ChromieCraft

To be honest, if you are looking for server with ideal population level, Chromiecraft is not a choice at all.
But to be honest once again, Chromiecraft development team has ambition to solve every wotlk bug and as a bonus, all on open source level.
They have already made solutions for all of mine bugtracker issues.
Doing things this way, one day they will have bug free wotlk private server. Other private servers only two options. First: They will solve bugs on their own. Second option: They will become copy of Chromiecraft.
If you consider playing here, my in-game name is "Claymore", hope we will meet there. :)

This server is new, open source, and totally worth my time there. Very stable, and the leveling experience is like an official server. Haven't tried dungeons yet because I'm 10 and everyone is <30. It\'s a progressive server, the community is really there and 5 hours later I\'m so happy I gave it a go. Since it\'s fairly new its population is low. If you do decide to join, bring a tank and befriend me, Chuchuni horde side.

PS. seriously, give it a go, it won\'t disappoint.
PS2 did I mention you can contribute on the server\'s core? Github, pull request, boom, better server & experience for everyone.
PS3 did I also mention that it\'s not pay2win? All shop purchases are for cosmetics, mounts and pets, and if any donations go to the development, love these guys.

Best server out there, nothing else to add, coming from a wow veteran

Had a wonderful time on ChromieCraft so far.
The community is nice, the lawenforcement is also good.
The staggered release is wonderful and leaves a lot of time for newcomers.

I also love the transparency on the website where you can
see all players online, on the map and statistics about the game.

Only thing I don't like is that its PvE (forcefully, would have liked it the other way around, turning off PvP optionally and having it on by default)
AND I dislike very much that multiboxing with no limit is allowed. I would have liked it if the maximum amount of characters online at a time was 2.

If 6 months ago @zamecnik.erik9813 said this server is not the choice in terms of population; I can say that the server is more than alive having 350+ people online most of the time, it is not much, but a considerable amount of people.
In terms of quality, this might be the best by far I've played on and Tauri wow. Best scripted WotLK server. I'll mention some nice features that are not mentioned on their website like:
1. You get a few golds by email every 10 Levels
2. Events with custom content like world bosses that award chromie points on the website
3. No pay to win at all, visit the shop and see for yourself https://www.chromiecraft.com/rewards-catalogue/
4. Cross-faction AUCTION/PVP/WORLD CHAT/RDF
5. GM's online every day sometimes even 3+ at a time (Not a server for cheaters :P )

That being said, I've been playing for a few weeks now and most likely will stick to this server after so much time spent on warmane, finally, something better came out! It's chromiecraft.

If you want to play together sometimes /w Gettheboom or follow me on twitch.tv/gettheboom (I stream only chromiecraft from time to time)

excelent game 0 bug %

Change population to 500-1000 stable.

Great to see servers like this around!

The staff is very active, when you report a bug on github they respond the same day and start working on the fixes, the server itself is actually pretty great. Being progressive right now at the 60 level cap it feels like a fun Project 60 server. I hope they keep growing as they have been.

This is Amazing private server! Enjoing and you be happy !

I'm a new player but so far everything is pretty great.

This server is really good!

It's a very fun and friendly server. RDF can be a bit slow late nights, so can some battlegrounds. But when the server peaks it's really fun there.

The server is fun, friendly and has a great community! Highly recommended for someone looking for a new sever!

Hits its peak about 900-1000 daily around EU prime time, you can always check the players online one thier website too.

ChromieCraft has long been a home for me, and despite leaving and trying other servers, I always wind back here. The community is simply incredible, with memorable characters and friendly people. The moderators are almost entirely transparent, and are working towards being even more so, while the philosophy the community is built on is rock solid. Truly the last hope for WoW 3.3.5 Private Servers, and I hope they make it successfully into Northrend to complete the journey.

The only issue is that the server seems to be struggling to make it through TBC, with interest in the content dipping, time between fixes increasing and people generally being unreasonable with their expectations of "polished content".

tl;dr ChromieCraft is incredibly well run for a non-profit server, content up until level 70 and current raid tier is generally bug free and smooth, community is the biggest plus.

No "p2w" that affects progression, RAF could be considered but it's quite poorly in consideration.
Currently maximum level is 60; which means no WOLTK content. Though it progresses from 1-80 over time it might be something for you.

RAF: You can only RAF someone that is NOT on the same IP address as you. Which means if you're playing with a family member there is no way to have benefits from RAF because of the poor effort in preventing abuse from their side. If you're using a VPN you're most likely going to get suspended anyways which is plainly stupid.
(Note: I have not asked if they make exceptions though i wouldn't get my hopes up from experience, but you know, never hurts to try.

More like 200 stable with peaks of 600, no idea where they got the 1000 from...

Chromiecraft is a open beta, that is how playing there feels like permently.
You get chromie points for helping them fix the bugs and you get banned to for the same reason because you used the bug unknowingly.
Which in turn you can turn in for bags mounts and whatnot, but why would you want that if you got perma bann?
The pathing of the mobs is alright but with that everything has been said, magic mobs that mele is just a minor thing.
At the moment they are 59 as cap and every buff from felwood is bugged for half the time they have been able to reach 59.
While it worked before, but just like other pvt they fix one problem and gain 10 new problems...

Also they even state, that they reserve the right to take any action against any account as they see fit, bann for winning arena? pew, done

I never heard of this site, but most of the below reviews are clearly members of the staff/donors/contributors/affiliates from Chromiecraft/AzerothCore team. Look at the reviews from dkpminus, site well known for these types of things.
There is absolutely nothing blizzlike about that server, it's a FUN server 100%. The scripting is so bad that remembers me of WowScape! I would've thought it's impossible to have such a poor quality since you can just download a TrinityCore server with decent scripting since... dunno, probably 10 years? Few examples: you can fall through the map out of nowhere (no, I'm not talking about a charge bug or something); and about charge... there's 0 pathfinding xD; oh, oh, there's a leashing script that makes mobs follow you from a HUGE range, without doing aggro/pulling/touching/doing even 0.00000000000001 damage but the mobs will follow and attack you until you are dead.
And the staff... oh the rainbow woke psychiatric ward runaways admins: 0 professonalism.

I've been on Chromiecraft for ten months. Praying and hoping it gets better. It simply doesn't. If you disagree with the developers or provide critical feedback. You're a hater, and don't appreciate them. Despite it all, I created and grew a progression raiding guild from scratch and we pressed forward through all tiers of BS until the absolute shitshow that was Hyjal.

Developers released the most broken, busted, incomprehensibly bad, raid. With bugs still recurring that they say they "fixed". The population is in a staggering decline, and rightfully so. This is a failed project, the only thing holding it together is all the people who are afraid to leave due to sunk time. Or they've done what I did, hang on way too long because of cool people you met there.

Guess what? You can all pick up and leave together and play somewhere else. Don't get Stockholm syndrome with Chromiecraft.

TLDR: Unacceptable, game breaking bugs. Dogshit moderation.

Console bans (no names shown to give by the way) when both parties were NOT questioned (and the other party flamed, taunted, etc.) Yes I did deserve the mute, but time and again I am the only one muted. Head GMs and Dev siding with their buddies even when proof was given. Certain players allowed to have free reign on comments in world while others are banned or muted for the same actions.
I am tired of the mutes being one-sided. I am tired of certain topics being moderated, yet Religious freedoms and rights are mocked openly.
Yes. It is a well running server. No, the population that some state is highly bloated in numbers. Voting system that rewards you if you say "this server is awesome". This blindly complimenting and/or voting up of the server must stop!