Question 1

What is Cousin Server Manager?

Accepted Answer

Cousin Server Manager is a web-based control panel for ARK: Survival Ascended dedicated servers. It runs locally on your Windows machine and gives you a browser-based dashboard to start/stop servers, edit launch parameters and INI settings, run RCON commands, take backups, manage mods, and much more.

Question 2

Do I need a license to use it?

Accepted Answer

No - the core dashboard, server start/stop/restart controls, RCON console, INI/launch parameter editing, taking backups, mod management, and Discord notifications are all free forever. A paid license unlocks the advanced admin tools: Auto-Update Monitor, Advanced Plugin Management, Cluster Grouping, Restore Backups, Scheduler (scheduled restarts & commands), Ban Manager, and Multi-user Account Management.

Question 3

What is the difference between the 1-Year and Lifetime license?

Accepted Answer

The 1-Year License ($24.99 CAD) unlocks all seven licensed features - Auto-Update Monitor, Advanced Plugin Management, Cluster Grouping, Restore Backups, Scheduler, Ban Manager, and Multi-user Account Management - for 12 months. The Lifetime License ($99.99 CAD) unlocks the exact same features permanently with a single one-time payment - no renewals, ever.

Question 4

Can I manage multiple servers and clusters?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The free dashboard shows every server you run in one place, and every bulk action (start, stop, restart, update) can be scoped to a selection or your entire fleet. Grouping servers into custom clusters for organization is a licensed feature, unlocked with a 1-Year or Lifetime license.

Question 5

Does it support ARK Survival Ascended mods?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and this is completely free. A built-in CurseForge mod browser lets you search and add mods directly, manage your active mod list per server, reorder/enable/disable mods, and copy a mod list to other servers in one click.

Question 6

Does it support the ASA Server API and plugins?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Cousin Server Manager integrates with AsaApiLoader (the third-party ASA plugin framework). Basic install and viewing is available for free, while Advanced Plugin Management - editing each plugin's config through an auto-generated form and reloading a single plugin via RCON without restarting the whole server - requires an active license.

Question 7

Can I run this on Linux or does it require Windows?

Accepted Answer

Cousin Server Manager currently runs on Windows, matching how most ARK: Survival Ascended dedicated servers are hosted. It runs locally on your machine and is accessed from any browser on your network.

Question 8

How do backups and restores work?

Accepted Answer

Auto-Backup runs continuously in the background with a configurable interval and independent retention limits for world/map backups vs. player profile backups, and taking a manual backup at any time is free. Restore is a licensed option - browsing and restoring any world/map or player profile backup requires an active 1-Year or Lifetime license.

Question 9

Can I control player access and bans across all my servers?

Accepted Answer

Yes, this is also under license. The global Ban Manager lets you search known players, issue lifetime or timed bans, and target all servers, a specific cluster, or a single server. Bans are sent live via RCON and automatically retried if a server is offline - available with a 1-Year or Lifetime license.

Question 10

Can other people help me administrate without full access?

Accepted Answer

Yes, this is also under license. Multi-user Account Management lets the master account create additional users with individually configurable allowed tabs, allowed actions, and allowed global features - so you can safely delegate moderation or maintenance work. This requires an active 1-Year or Lifetime license.

Question 11

How do I access my server manager remotely?

Accepted Answer

Cousin Server Manager itself runs locally at http://localhost:<port>. Many admins pair it with a tool like Cloudflare Tunnel to securely expose the dashboard to themselves or trusted co-admins from anywhere, without opening ports on their router. You can also set up a reverse proxy (Nginx, Caddy, or Traefik) in front of it with your own domain and HTTPS if you'd rather manage that yourself.

Question 12

Is there a refund policy?

Accepted Answer

Since license keys are generated and activated immediately upon purchase, all sales are final. If you run into an activation issue or bug, contact us on Discord first - we're quick to help and will make it right.

Frequently asked questions

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