FiveM servers are coming soon
Cfx.re only lets hosts it has authorized sell FiveM servers, and servers on other hosts get blocked. FiveM opens on Wilderack the day Cfx.re approves us as a hosting partner. These guides are ready for the day we open.
To make a FiveM server, you need a free license key from the Cfx.re Portal, a plan with enough RAM for your scripts, and a starting setup such as a plain server or a roleplay framework. You add the key, start the server, and your friends join from FiveM with the address on Overview.
FiveM servers can’t be ordered on Wilderack yet. This guide shows how it will work when they open. Everything about FiveM itself, like keys, frameworks and rules, applies to any FiveM server.
What you need
- A Cfx.re account and a license key. Every FiveM server needs a key tied to the owner’s Cfx.re account. It’s free. The license key guide walks you through it.
- A PC copy of GTA V for every player, plus the free FiveM client from
fivem.net. FiveM doesn’t run on consoles. - A plan with enough RAM (the server’s memory). Scripts use most of it, so it depends on what you run:
| Your server | Players | Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Freeroam, drift or racing with a few scripts | Up to 32 | 4 GB |
| Roleplay with QBCore, ESX or Qbox | Up to 48 | 8 GB |
| Big roleplay server with many custom cars, maps and clothes | 48 or more | 12 GB or more |
The performance guide explains what uses the most.
Pick how your server starts
FiveM’s server comes with txAdmin, a tool that builds a server from a “recipe”. A recipe downloads the scripts (FiveM calls them resources), writes the server.cfg file and, for frameworks, sets up the database. When you create the server, you pick one:
| Start with | Good for | Needs a database |
|---|---|---|
| A plain server | Your own scripts, or learning how FiveM works | No |
| QBCore | Roleplay with jobs, gangs, housing and a big library of scripts | Yes |
| ESX Legacy | Roleplay, one of the oldest and most used frameworks | Yes |
| Qbox | Roleplay, a newer framework that runs most QBCore scripts | Yes |
Frameworks keep characters, money and inventories in a database (MariaDB). Pick your framework early. Switching later means starting the economy again, because each framework stores players differently.
Create your server
When FiveM opens on Wilderack, these are the steps:
- Pick FiveM from the game list.
- Pick a recipe from the table above.
- Pick a plan. 8 GB is the safe choice for any roleplay framework.
- Pick the region closest to most of your players: EU or US East.
- Choose a name. It becomes your address, like
northbay.play.wilderack.com. Names use 3 to 32 characters: lowercase letters, numbers and hyphens. - Paste your license key into the license key field. It’s write-only: the panel shows that a key is set, but never shows it again.
Don’t use Rockstar’s names or logos in your server’s name or branding. Rockstar’s rules forbid it. See rules for FiveM server owners.
The first start
The server files (FiveM calls them artifacts) download from Cfx.re. We never ship them ourselves. The recipe then downloads its resources from GitHub and sets up the database.
A plain server starts in under a minute. A framework recipe takes a few minutes the first time, because it downloads many resources. Watch the Console. When the key works, it prints Server license key authentication succeeded. If it shows a license key error instead, see common errors.
Set up your server list entry
Your server’s name, tagline, description, language, tags, banner and icon in the FiveM server list come from the Cfx.re Portal, not from your server files. You fill most of them in when you create the key. To change them later:
- Open
portal.cfx.re/servers/registration-keysand sign in. - Pick your server under Active.
- Choose Edit Server Details, change what you want, then Save Changes.
Name, tagline, description and language are required. You can add up to five tags, with no spaces in them.
Make yourself admin
FiveM has two kinds of admin, and most owners use both:
-
txAdmin admin. Admins listed in txAdmin’s admin manager can type
/txin chat to open txAdmin’s in-game menu. It kicks, bans, teleports and spawns cars. Each admin needs their Cfx.re or Discord account linked to their txAdmin login. -
ACE permissions in
server.cfg. These lines give a player FiveM’s admin group:add_ace group.admin command allow add_principal identifier.fivem:1234567 group.adminSwap
1234567for your own FiveM ID. txAdmin’s player page shows every ID of a player who has joined. Frameworks often add their own admin groups too, so check your framework’s docs.
Invite friends
- To play: share the address from the address card on Overview. The connect guide has the steps.
- To help run it: open Friends and make an invite link with a role. Admin can do almost everything, Moderator can use the console and restart, and Builder can upload resources and edit files.
Sleeping and FiveM
FiveM servers stay awake by default. Roleplay communities expect their city to be open all day, and a sleeping server drops out of the FiveM server list. You can change this under Settings > Sleep. A sleeping FiveM server wakes when someone connects by address. How to connect explains more.
What to read next
- Your FiveM license key: create it, add it and get more slots.
- Rules for FiveM server owners: what Rockstar requires, especially if you take money.
- FiveM resources and frameworks: add scripts, cars and maps.
- FiveM server.cfg reference: every important setting.
Questions
Do my friends need GTA V to join my FiveM server?
Yes. Every player needs their own legal copy of GTA V on PC and the free FiveM client from fivem.net. FiveM servers run FiveM Legacy, which needs GTA V Legacy, unless the server runs FiveM for GTA V Enhanced, which needs GTA V Enhanced.
Is a FiveM license key free?
Yes. You create it for free on the Cfx.re Portal with your Cfx.re account. You only pay Cfx.re if you want more than 48 player slots, which needs an Element Club subscription.
How much RAM does a FiveM server need?
Plan on 4 GB for a small freeroam or vMenu server, 8 GB for a roleplay framework like QBCore, ESX or Qbox, and more for big servers with many custom cars and maps.
Can PlayStation or Xbox players join a FiveM server?
No. FiveM only runs on Windows PCs with the PC version of GTA V. There is no console version.
