Short answer: a Roblox private server is a feature inside a Roblox experience. You pay Robux to keep a server that only you and the people you invite can join, and Roblox runs it. A Roblox VPS is a Windows computer in a datacenter that you rent to run the Roblox app, Roblox Studio or OBS. They solve different problems. If you just want to play a game with your friends and no strangers, you need a private server, not a VPS.
What a private server is
Roblox explains it in its Private / VIP Servers FAQ: "If the experience creator has enabled private servers on their experience, you can use Robux to purchase a private server you can enjoy with friends you invite."
The details that matter:
- It belongs to one experience. You find it under Servers on that experience's page, and only if the creator turned the feature on.
- You pay in Robux, every month. "Private server prices are in Robux and set by the experience creator", with a first charge and then "a recurring monthly charge on the same date of each month to keep it active".
- You choose who gets in. You can allow up to 50 individual users or your friends list, or share a link. For players under 13, Roblox limits private servers to friends by default.
- Roblox hosts it. There is nothing to install or run on your side.
"VIP server" is the older name for the same feature, which is why Roblox's article is called Private / VIP Servers.
What a Roblox VPS is
A Roblox VPS, or cloud PC, is a whole Windows computer that runs somewhere else. You connect to it from your own device and use it like a PC: install Roblox, open Roblox Studio, run OBS. It has nothing to do with a specific experience, and you pay for it in euros, not Robux.
One thing to know before you rent one: Roblox Player only starts on a virtual machine that has a real graphics card passed through to it. On an ordinary VPS it stops with "Virtual machine detected". We explain why in Roblox Virtual Machine Detected: What It Means.
Which one you need
- You want to play an experience with friends, without strangers: a private server in that experience. No VPS needed.
- You want to build in Roblox Studio but have no Windows PC or Mac: a VPS or cloud PC. Studio only runs on Windows and macOS.
- You want to play the Windows version of Roblox from a phone, tablet or Chromebook: a cloud PC with its own graphics.
- You want to stream Roblox with OBS without loading your own PC: a cloud PC with a graphics card and OBS.
- You want to host your own Roblox game server: neither. Roblox runs the servers of every experience itself, and there is no way to host one yourself.
When you need both
The two can work together. If you play on a cloud PC, you join your private server exactly as you would on a PC at home: it is still bought in Robux inside the experience, and the cloud PC is only the computer you play on.
What it costs
A private server costs whatever the experience creator sets, paid monthly from your Robux balance. Some experiences offer them for free.
A cloud PC is a monthly bill in euros. At Space-Node our Roblox VPS plans are Studio Starter at €19.99 a month for Roblox Studio, the Roblox Cloud PC at €49.99 for playing Roblox itself, and Creator + Stream at €79.99 for playing and streaming with OBS. Prices include VAT.
FAQ
Can I host a Roblox server on a VPS?
No. Roblox hosts the servers of every experience itself. A VPS can run the Roblox app, Roblox Studio or OBS, but not a Roblox game server.
Is a VIP server the same as a private server?
Yes. VIP server is the older name. Roblox's help article covers both under one title.
Can I use my private server from a cloud PC?
Yes. A cloud PC runs the normal Roblox app, so you open the experience, go to Servers and join your private server the same way you would at home.
Do I need a VPS to play Roblox with friends?
No. Any device that runs Roblox can join friends, and a private server keeps strangers out. A VPS only helps when the computer itself is the problem.
Sources
- Roblox Support: Private / VIP Servers FAQ
- Roblox Support: Anti-cheat Messages
- Roblox Creator Hub: Studio setup