4GB one, costing $14.99 for the first month and $19.99 for the recurring monthly payment.

Apex offers a 7-day money-back guarantee.

Apex Minecraft Server Hosting Alternatives

Here are two of the most affordable Minecraft server hosting providers:

1) Shockbyte

Rated at 4.7 stars on Trustpilot, Shockbyte is popular among Minecraft enthusiasts.

The Australian-registered company has been offering it’s server hosting services since 2013. So far, it promises server owners 100% uptime, DDoS protection, 24/7 support, and free sub-domain creation.

Both network availability and DDoS protection are covered in the company’s SLA, too.

Shockbyte’s pricing starts with the basic 1GB plan. However, creating a customized plan is also possible if none of the preset packages meet your hosting needs. Just note that the RAM will start at 17GB in this case.

Visit Shockbyte >>

2) BisectHosting

The Ohio-based hosting provider, BisectHosting, was founded in 2011.

It’s rated 4.6 stars on Trustpilot and caters to 20+ games. Yet, it’s mostly known for its modded Minecraft servers. After all, BisectHosting has over 1,000 modpacks ready for automated installs!

The company boasts that it keeps its ticket reply time under 15 minutes and is happy to keep your backups for nearly three years after termination. This way, if you decide to come back, your data will still be safe and sound.

Visit BisectHosting >>

FAQ

Summary

• Apex Hosting is a Minecraft server hosting provider, first and foremost, but it also works for other games, including Terraria.
• Its main appeals are the in-depth guides, integrated videos, and intuitive control panel.
• The recommended Apex package costs $14.99 for the first month, and you can save a few bucks by opting for quarterly billing.
• Although Apex doesn’t limit the number of player slots, you still need to keep your usage patterns realistic to the RAM of your chosen package.
• Before setting an order with Apex, it’s best to test the ping and check the hardware list to pick a server location that will give you the lowest latency and downtime possible.