Nakama Hosting Live In 5 Minutes

Nakama hosting on xCloud gives you a self-hosted game server backend on your own domain. Deploy Nakama and xCloud runs the pinned official image beside a private PostgreSQL, applies the database migrations at start, generates the server key, session keys and console password, publishes the client API over HTTPS and WebSocket, keeps the admin console off the public internet, and stores game data and runtime modules on persistent volumes.

Deploy your Nakama

No terminal
No technical skills needed
No lock-in, cancel anytime

What is Nakama?

Self-hosted Nakama is an open-source game server and backend. Upstream lists user accounts through social networks, email or device ID, storage, friends and groups, chat, real-time or turn-based multiplayer, leaderboards, tournaments, parties, purchase validation, in-app notifications and a matchmaker, with runtime code in Lua, TypeScript or JavaScript, or native Go. It is Apache-2.0 licensed, and it is a self-hosted alternative to a hosted game backend such as PlayFab.

On xCloud the template runs heroiclabs/nakama 3.41.0 beside PostgreSQL 17.6, both pinned by digest. Port 7350 serves the client API and WebSocket at your domain, while the admin console on port 7351 is bound to the server only, so you reach it over an SSH tunnel. The nakama_db and nakama_data volumes hold game data and your custom runtime modules.

From Sign-Up to a Live Nakama Backend In Just 3 Easy Steps

Self-hosting a game backend normally means a database, generated keys, an HTTPS/WebSocket endpoint and a locked-down console before a single client can connect. This is the same result without assembling any of it.

Step 01
Sign Up
Create your xCloud account, pick Nakama from the OneClick catalog, and choose a domain. No extra fields — xCloud generates the credentials.
Step 02
We Deploy It For You
One click. We bring up the pinned Nakama 3.41.0 image with a private PostgreSQL 17.6 database, run first-start migrations, and publish the client API over HTTPS/WebSocket on your domain.
Step 03
Connect Your Game And The Console
Save the client server key, console password and runtime HTTP key from the protected installation credentials. Point your game client at the HTTPS host with SSL enabled, and reach the admin console only through an SSH tunnel to its port.

A Multiplayer Game Backend: Everything Nakama Does

Nakama runs in full here — accounts, multiplayer and social features, on infrastructure you control.

Accounts, Multiplayer And Social Features
Real-time multiplayer, chat, friends and groups, leaderboards and storage from one backend.
Server-Side Runtime Code
Write custom logic in Go, Lua or TypeScript, loaded from a persistent runtime-modules volume.
HTTPS And WebSocket Client API
The client API is served over HTTPS and WebSocket — QA verified the WebSocket upgrade through the proxy returns 101.
Generated Keys At Install Time
Server key, session keys and console password are all generated for you — no default credentials to forget.
Anonymous Usage Reporting Disabled
Nakama's anonymous usage reporting to Heroic Labs is turned off on this template.
Restart-Safe Player Data
QA verified the same user id and the same stored object were present after an xCloud Restart.

Everything You Need To Run Your Your Backend, Always On

Managed hosting for Nakama, so the parts that keep it online are not your problem.

Nakama 3.41.0 deployed instantly
Private PostgreSQL database included
Generated server and session keys
HTTPS/WebSocket client API
Server backups and snapshots
Server security updates included
30+ server locations
Unused balance refunded

What You Can Do With Nakama

Add accounts and a social layer to a game
A studio registers players by device ID, email or social login and gives them friends, groups and chat from one backend.
Run real-time or turn-based multiplayer
A developer hosts matches and a matchmaker on their own server, with the WebSocket endpoint at the domain.
Keep leaderboards and tournaments
A team runs dynamic or seasonal leaderboards and tournaments, and stores player records in collections inside PostgreSQL.
Extend the server with your own code
A developer drops Lua, JavaScript or Go runtime modules into the data volume and restarts Nakama to load them.

Nakama vs Alternatives

PlayFab: PlayFab is a hosted game backend. As a Nakama alternative to PlayFab, accounts, storage and matches live on a server you control, with the data in your own PostgreSQL.
Parse Server: Parse Server is a general app backend with its own OneClick page. Nakama vs Parse Server: Nakama is built for games, with multiplayer, a matchmaker, leaderboards and tournaments.
Supabase: Supabase is a Postgres-based backend platform with its own OneClick page. Nakama is game-specific, with real-time multiplayer and social features built in.
PocketBase: PocketBase is a single-file backend with its own OneClick page. Nakama suits games that need matchmaking, parties and server-side runtime code.

Simple Pricing. Everything Included.

Dedicated Cloud VPS sizes, pre-configured for Nakama hosting. Pick the one that fits, and resize any time.

Cloud VPS 6 GB

Cloud VPS 16 GB

More concurrent players and match traffic.

$59.99per month

16 GB RAM
6 vCPU cores
200 GB NVMe SSD
30 TB
Unlimited

Get started

Cloud VPS 24 GB

Nakama alongside a whole self-hosted stack.

$84.99per month

24 GB RAM
8 vCPU cores
300 GB NVMe SSD
30 TB
Unlimited

Get started

Every size is a dedicated Cloud VPS we provision, patch, monitor and restore. Billed monthly with no lock-in — delete the server and the unused balance comes back to your account. Nakama itself is free and Apache-2.0 licensed.

Docker hosting

Already Have a Server? Bring Your Own

Connect any VPS — DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, AWS, Hetzner or bare metal — and deploy Nakama on it through the same panel, for a per-server management fee instead of a Cloud VPS rental.

Free

Start your journey without cost.

$0forever

1 server
10 sites

Start free

Starter

Professional

The same platform, discounted at 6–10 servers.

$4per server / month

6–10 servers
Unlimited sites
All features included
Bring any VPS provider

Get started

Agency

The same platform, discounted at 11+ servers.

$3per server / month

11+ servers
Unlimited sites
All features included
Bring any VPS provider

Get started

Priced per connected server, so your rate adjusts automatically as you add or remove servers. You pay your own provider for the server itself.

Self-managed hosting

Ready To Own Your Game Backend?

Nakama on xCloud runs on a dedicated Cloud VPS that we provision, patch, monitor and restore. Deploy faster. Own the server. Stay in control.

Fast Provisioning
Deploy faster using an xCloud Managed Server built with optimized stacks and high-speed SSDs.
Enterprise-grade security
Protect your infrastructure with a free SSL certificate and more advanced security features at no additional cost.
Intuitive Control Panel
From Server creation to application deployment, everything can be managed from our intuitive control panel.

Hear what people are saying about us

See why agencies, developers, startups, and growing businesses choose xCloud to power their projects.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have.

Is Nakama free and open source?

Yes. Nakama is licensed Apache-2.0, so the software has no licence fee and its source is public. You pay xCloud for the dedicated Cloud VPS that runs it. The template adds no paid Nakama tier and switches off anonymous usage reporting to Heroic Labs.

Can I run Nakama with Docker?

Yes, and this template is Nakama Docker hosting without the assembly. It starts heroiclabs/nakama 3.41.0 beside PostgreSQL 17.6, both pinned by digest, runs the database migration at every start, proxies port 7350 behind HTTPS and WebSocket, and mounts two volumes.

How much RAM does Nakama need?

The manifest asks for 1 GB of RAM, two CPU cores and 10 GB of disk. This page sells the 6 GB Cloud VPS for a Nakama cloud install, with room above that floor. Upstream gives no hard minimum, so budget more for large player counts.

How do I connect a game client to Nakama?

Configure the client with your site host, port 443, SSL enabled, and the client server key from the installation credentials. For the JavaScript client that is a Client constructed with the server key, the domain, port 443 and SSL set to true.

Is the Nakama admin console public?

No. The console can read and modify all player data, so it is bound to the server's loopback and not published. Reach it through an SSH tunnel to the console port, open it locally, and sign in as admin with the generated console password.

Is the Nakama server key a secret?

No. The client API is public by design, and the server key is embedded in game builds. Anyone who knows it can register accounts and call the API. Protect game logic with player authentication and server-side checks, not with the key.

Can I add custom server code to Nakama?

Yes. Upstream supports runtime code in Lua, TypeScript or JavaScript, and native Go. Put modules under the modules folder of the nakama_data volume and restart Nakama to load them. Test changes on a copy of your data first.

How do I back up Nakama?

Back up the nakama_db volume, preferably with pg_dump inside the database container, and the nakama_data volume with your runtime modules. Keep the generated keys with the backup: restoring a database with different session keys signs all players out. Test a restore first.

Backup and Restore Docker Apps

How do I update Nakama?

Your install stays on its pinned 3.41.0 version until you adopt a newer template version. Back up both volumes and the keys first, and read the upstream release notes. Nakama runs its database migration at start. Afterwards connect a test client and sign in.

Can I cancel anytime?

Yes. There is no lock-in — cancel any time. Hosting is billed monthly and charged for what you actually use, so when you delete the server the unused balance is refunded to your account, less up to 10% in payment-processing fees.