Best Palworld Server Plugins (Server-Side Mods) and How to Install Them

The best Palworld server plugin is the package that is explicitly built for a dedicated Windows server, declares an IsServer:true install rule, meets your server revision, and has a tested backup and rollback path. Pocketpair’s documentation generally calls these add-ons server-side mods or packages, not plugins. There is no verified universal ranking of individual packages, and installing a client-only mod will not make it work on a server.

This guide explains how to evaluate packages, install them safely, identify the exact manifest value that activates them, understand where each loader deploys files, and recover when a package fails.

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What “server plugins” mean in Palworld

In community discussions, “plugin” can mean almost any Palworld modification. Pocketpair’s current terminology is more precise: a package is a distributable mod with an Info.json manifest, and a server-side mod is a package containing rules for deployment on a dedicated server. The package may contain native UE4SS files, Lua scripts, PalSchema data, LogicMods, or Unreal pak files.

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The distinction matters because a mod made only for a client installation is not automatically usable on a dedicated server. Pocketpair states that only mods built to run on servers work on the server. A package can also require matching files on every player’s client, so “server-side” does not always mean “players install nothing.”

Use the package’s manifest as the authority. A Workshop display name, download-folder name, or numeric Workshop ID is not the value used for activation. The server reads the exact, case-sensitive PackageName in the package’s root Info.json.

Platform support and the risks you must accept

Pocketpair’s current guide says server-side mods work only on a dedicated server running the Windows edition. A Linux dedicated server can still be installed and started, but official server-mod support is not established for it. A community PalMods guide summarizes the limitation as “Official Linux server mods are not supported.” Do not treat a successful Linux server launch as evidence that a package is supported there.

Pocketpair also warns that mods may cause save-data corruption or crashes. A package can alter world data even when you later disable its loader. Treat every first installation as a change to the save, not as a reversible visual tweak.

How to decide which Palworld package is “best”

Because no researched source verifies a universal ranking of individual Palworld server packages, choose by evidence rather than by a popularity label. Score a candidate against the following checks before placing it on a live world.

Dedicated-server compatibility

Open the package’s Info.json and inspect every InstallRule. At least one intended rule must include IsServer:true. If the manifest contains only client rules, the package is not a server package, even if its download page mentions multiplayer.

Loader and runtime chain

Identify what the package actually deploys. UE4SS, Lua, PalSchema, LogicMods, and Paks use different destinations and can have different failure modes. A package that depends on a framework must list that framework in Dependencies; stage and activate the dependency as well.

Revision and version information

Check MinRevision against the revision of the dedicated server you are running. Also record the package’s Version. A package that has no stated compatibility range or has not been updated for your server revision is a higher-risk choice than one with a clear manifest and maintenance history.

Client requirements

Read the install rules for client files. Some packages are genuinely server-only; others require a matching package on every player’s game installation. Tell players exactly what they must install before they connect, and test a connection from a clean client.

Measurable value for your server

Define the problem first. An administration package should reduce an identified moderation or monitoring task. A quality-of-life package should remove a specific friction point without undermining progression. A content package should state what it adds and how it affects existing saves. Avoid a package whose claimed benefit cannot be observed in a controlled test world.

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Recovery documentation

The best-supported package explains its dependencies, install rules, logs, update process, and removal process. Prefer a package for which you can identify the files it deploys and the save data it may touch. A short download description is not a substitute for a rollback procedure.

Requirements before you install anything

• A dedicated Palworld server running the Windows edition if you intend to use official server-side mod support.
• Permission to stop and restart the server process and edit its files.
• A clean first launch, so the server generates Mods/PalModSettings.ini.
• A backup location outside the live server directory, such as a separate drive.
• The package archives, their dependencies, and the manifest values copied from each root Info.json.
• A test copy of the world for the first startup and behavior check.

Install a Palworld server package step by step

1. Deploy the dedicated server

Pocketpair documents installation through Steam or SteamCMD. SteamCMD downloads app ID 2394010. On Windows, the server starts with PalServer.exe. On Linux, the executable is PalServer.sh, but the official server-mod limitation still applies to Linux.

2. Launch once, then stop cleanly

Start the Windows server once without changing package files. This first run creates the Mods/PalModSettings.ini configuration. Shut the process down using the normal server shutdown path and verify that it has exited before editing files. Do not copy packages while the server is writing its world.

3. Back up the world and configuration

Copy the world saves, PalWorldSettings, PalModSettings, and the current package set to storage outside the live server directory. Keep the backup dated and retain the pre-mod copy until the new package has survived a startup, player connection, save, clean shutdown, and reload. An external hard drive or SSD is suitable for this purpose; the important property is that a failed deployment cannot overwrite the only copy.

4. Stage one package per folder

Under the server’s Mods/Workshop directory, create a separate child folder for each package. Put the package contents in that folder with Info.json directly at the package root:

Mods/Workshop/<your-folder>/Info.json

Do not bury the manifest in an extra archive or nested directory. Folder names are organizational only; they do not determine activation. You can name a folder for readability, but the name need not match PackageName.

5. Validate the manifest before activation

Open each package’s root Info.json and record these fields:

• PackageName: the exact case-sensitive activation string.
• Version: the package release that will be deployed.
• MinRevision: the minimum server revision required.
• Dependencies: packages or frameworks that must also be present.
• InstallRule: the destination and whether the rule includes IsServer:true.

Resolve dependencies before starting the server. Every required dependency needs its own staged folder and active entry, unless the package documentation explicitly says the dependency is bundled.

6. Enable the global loader and package list

Edit Mods/PalModSettings.ini. Set the global switch to true and add one ActiveModList line for each package, using the exact PackageName from its manifest:

[PalModSettings]
bGlobalEnableMod=true
ActiveModList=ExampleCore
ActiveModList=ExampleServerRules

Replace the example values; do not use a Workshop title, a folder name, or a numeric Workshop ID. Add dependencies as separate active entries. Keep the spelling and capitalization unchanged.

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7. Restart and verify deployment

Restart the server after saving the configuration. The loader creates Mods/ManagedMods/<PackageName>/InstallManifest.json and deploys files according to the package’s install rules. Inspect that generated manifest and the server log to confirm that the package was recognized rather than merely copied into Mods/Workshop.

8. Test on a copied world

Before exposing the package to players, run a controlled test:

1. Start the copied world and confirm the server reaches a normal ready state.
2. Connect with a client that has any required matching files.
3. Exercise the package’s advertised behavior, including its edge cases.
4. Save the world, shut down cleanly, and start it again.
5. Check that the behavior remains present and that no new errors or crashes appear.
6. Only then repeat the installation on the production world, after taking a fresh backup.

Where Palworld deploys each package type

Pocketpair’s documented deployment map explains where to look when a package is recognized but its feature is absent.

The {PackageName} notation above means the actual manifest value for that package. It is not a literal folder name with braces.

Dependencies, revisions, and client files

A package can be correctly listed in ActiveModList and still fail because its runtime chain is incomplete. Start with the manifest rather than guessing from the folder layout.

Dependencies

For every item in Dependencies, stage the required package, confirm its own IsServer:true rule where applicable, and add its exact PackageName as another active entry. Keep the dependency version compatible with the package that calls it. Removing a dependency folder while a listed package still requires it can prevent deployment or cause a startup failure.

Minimum revision

Compare each package’s MinRevision with the dedicated server build. Updating the server can make an older package invalid; updating a package can raise its minimum revision. Record both values in your change notes so a later rollback restores a compatible pair rather than only one side.

Client-side requirements

Read all install rules, not only the first one. If a rule specifies client files, every player needs the matching client package and compatible version. Test with a client that does not have the files to confirm the failure mode, then document the required installation for your community. Do not assume that a package with a server rule is completely invisible to clients.

Updating, disabling, and removing a package

Updating

When a package’s Info.json Version changes, restart the server. The loader redeploys the new version and removes the old deployment. Back up the world and the previous package set first, and verify the generated managed-mod directory after the restart.

Disabling temporarily

Remove the package’s exact PackageName from ActiveModList and restart. This stops activation but does not remove the staged package from Mods/Workshop. It also does not undo changes already written to the world.

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Deleting files

Delete a staged package folder only after no active package depends on it. Keep an archived copy until the test world and production backup have been validated. Removing files first can turn a recoverable configuration mistake into a dependency failure.

Emergency startup

Start the server with -NoMods when you need to isolate a package-related startup problem. This disables all packages for that launch; it does not remove staged packages and does not reverse world-data changes. Once the server starts, restore the backup or correct the configuration before attempting a normal modded launch.

Troubleshooting: why a package is not loading

Check the following in order. Each item eliminates a common failure without changing several variables at once.

The server starts but no package feature appears

1. Open Mods/PalModSettings.ini and confirm bGlobalEnableMod=true.
2. Compare every ActiveModList value character by character with the root Info.json PackageName, including capitalization.
3. Confirm the package folder is directly under Mods/Workshop and that Info.json is at its root.
4. Inspect Mods/ManagedMods/<PackageName>/InstallManifest.json after a restart.
5. Look in the server log for a deployment or dependency error.

The package is ignored during deployment

Check that at least one intended InstallRule includes IsServer:true. A client-only rule will not deploy a server package. Then compare MinRevision with the running server and verify that every dependency is staged, active, and compatible.

The server crashes after adding a package

Stop repeated normal launches. Restore the pre-install backup, or launch once with -NoMods to isolate the loader. If the unmodded launch succeeds, re-enable packages one at a time on a copied world. Keep the package that reproduces the crash disabled until its author documents a compatible revision or fix.

Players cannot connect

Check whether the package’s install rules require matching client files. Confirm that all players use the required package version and that the server and clients are on compatible game revisions. A server-only package should not be used as evidence that a client package is unnecessary.

The old behavior remains after disabling

Removing an active entry prevents another deployment, but it does not roll back world data already changed by the package. Restore the dated pre-mod world backup if the package altered progression or save structures. Do not delete the backup until the restored world has been tested through a complete save and reload.

A practical shortlist by server goal

Since no source establishes a reliable “top ten” ranking, build your shortlist around the job the server needs done:

• Administration: prioritize clear permission handling, logs, and a documented server install rule.
• Quality of life: require a reproducible benefit and verify that it does not silently alter progression or player inventories.
• Progression: demand explicit save-data behavior, a rollback explanation, and a test-world procedure.
• Content: check client distribution requirements, pak deployment, and compatibility with existing worlds.

For each candidate, save a copy of Info.json, write down the exact PackageName, dependencies, minimum revision, version, install destinations, and client requirements. That record is more useful than a popularity score when the server is updated or a package has to be removed.

Operational checklist

• Windows dedicated server selected for official server-side mod support.
• Server launched once and stopped cleanly.
• World, settings, and package backups stored outside the live directory.
• Each package staged in its own Mods/Workshop child folder.
• Info.json placed directly at each package root.
• PackageName, Version, MinRevision, dependencies, and install rules checked.
• At least one intended rule marked IsServer:true.
• bGlobalEnableMod=true set.
• Exact, case-sensitive package names and dependencies listed in ActiveModList.
• Generated managed manifest and server logs inspected after restart.
• Copied world tested through connection, save, shutdown, and reload.
• Production backup retained after the first successful test.

The safest “best plugin” choice is therefore not the package with the loudest title. It is the one whose manifest proves dedicated-server support, whose dependency and revision chain you can satisfy, whose client requirements you can distribute, and whose world changes you can recover from. Apply that standard before every installation and before every update.

Quick Recap

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