Palworld mods on a dedicated server: what works and what doesn't

Palworld mods run on PC only, and in practice that means the Steam version. Xbox, PlayStation 5 and the Game Pass version on PC cannot load PAK mods or PalSchema, so the moment a console player joins in you either keep the server vanilla or limit yourself to cosmetic mods that PC players install themselves. Budget for more memory too: Pocketpair recommends 16 GB of RAM for an ordinary dedicated server, while modded servers sit in the 32 GB class.

Which platforms do Palworld mods work on?

Since version 0.5.0 of 19 March 2025, Steam PC, Xbox, PlayStation 5 and Mac all share the same world. Joining a server and being able to load mods are simply two different things.

Game Pass runs a different build, WinGDK, and the Steam version's file structure simply does not map onto it. Consoles will not let a game side-load archives or DLL files at all: that is a platform decision, not a setting on your server. So ask first who is actually playing. One friend on PlayStation 5 decides the rest of your choices for you.

What is the difference between server-side and client-side mods?

This distinction explains almost all the confusion around mods: it comes down to where the mod has to live in order to work.

• Server-side mods change the world itself: spawns, balance, what a Pal does. They live on the server and everyone who connects sees the effect, including people who installed nothing at all. This is the category that creates maintenance for you.
• Client-side mods only change what you see on your own screen: textures, interface, cosmetic tweaks. They live on your PC; the server and your fellow players know nothing about them.
• Mods that need both sides exist as well. In that case the same mod in the same version has to be on the server and on every PC player's machine. If one player lags behind, they get kicked out on connecting.

In a mixed group, anything that requires something on the client side drops out. Cosmetic mods are then the only category that works without hassle.

What do mods do to your server's memory usage?

Mods stack on top of a process that already asks a lot of memory, which is why the guidance puts a modded server one class higher.

What matters more is what happens while the server is running: the server process's memory usage demonstrably climbs the longer it stays up, and a bigger plan does nothing to stop that. What does work is a scheduled automatic restart, usually every 6 to 12 hours, which clears the memory out. The background to this and the role of the bEnableInvaderEnemy switch for hostile invaders is covered in our explanation of the Palworld memory leak.

If your server stutters, that is not automatically your mods' fault. Above roughly 24 players you get hitches no matter what: a limit of the game engine, not of your hardware. Our explainer on TPS, MSPT, FPS and ping (your delay to the server) shows how to tell server lag and client lag apart.

How do you install mods without wrecking your world?

The order matters more than the mod does. Install six mods at once, then hit a crash, and you have learned precisely nothing.

1. Back up your save files before you touch anything. This is the step people skip and the one they end up regretting.
2. Shut the server down. Edit files while it is running and your changes get overwritten on restart.
3. Write down which version of the game and of the mod you are using. Without that note you will never work out what broke after an update.
4. Install one mod at a time, start the server and check for yourself that your world loads normally. Only then let your group back in.
5. Repeat for each mod. If something goes wrong, you know exactly which one did it.

Settings that need no mod at all live in PalWorldSettings.ini, which sits in Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/ on a Linux server. Copy DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini into that folder, rename the copy and edit only that copy, which holds roughly 119 settings. The setup is covered step by step in our article on how to host your own Palworld server.

Why do mods break with every game update?

Mods hook into the game files exactly as they are at that moment. When Pocketpair changes those files, the mod's assumptions no longer hold. That is baked into the model. Palworld also gets genuine content updates: Sakurajima added settings for the island of the same name in mid-2025, and Tower of Mercy added settings for scaling raid difficulty in early 2026. After an update like that, open DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini again, because it contains new options your copy does not have yet.

Rule of thumb: if you do not have an hour for your server after a game update, do not run server-side mods.

So plan the maintenance in advance. Agree on who keeps the mods current, do not let an update land on games night, and keep the backup from just before it within reach. A mod that no longer fits is easy to spot: the server refuses to start, or players get kicked out as they connect. More maintenance points are covered in our general Palworld hosting tips.

When is vanilla simply the smarter call?

More often than you would think. Plenty of groups do not actually want mods, they want the game to eat less of their time, and those 119 settings exist for exactly that. The most-used softeners:

• ExpRate at 2 to 3, so your group stays roughly level with each other.
• PalEggDefaultHatchingTime at 5 to 10 instead of the default 72 hours, which is punishing if you play a couple of hours a day.
• DeathPenalty at None, to stop the endless trudge back to your body.
• WorkSpeedRate at 1.5, which indirectly speeds up breeding too because Pals at the breeding farm work faster.

If you want PvP, you switch on three settings together: bIsPvP, bEnablePlayerToPlayerDamage and bEnableDefenseOtherGuildPlayer. Enabling only one does nothing, and that is not a bug that some mod exists to fix.

Choose vanilla if console players are joining, if nobody fancies the maintenance, or if a setting can grant your wish. Choose mods if your whole group is on Steam, somebody keeps them updated, and you want something the settings cannot deliver.

Which MC-Node plan suits a modded server?

Our Palworld plans cost a flat EUR 1.50 per GB of RAM, with 1.25 GB of NVMe storage per GB. You pick on group size and on whether you are running mods.

Playing with three friends and a handful of cosmetic mods? You do not need 32 GB: Gumoss with a scheduled restart is plenty, and Depresso is the safe pick if you plan to grow. The 32 GB class is for server-side mods on top of a busy world, not for peace of mind. In-between sizes: Jolthog 4 GB at EUR 6.00, Fuddler 20 GB at EUR 30.00 and Killamari 28 GB at EUR 42.00.

Two standard features genuinely matter here. In the Pterodactyl panel, scheduled tasks let you set up that anti-memory-leak restart in a minute, and the file manager gets you to your mod folder and your PalWorldSettings.ini without a separate FTP client. Automatic backups run alongside: exactly the step you want already taken before you install a mod. On top of that there is DDoS protection from PletX and our own hardware in Previder PDC2 in Hengelo, alongside Frankfurt, Warsaw and North America. All plans are listed at MC-Node Palworld hosting.

Frequently asked questions

Do Palworld mods work on Xbox or PlayStation 5? No. Xbox and PlayStation 5 cannot load PAK mods or PalSchema, because consoles are not allowed to side-load archives or DLL files. The Game Pass version on PC cannot do it either, since that is a different build (WinGDK). Only the Steam version on PC loads mods.

Do mods go on the server or on every player's machine? That depends on the type. Server-side mods change the world, live on the server and are noticed by everyone. Client-side mods are cosmetic and live with the individual player. Mods that need both sides must be present in the same version on the server and on every PC player's machine.

How much RAM do I need for a modded Palworld server? Count on the 32 GB class. Pocketpair recommends 16 GB for an ordinary dedicated server and 4 to 16 players sit safely on that, but modded servers want 32 GB. For three friends with only cosmetic mods, that is overkill.

Why did my mod stop working after a game update? Mods hook into the game files exactly as they are at that moment, so an update can break those assumptions. Sakurajima in 2025 and Tower of Mercy in 2026 touched the settings as well. So always take a backup before an update.

Can settings alone give me what I expect from a mod? Often, yes. PalWorldSettings.ini holds roughly 119 settings, including ExpRate at 2 to 3 and PalEggDefaultHatchingTime at 5 to 10 instead of 72 hours. Shut the server down before you edit the file, otherwise your changes get overwritten on restart.

Further reading

• Palworld backups: move your world without losing anything
• Palworld server: fixing lag, rubber-banding and stuttering
• Which Palworld server plan suits your group? 4 to 32 GB