CFX Server List Ranking Guide: Settings & Listing Hygiene
You want your server to show up, get clicked, and keep players. This guide gives you exact steps that move the needle today: cleaner naming, better descriptions, correct banners,…
You want your server to show up, get clicked, and keep players. This guide gives you exact steps that move the needle today: cleaner naming, better descriptions, correct banners, tight server.cfg, and performance basics that lift retention.
This guide is part of our complete FiveM server management hub, covering everything from initial setup to scaling your community.
Quick wins: clean name and description
Your name and first 150 characters decide most clicks. Keep it readable, specific, and honest.
Don’t do
- ALL CAPS, ? spam, fake regions, or walls of tags
- Keyword stuffing or false promises (“1000+ players 24/7”)
Do this instead
- Lead with identity → framework, region, style
- Add one hook → unique activity, whitelist, or language
- End with a clear CTA → “Join Discord on connect.”
Name examples
- Before:
? EU BEST RP | NEW | 100K START | REAL CARS | ACTIVE STAFF ? - After:
Los Santos Horizon — EU | Serious RP | ESX | 18+ - Before:
GERMAN CITY | FUN RP | CUSTOM MLOS - After:
Vinewood Life — DE | Semi‑Serious | QBCore | Jobs & Criminal
Description opener (first 2–3 lines) examples
- Before:
WELCOME!!! JOIN NOW FAST STAFF ON 24/7 GIVEAWAYS!! - After:
Story‑driven RP with clean HUD, weekly cases, and fair economy. EU evenings are busiest. New to RP? You get onboarding at City Hall.
Need a server from scratch? Start here: create your FiveM server.
server.cfg essentials (copy‑paste)
The list reads these fields. Set them cleanly and keep them short.
Project name
Project name
sets sv_projectName "Los Santos Horizon — EU Serious RP"
Project description
sets sv_projectDesc "Serious ESX RP • Whitelist evenings • Clean HUD • Jobs & Crime • New‑player onboarding"
Tip: Keep the description under ~150 characters to avoid truncation in previews. Update it when your focus changes.
For deeper config tuning and more performance knobs, see our server.cfg guide.
Listing hygiene: screenshots, banner rules, thumbnail checklist
Banners (detail + connecting)
- Use hosted images with fast CDN URLs.
- Safe sizes: 1920Ă—1080 JPG/PNG, under 800 KB.
- No IRL brand logos, NSFW, or deceptive claims.
- Keep text minimal. Show city vibe and readable logo.
Screenshots
- Capture 3–5 scenes that show onboarding, economy, police/EMS, and nightlife.
- Avoid cluttered UI; hide debug text and dev watermarks.
- Day and night mix. One interior, one exterior, one action shot.
Thumbnail checklist
- Clear logo at corners, not centered.
- High contrast; avoid neon on neon.
- One subject per image (car, alley, precinct, club).
- Export sRGB, sharpen lightly, no heavy filters.
Performance signals: CPU budgets and Resmon hygiene
Players bounce when frames drop. Retention feeds rank and word‑of‑mouth. Your job: keep tick times low and assets light.
Your targets
- Idle server: heavy resources should sit at 0.00–0.02 ms.
- During load: any script constantly over 0.35–0.50 ms deserves a look.
- Peak CPU on host: stay under 60–70% sustained during rush hour.
How to get there
- Use
resmon 1and sort by ms. Note the top 5. - Profile those scripts. Kill loops without
Wait(0), move hot code out of ticks, defer work. - Cut UI draw calls; combine sprites; throttle
SendNUIMessage. - Compress textures (DXT5/BC7), cap stream folder bloat, and trim sounds.
- Remove unused MLOs and props; keep portals and LODs sane.
- Stage updates mid‑week, not during peak.
Learn more step‑by‑step: optimize performance
Learn more step‑by‑step: optimize performance.
Troubleshooting: why listings don’t appear or suddenly drop
Run through this list in order.
- License key or entitlement invalid → Re‑issue on Keymaster and restart.
- Heartbeats blocked → Open/forward game ports; avoid firewall rules that rate‑limit.
- Wrong config → Don’t set custom master endpoints; keep the default heartbeat behavior.
- Banner or text violations → Remove banned words, false regions, or deceptive assets.
- Crashes or timeouts → Check txAdmin logs, fix the top 5 crashing resources, retest at peak.
- Ping/region mismatch → Host near your players; high ping kills CTR and session length.
- Frequent wipes without notice → Short sessions and bad reviews tank clicks.
- DNS or SSL changes → If your banner/connecting URLs 404, previews degrade and CTR drops.
Stuck after fixes? Re‑focus your pitch and events. Then push players from socials. Use this playbook to get players.
What to change for higher rank (at a glance)
| Ranking lever | What you change | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Name clarity | Framework, region, style | Increases qualified clicks; fewer bounces |
| First 150 chars | Rewrite opener for value | Improves CTR on the list and embeds |
| Tags | 3–6 precise tags only | Better matching; less keyword dilution |
| Banners | 1920×1080, light, clear logo | Higher visual trust → more clicks |
| Screenshots | 3–5 focused scenes | Sets expectations; reduces early quits |
| Resmon hygiene | Fix >0.35 ms offenders | Smoother frames → longer sessions |
| Update cadence | Mid‑week small patches | Stability helps reviews and retention |
| Hosting region | Closer to your audience | Lower ping → better first impressions |
FAQ
1) Do emojis or ALL CAPS help my rank? No
1) Do emojis or ALL CAPS help my rank?
No. They hurt readability and clicks. Keep it clean.
2) How many tags should I use?
Stick to 3–6 precise tags (e.g., serious,police,ems,germany,eu,esx). Avoid stuffing.
3) How long until changes show on the list?
Usually a few minutes after restart or heartbeat refresh. Give it up to 10–15 minutes.
4) What image sizes work best for banners?
Use 1920Ă—1080 under 800 KB. Serve from a fast URL.
5) Why do players drop after 5–10 minutes?
Stutters, confusing spawn, or no guidance. Fix Resmon spikes and add a short onboarding route.
6) Is wipes every week a good idea?
No. Players leave. Plan seasonal resets with clear dates and migration rewards.
Final checklist + next steps
- Name is clear (framework, region, style)
- First 150 chars sell the experience
- Banners are 1920Ă—1080, lightweight, and compliant
- 3–5 screenshots show the real city
sv_projectNameandsv_projectDescare updated- Top 5 heavy resources optimized in Resmon
Keep momentum:
- New server? Follow create your FiveM server.
- Tune configs with our server.cfg guide.
- Squeeze frames using optimize performance.
- Fill the city with events using get players.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it important to keep my FiveM server's tick time low?
Low tick times are crucial for maintaining smooth performance and preventing frame drops for players. High tick times indicate that the server is struggling to process tasks efficiently, leading to lag and a poor user experience. This can result in players leaving your server, negatively impacting your server's ranking and word-of-mouth reputation. Ideally, heavy resources on an idle server should sit at 0.00–0.02 ms.
What are some common problems that can prevent my FiveM server from showing up in the server list, and how can I fix them?
Several issues can prevent your server from appearing in the CFX server list. Two common problems are an invalid license key and blocked heartbeats. To resolve an invalid license key, re-issue it on Keymaster and restart your server. For blocked heartbeats, ensure your game ports are open and forwarded correctly, and that your firewall rules aren't rate-limiting connections. Addressing these issues will help ensure your server is visible and accessible to players.
How should I format my FiveM server's name and description to attract more players?
Your server's name and the first 150 characters of your description significantly influence whether potential players click on your listing. Avoid using all caps, excessive symbols, misleading region claims, or keyword stuffing. Instead, lead with your server's identity (framework, region, style), add a unique selling point (activity, whitelist, language), and end with a clear call to action (e.g., 'Join Discord on connect'). A concise and honest description of your server's features and community can significantly improve click-through rates.
How do I fix common CFX Server List Ranking : Settings & Listing Hygiene issues?
Run through this list in order. 1. License key or entitlement invalid → Re‑issue on Keymaster and restart. 2. Heartbeats blocked → Open/forward game ports; avoid firewall rules that rate‑limit.
