WoW Private Servers in Numbers 2026
Private Server Hub lists 89 World of Warcraft private servers: 65 are online, 7 are announced or in testing and 17 have closed. The 49 online servers that publish a player estimate add up to about 79,000 players, and about 62,000 of them play on Wrath of the Lich King servers.
Every number on this page comes straight from our catalogue and refreshes every hour. Population figures are estimates from the servers and their communities, not exact counts. When a server's counter includes bots, we show Unknown and leave it out of the totals.
89
Servers listed
65
Online now
7
Announced or in testing
17
Closed, 5 of them in 2026
~79,000
Players, by the servers' estimates
52
Player reviews
Servers by expansion
| Expansion | Online | Coming soon | Closed | Players (est.) | Biggest server |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanilla | 20 | 4 | 9 | ~4,100 | OctoWoW |
| The Burning Crusade | 5 | 1 | 2 | ~1,600 | Moonwell |
| Wrath of the Lich King | 30 | 1 | 6 | ~62,000 | Sirus WoW |
| Cataclysm | 2 | 0 | 0 | ~2,900 | Whitemane - Maelstrom |
| Mists of Pandaria | 3 | 1 | 0 | ~300 | PandaWoW |
| Legion | 4 | 0 | 0 | ~4,800 | Tauri WoW - Evermoon |
| Battle for Azeroth | 1 | 0 | 0 | ~3,500 | Firestorm |
Servers that add custom content to an expansion, such as Vanilla+ and WotLK+, count with that expansion. Expansions with a ranking of their own link to it.
Biggest servers by estimated population
| Server | Expansion | Players (as listed) |
|---|---|---|
| 1.Sirus WoW | WotLK+ | 10,000-15,000 |
| 2.WoW Circle | WotLK | 5,000-20,000 |
| 3.Warmane - Icecrown | WotLK | 8,000-12,000 |
| 4.Warmane - Onyxia | WotLK | 4,000-10,000 |
| 5.Whitemane - Frostmourne | WotLK | 4,000-8,000 |
| 6.Warmane - Lordaeron | WotLK | 3,000-6,000 |
| 7.Firestorm | BfA | 2,000-5,000 |
| 8.Tauri WoW - Evermoon | Legion | 2,500-3,400 |
| 9.Whitemane - Maelstrom | Cataclysm | 2,000-3,000 |
| 10.OctoWoW | Vanilla+ | 1,500-3,000 |
Ordered by the middle of each listed range. The biggest server isn't always the best one for you: the best WoW private servers ranking also weighs player reviews and years online.
How the online servers play
Shares are of the 65 online servers. Types with a ranking of their own link to it.
| Experience rate | Servers | Share |
|---|---|---|
| x1 only | 18 | 28% |
| x1 with faster options | 14 | 22% |
| x2 to x5 | 16 | 25% |
| x6 to x20 | 8 | 12% |
| Above x20 or instant level | 3 | 5% |
| Custom or not stated | 6 | 9% |
| Shop and server type | Servers | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Blizzlike | 16 | 25% |
| Classic+ and custom content | 24 | 37% |
| No pay-to-win shop | 25 | 38% |
| Shop sells gear or gold | 18 | 28% |
| Hardcore realm or mode | 16 | 25% |
| Content released in phases | 27 | 42% |
| Seasonal realm | 4 | 6% |
| Full cross-faction play | 24 | 37% |
| Custom classes or races | 12 | 18% |
Languages
| Language | Servers | Share |
|---|---|---|
| English | 55 | 85% |
| Russian | 9 | 14% |
| Spanish | 7 | 11% |
| French | 4 | 6% |
| German | 3 | 5% |
| Portuguese | 2 | 3% |
| Chinese | 2 | 3% |
| Czech | 2 | 3% |
| Polish | 1 | 2% |
| Slovak | 1 | 2% |
| Ukrainian | 1 | 2% |
55 of the 65 online servers play in English or offer it. A server with several languages counts once for each, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
Launches
| Online servers by year opened | Servers | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 22 | 34% |
| 2025 | 11 | 17% |
| 2024 | 4 | 6% |
| 2023 | 8 | 12% |
| 2022 | 3 | 5% |
| 2021 | 1 | 2% |
| 2020 or earlier | 16 | 25% |
22 of the 65 online servers opened in 2026, and 12 servers opened in the last three months. 7 more are announced or in testing, 1 of them with a launch date.
New WoW private servers with launch datesClosures
17 servers in our catalogue have closed, 5 of them in 2026. The latest closures with a known date:
| Server | Expansion | Closed | Continued as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ascension | Vanilla | 4 September 2026 | - |
| Project Alterac | WotLK+ | September 2026 | - |
| Project Epoch | Vanilla+ | September 2026 | Project Epoch Reborn |
| Turtle WoW | Vanilla+ | 15 May 2026 | - |
| Netherwing | TBC | 14 May 2026 | - |
Small Server of the Month winners
Every month players vote for a Small Server of the Month, a server with up to 500 players. They have picked a winner in 15 months since March 2025. Ashen WoW has won 4 times, more than any other server.
| Month | Winner | Expansion |
|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | Synastria | WotLK+ |
| August 2026 | Everlook | Vanilla |
| June 2026 | Origins WoW Asia | Vanilla |
| February 2026 | Origins WoW Asia | Vanilla |
| January 2026 | Ashen WoW | Vanilla |
| December 2025 | Ashen WoW | Vanilla |
| November 2025 | Ashen WoW | Vanilla |
| October 2025 | True Azeroth(closed) | Vanilla |
| September 2025 | Ashen WoW | Vanilla |
| August 2025 | The Best WoW Private Server(closed) | WotLK+ |
| July 2025 | The Best WoW Private Server(closed) | WotLK+ |
| June 2025 | GryffinWow(closed) | Vanilla |
| May 2025 | GryffinWow(closed) | Vanilla |
| April 2025 | ShadowForge | WotLK |
| March 2025 | Valanior(closed) | Vanilla |
Frequently asked questions
How many WoW private servers are there?
Our catalogue lists 89 World of Warcraft private servers: 65 are online, 7 are announced or in testing and 17 have closed. Wrath of the Lich King has the most online servers (30), followed by Vanilla (20).
How many people play on WoW private servers?
The 49 online servers that publish a player estimate add up to about 79,000 players. The biggest are Sirus WoW (10,000-15,000), WoW Circle (5,000-20,000) and Warmane - Icecrown (8,000-12,000). These are estimates from the servers and their communities, not exact counts.
Which expansion has the most private server players?
Wrath of the Lich King: its 30 online servers add up to about 62,000 of the 79,000 estimated players, led by Sirus WoW.
Which WoW private servers closed in 2026?
Ascension (4 September 2026), Project Alterac (September 2026), Project Epoch (September 2026), Turtle WoW (15 May 2026) and Netherwing (14 May 2026). Our list of closed WoW private servers has the details and where their players can go now.
How often are these numbers updated?
Every hour, straight from our catalogue. Server owners and players report new servers, closures and population changes on our Discord or by e-mail.
Hosting, domain and e-mail cost about $120 a month. 2026 is 0% covered by players so far - no ads, no paid placements.
Something out of date? Server owners and players can send corrections on our Discord or to contact@privateserverhub.com.