Most Discord bots need very little resources. A small VPS or managed bot hosting plan is enough to run a bot 24/7.
How Much Resources Does a Bot Need?
| Bot Type | RAM | CPU | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple moderation bot | 64-128 MB | Minimal | 100 MB |
| Music bot | 256-512 MB | Low | 500 MB |
| Economy bot with database | 128-512 MB | Low | 1-5 GB |
| Large community bot (1000+ servers) | 512 MB - 2 GB | Moderate | 5-20 GB |
| Sharded bot (10,000+ servers) | 2-8 GB | Multiple cores | 10-50 GB |
Best Options
Managed Bot Hosting (Easiest)
Space-Node Discord bot hosting:
- Free plan: 64 MB RAM, 1 GB SSD (perfect for simple bots)
- Middle: 0.50 EUR/month, 512 MB RAM
- Large: 1.00 EUR/month, 1 GB RAM
No server management needed. Upload your bot, it runs.
VPS (Full Control)
| Provider | Cheapest Plan | RAM | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Space-Node VPS-XS | 3.40 EUR/mo | 2 GB | Netherlands |
| Hetzner CX22 | 3.99 EUR/mo | 2 GB | Germany |
With a VPS you can run multiple bots, databases, and other services on one server.
Setup on VPS
Node.js Bot
# Install Node.js
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_20.x | sudo bash -
sudo apt install nodejs
# Clone and run your bot
git clone your-repo
cd your-bot
npm install
npm install -g pm2
pm2 start index.js --name mybot
pm2 save
pm2 startup
Python Bot
# Install Python
sudo apt install python3 python3-pip python3-venv
# Set up and run
cd your-bot
python3 -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate
pip install -r requirements.txt
pm2 start "python3 bot.py" --name mybot
FAQ
Do I need a VPS for a Discord bot? Not necessarily. Managed bot hosting (like Space-Node's free plan) is easier for single bots.
How do I keep my bot online 24/7? Use PM2 (process manager) or systemd to auto-restart your bot if it crashes.
What language should I use? Node.js (discord.js) or Python (discord.py, Pycord). Both work well.
Related: Free Discord bot hosting, discord.py alternatives, Discord bot PM2 guide