How to start your own RedM server
Live data · last refresh 21 Oct 2026, 08:44 UTC · numbers update every 10 minutes from the public Cfx.re server list
Running a RedM server is free to start and takes an evening to set up. Getting players is the hard part — so this guide starts with what the live numbers say.
The reality check (live)
Only 13 RedM servers have more than 48 players online right now — the default player cap (see step 5). Plan for a niche (language, style, schedule) rather than competing head-on with the giants. Live breakdown: best RedM RP servers.
1. Get a server registration key
Sign in to the Cfx.re Portal and create a server registration key under Servers → Server Registration Keys; it goes in your server.cfg as sv_licenseKey. RedM and FiveM use the same kind of key [Cfx support].
2. Install FXServer and txAdmin
RedM servers run the same FXServer build ("artifacts") as FiveM, and txAdmin — the web panel bundled with FXServer — walks you through setup with a "recipe" [Cfx docs]. Most hosts can install it for you.
3. Make it a RedM server
What turns FXServer into a RedM server is the game name in server.cfg: set gamename rdr3 (otherwise it runs as a GTA V server). In txAdmin, pick a RedM recipe such as "CFX Default RedM" [Nodecraft KB].
4. Choose a framework
Most RedM roleplay servers run VORP or RSG Core. See VORP vs RSG Core for live usage numbers and the technical differences.
5. Pick hosting and a player cap
By default a server supports up to 48 players; going higher requires a Cfx.re Element Club subscription [redm.net]. You can self-host on a VPS or use a game host that sets up txAdmin for you — we compare hosts on the official Cfx.re partner list here (affiliate links, clearly marked).
6. Know the monetization rules
If you plan to sell anything, read the Platform License Agreement first; Cfx.re names Tebex as its monetization partner [redm.net].
7. Get listed and get found
Once your server is public it appears on RPLookout automatically within 10 minutes. Set a clear sv_projectName, sv_projectDesc, tags and locale — they're what players (and lists like this one) see. Then find your server and claim it for the Verified badge, or see featured slots for launch week.
How we got these numbers
Everything on this page is computed from the public Cfx.re server list (the same list the in-game browser uses), which RPLookout reads every 10 minutes. "Players" means players online at the last refresh; "7-day avg" is the average of our 10-minute samples over the last 7 days (it starts from when we first saw a server); "7-day peak" is the highest sample. Language comes from each server's own locale setting, allowlist status from its sv_appearAllowlisted flag or a "whitelist" tag, and frameworks are detected from tags and the server's public resource list. RedM/FiveM "RP" lists include servers tagged roleplay or running a known roleplay framework. "Best" here means most played — we don't review gameplay. Rankings are never for sale; promoted slots elsewhere on the site are labelled Sponsored and never appear in these tables.
RPLookout is an independent fan site and is not affiliated with, approved, sponsored or endorsed by Rockstar Games, Take-Two Interactive or Cfx.re.