How to Start a FiveM Server in 2026 (Step by Step)

Starting a FiveM server is not hard. Picking the right framework, the right host, and not wasting weeks on a stack you will abandon later is the hard part. This guide goes through the actual setup using txAdmin (the recommended method by both Cfx.re and Qbox), explains which framework makes sense for a new server, and covers both paths people take. Build from scratch with free scripts, or start from a premade base.

Quick Answer: To start a FiveM server in 2026, download the latest recommended FiveM artifacts from JG Scripts DB, install MariaDB, run FXServer.exe, and use txAdmin to deploy a recipe like the QBox Framework recipe. Total setup time is around 30 to 60 minutes. If you want a complete roleplay server with 100+ scripts already configured, the Meteo FiveM Server is ready to install in under 30 minutes.

Step 1: Pick Your Frameworklink

A framework is the core layer that handles players, money, jobs, characters, and data. Everything else (scripts, jobs, phones, inventories) builds on top of it. Pick once. Switching later means rebuilding.

ESXlink

ESX is the original framework that most servers used from 2018 to around 2021. It still works. New scripts mostly do not target it anymore. Documentation is dated. The community has moved on. Only use ESX if you already run a server on it or you need a specific ESX-only script.

QBCorelink

QBCore was the default community framework from around 2021 to 2023. It still has the largest paid and free script library because most older releases targeted it first. The problem is it has known security issues, slow update cycles, and weaker documentation than the modern alternatives. New scripts have been moving to QBox.

Only use QBCore if you specifically need a script that has not been ported yet. For a new server, skip it.

QBox (Recommended)link

QBox is a community-driven fork of QBCore. It kept the script compatibility but rebuilt the core to be faster, cleaner, and more secure. It is the framework most new serious server projects are choosing right now.

Reasons QBox makes sense for a new server:

• Better performance under load. Lower resmon usage on the same scripts.
• Active development from a focused team. QBox ships updates regularly.
• Uses ox_lib (a popular FiveM library) and ox_inventory by default. These are the cleanest tools available.
• Backward compatible with most QBCore scripts. You get the QBCore script library on a better core.
• Server-side event validation built in. Better security baseline than vanilla QBCore.

Most QBCore scripts run on QBox unchanged. Some older ones need small tweaks. Worth it.

We covered the security side of this in detail in Why QBox is the Secure Choice Over QBCore in 2026 if you want to go deeper before deciding.

Step 2: Pick Your Pathlink

You have two real ways to launch.

Path A: Build From Scratchlink

Install QBox, add scripts one by one, configure each, and connect them. Full control. Months of work to get to a server people actually want to play on.

If you go this route, you need scripts. Two solid free sources:

• The Cfx.re free releases forum tag. Hundreds of open source scripts posted by community developers. Filter by recency and check the comments for known issues before installing anything.
• The QBox Discord server. The showcase channels have constant releases and previews from QBox devs and the community. Many free, some paid. This is also where you go for help if you get stuck.

For paid scripts, our Top 5 FiveM Script Creators review covers who is actually worth buying from, and How to Find Trusted Places to Buy FiveM Scripts goes into how to avoid the resellers and leaked scripts that fill most of the market.

If you are running QBox specifically, Top 5 Essential QBox Server Scripts for 2026 is the short list of what to install first.

Pick this path if you have dev experience, want a fully unique server, and have months of time.

Path B: Start With a Premade Serverlink

A premade is a complete server package with framework, jobs, phone, inventory, crime systems, and economy already built and connected. You install once. You customize the brand and content. You go live.

Most successful new servers in 2026 start this way. You launch in a week instead of a year. You spend your time on community and content, not config files and dependency errors.

The Meteo FiveM Server V2.0 is built specifically for this. What you get:

• 100+ custom scripts that all talk to each other. Not random forum scripts stitched together.
• Full rename support. Every script can be renamed to your brand. Players never see "Meteo" on your server.
• Translate the whole server to any language by editing one config file. 14+ languages included.
• Live showcase server. Test every feature on try.meteofivem.net before you buy.
• Full documentation and per-feature video guides at docs.meteofivem.net.
• Free installation help if you hit issues during setup.

Pick this path if you want to launch fast and spend your time growing instead of debugging.

Step 3: Choose Your Hostinglink

Two options, and they are not equivalent.

Game Hosting (Easiest)link

A game host gives you a control panel where you upload files and click start. No Linux. No firewall. Good for beginners and for testing.

Cfx.re has a list of officially authorized FiveM hosting partners. These are the ones approved by the platform. As of 2026, the official approved list includes:

• GPORTAL
• Shockbyte
• Nitrado
• Nodecraft
• xREALM
• ZAP-Hosting

If a host is not on that list, they are not officially partnered, no matter what their marketing says.

For 5 to 10 players, 2GB RAM is enough on game hosting. For 30+ players, 4 to 6GB. For 100+, you should already be on a VPS or dedicated machine.

VPS or Dedicated (More Performance, More Control)link

For anything long term, a VPS or dedicated server beats game hosting. You get more performance per dollar, full control over the OS, and no shared resource limits.

The community recommendations on the Cfx.re forum for VPS and dedicated hosting consistently land on:

• OVH and 1of1 for the best built-in DDoS protection.
• Hetzner and Contabo for the best price to performance.
• Vultr, Linode, DigitalOcean for cleaner cloud setups.
• Google Cloud, Azure for enterprise-tier reliability if budget is not a concern.

DDoS protection matters. FiveM servers get attacked. If your host has weak protection, you will lose players during attacks. OVH and 1of1 handle this best at the infrastructure level. You can also layer external DDoS protection on top.

Minimum VPS specs for a serious FiveM server in 2026:

• 4GB RAM minimum (8GB for 50+ players)
• 4 vCPU cores, fast single-thread performance matters more than core count
• 30GB+ SSD storage
• 1Gbps network

Step 4: Install MariaDB and HeidiSQLlink

FiveM servers need a database. Use MariaDB. Do not use XAMPP, the QBox docs explicitly say it is not supported.

Two separate downloads:

• MariaDB from mariadb.org/download. The database server itself. During install, set a root password and remember it.
• HeidiSQL from heidisql.com/download.php. The GUI for managing your database. Easiest way to run SQL files and create databases.

Install both. You can leave the other install defaults if you are not sure what to set.

Step 5: Download the FiveM Artifactslink

Grab the latest recommended build from JG Scripts Artifacts DB. It is a community-maintained database that flags broken artifact builds, so you always get a stable version. Skip the official artifacts page, the newest build there is not always safe to run.

Extract the archive with 7-Zip into a folder named server. Most servers update artifacts once a month to stay on a supported build.

Step 6: Install QBox With txAdmin (Recommended Method)link

txAdmin is the official server management tool that ships with the artifacts. It handles installation, restarts, console access, player management, and recipe deployment. The QBox team officially recommends installing through txAdmin.

1. Open your server folder and run FXServer.exe. txAdmin starts in the console and opens in your browser.
2. Follow the txAdmin first-time setup. You will create an admin login.
3. When asked how to deploy your server, choose Popular Recipes.
4. Select the QBox Framework recipe.
5. txAdmin downloads the QBox framework, the required dependencies, and sets up the resources for you.
6. When the database setup screen comes up, just continue. The defaults work for a standard MariaDB install. Only change them if you set a custom root password or installed MariaDB on a different host.
7. txAdmin imports the database, generates a server.cfg, and finishes deployment.
8. Hit start. Server is live.

This is the cleanest way to get a working QBox server. The QBox docs walk through the same flow with screenshots at docs.qbox.re/installation.

If you bought a premade server like Meteo, the process is similar but uses the included install guide. Upload files, import the SQL, set database credentials in one config file, start. Under 30 minutes.

Step 7: Finish the txAdmin Setuplink

During the recipe deployment, txAdmin will ask you for everything server.cfg needs. You do not have to edit anything manually. The setup walks you through:

• Server name: what shows on the server list
• Server description: short tagline shown in the FiveM client
• Max slots: 48 by default, up to 2048 with Cfx.re Element Club. Set this to 10 or fewer if you want free custom clothing streaming (more on that below).
• License key: your free server license key from the Cfx.re Portal
• Database: leave the defaults. txAdmin auto-fills the standard MariaDB connection. Only change it if you used a custom root password during MariaDB install.

Fill in each field, hit deploy, and txAdmin builds your server.cfg for you. When deployment finishes, start the server from the txAdmin dashboard. Connect through FiveM using your server IP and port. If the console shows green text and no red errors, you are online.

If you ever need to change something later (tags, locale, extra resources, custom convars), you can edit server.cfg directly through the txAdmin file editor. For most setups you will not need to touch it manually.

Heads Up on Custom Clothing and Slotslink

FiveM only allows free custom clothing streaming on servers with 10 or fewer slots. Set sv_maxclients to 10 or under and you can stream custom clothing, vehicle textures, and more without paying anything. Bump it past 10 and you will need a paid Element Club subscription (Argentum is €15 a month for 64 slots, Aurum and Platinum go higher).

If you are just starting out, stay at 10 slots and use the free tier until you outgrow it. We covered the full breakdown in How to Stream Custom Clothing on FiveM for Free.

Common Setup Issueslink

"Server artifacts outdated" on the list. Your artifacts are older than the current supported build. Grab the latest recommended build from JG Scripts DB and replace the files.

Database connection failed. Wrong credentials in the framework config, or MariaDB is not running. Check the host (127.0.0.1 not localhost if you hit issues), username, password, and that the MariaDB service is started.

Resources will not start. Wrong order in server.cfg. ox_lib has to start before anything that depends on it. The framework has to start before scripts that need it.

Server crashes on join. Almost always a script error. Check the console for the red error and the resource name. Usually a missing dependency or a SQL table that did not import.

txAdmin recipe install fails. Most common cause is wrong MariaDB credentials or MariaDB not running yet. Start the MariaDB service, restart txAdmin, run the recipe again.

Next Stepslink

Once your server boots, the work shifts from setup to content and community. Pick your scripts carefully. The Top 5 Essential QBox Server Scripts for 2026 covers what to install first if you are going the QBox route, and How to Find Trusted Places to Buy FiveM Scripts helps you avoid the resellers that dominate the market.

If you are still deciding between building from scratch and starting with a premade base, the easiest move is to try the Meteo showcase server for free. See how the systems fit together, then decide which path makes more sense for what you want to build.

Sources

• QBox Installation Guide
• Cfx.re Official Server Hosting Page
• Cfx.re Community Hosting Recommendations
• Cfx.re Free Releases Tag
• QBox Discord
• MariaDB Official Downloads
• HeidiSQL Downloads
• JG Scripts Artifacts DB
• Meteo FiveM Server Documentation