To start a FiveM server you need a hosting plan with enough RAM for your resources, the FiveM server software installed, and your resources (like ESX or QBCore) uploaded. With NodeHarbor, provisioning is automated, so the server is created for you after payment is confirmed.
1. Choose a plan that fits
Start with enough RAM for your intended player count and resources — most communities begin at 4 GB and grow. You can upgrade later without re-provisioning from scratch.
2. Place your order
Pick a plan and place the order. Payment is confirmed (bank transfer on our manual flow), and automated provisioning creates your FiveM server — typically within 2–5 minutes.
3. Open your panel
After provisioning you get access to the NodeHarbor panel for that server, with a console, file manager and restart/status controls.
4. Upload your resources
- ✓Use the file manager to upload your resources folder (or a framework like ESX or QBCore).
- ✓Add the resource names to your server.cfg.
- ✓Start or restart the server from the console.
- ✓Check the console log for errors and confirm the resources load cleanly.
Common first-run issues are missing resource dependencies and small mistakes in server.cfg. Read the console output — FiveM tells you exactly which resource failed and why.
Next steps
Once your server is up, set your community rules, configure your framework, and invite players. A good baseline RAM choice from day one avoids re-buying hardware later.