The Best Minecraft Server Hosting of 2024 (Free & Paid)

Since it debuted in 2011, Minecraft has grown to be one of the most popular and beloved games worldwide. To date, it has a staggering 176 million active users from all over the world, and its phenomenal success shows no signs of slowing down.

Minecraft can be a blast with friends, and to ensure they can dive into your world anytime—even when you’re not online—you’ll need a dedicated Minecraft server. But the fun doesn’t stop there. To really make the most out of your Minecraft escapades, you need an affordable, fast, and reliable server that can smoothly handle your favorite mods. To make your choice easier, we’ve curated a comprehensive list of Minecraft server hosting options. From budget-friendly to premium, from free to paid, there’s a perfect fit for everyone’s needs.

Whether you’re new to Minecraft server hosting or want to switch to a better one, we’ve compiled the Best Minecraft Server Hosting Providers for you to choose from below.

Inside, you’ll find our top picks for:

The Best Paid Minecraft Server Hosting Options

1. Apex Hosting
2. Shockbyte
3. Hostinger
4. ScalaCube
5. GameTeam
6. GG Servers
7. HostHavoc
8. BisectHosting
9. Nodecraft
10. SparkedHost

The Best Free Minecraft Server Hosting Options

1. Server.pro
2. Aternos

As well as a comprehensive guide on what to look for when choosing a Minecraft Server Hosting platform and related frequently asked questions.

Before we jump into the details, here’s a refresher on the basics of starting a Minecraft server.

Now, let’s get into the basic hosting requirements.

Minimum Minecraft Server Hosting Requirements

Hosting games is often challenging since they are typically more resource-hungry than typical web applications. While the basic setup of Minecraft–pure Vanilla as it’s called–isn’t exactly a huge resource hog, it will still require fairly powerful web servers that have to meet very specific specifications. That said, Vanilla setups will still let you get by with the bare minimum in the VPS hosting space, even for an average player group of 10 users.

Let’s take a closer look at the exact requirements for plain Vanilla Minecraft hosting in numbers:

Specs	Minimum Requirements	Recommended Requirements
RAM	1GB	2GB
CPU	1 CPU Core	2 CPU Core
Storage	SSD-based	SSD-based

Storage space requirements are pretty negligible in context to what’s usually offered by hosting providers, so we’ve skipped it altogether. Just make that storage is SSD-based.

However, if you’re more serious about Minecraft then you’ll likely be looking at hosting setups that will allow you to enjoy the game in player groups of 50 and above. You might want to consider the use of custom mods, which will increase the requirements even further.

What are the Best Minecraft Server Hosting Providers for 2024?

The demand for Minecraft hosting has increased over the years as the game’s popularity continues to flourish. But instead of featuring all of them in this post, we’ve handpicked the top-performing hosting options to make your decision easier.

Here are our top choices for the best Minecraft server hosting this year: 

1. Apex Hosting

With a 4.7 rating on Trustpilot across hundreds of reviewers, Apex Hosting is one of the most well-reputed Minecraft server hosting platforms around. You can’t go wrong setting up your server with the company, as proven by the 200,000 high-performing servers they’ve hosted through the years.

Minecraft Edition Support	Java, Bedrock
RAM	Up to 10 GB RAM
Mod Support	Included
DDoS Protection	Included
Server Locations	16
Dedicated IP Address	Add-on
Data Backup	Yes
Customer Support	Live chat, email

Pricing

The company offers seven tiered plans ranging from 2-10 GB RAM. Each plan offers a lower price for the first month and increases to its regular price thereafter. You can also pay quarterly for each plan to receive a 10% discount. On top of that, there is an option to get the Proxy to hide your IP address for added protection. It also offers a range of pricing options, making it a cheap Minecraft server hosting option.

Get 25% OFF your first month via our link below and start building your Minecraft community.

2. Shockbyte

Shockbyte has earned its reputation as one of the most trustworthy, and the cheapest Minecraft server hosting platform. Since 2013, the company has been offering various plans with an array of RAM sizes per server to fit anyone’s budget.

The distinguishing factor about Shockbyte is its competitive edge in terms of features and power, offered at a lower cost than competitors. They support all Minecraft server types, providing a one-click install and automatic hourly updates. Customers have full access to server files via the control panel to install any server types, plugins, or mods.

Minecraft Edition Support	Java, Bedrock
RAM	Up to 16 GB RAM
Mod Support	Included
DDoS Protection	Included
Server Locations	Nine
Dedicated IP Address	Add-on
Automatic Data Backup	Yes
Customer Support	Live chat, ticket support

Pricing

Shockbyte offers a whopping 13 plans, including a custom plan to customers ranging from 1 (8+ slots) to 16GB RAM (180+ slots). The company has some of the lowest price rates in the market, with just $2.50/month for its cheapest plan and $40/month for the premium ‘Titan’.

Every plan offered includes a money-back guarantee for those not entirely pleased with the server performance. However, the chances of dissatisfaction are slim, given the company’s impressive TrustPilot rating of 4.7 out of 5, derived from more than 8,400 reviews.

Get started with Shockbyte using our exclusive coupon code ‘LAUNCH’ to get 25% OFF on your first month.

3. Hostinger

Hostinger is one of the leading web hosting providers, so it comes as no surprise that it also offers arguably one of the best Minecraft server hosting providers around.

With top-of-the-line features at affordable prices, Hostinger offers the perfect packages for people who want to get the best Minecraft hosting plan without an advanced server and network setup knowledge.

Pricing

Minecraft Edition Support	Java, Bedrock
RAM	Up to 16 GB RAM
Mod Support	Included
DDoS Protection	Included
Server Locations	Four
Dedicated IP Address	Add-on
Data Backup	Yes
Customer Support	Live chat, email

All plans offer all features above, along with at least 2GB RAM and 2 vCPU Hardware. Prices start at $6.99.

Get started with Hostinger and take advantage of limited-time offers with all plans up to 77% OFF.

4. ScalaCube

Offering different game servers such as Minecraft, Hytale and Ark among others, ScalaCube is aware of users’ demands across its servers. That’s why ScalaCube’s Minecraft server hosting gives you flexibility on how you want to launch your game and better tools to monitor the people logged into your server.

ScalaCube offers unparalleled modded server support, boasting compatibility with 1675 modpacks and 3088 forge versions—a stark contrast to most competitors. Their flexible pricing allows multiple game server installations, limited only by RAM and disk space, unlike others who restrict to one per plan. They’ve optimized user experience with a custom control panel, eliminating the multiple logins seen with competitors who use WHMCS and multicraft. Remarkably, ScalaCube even provides 6G of RAM for their free servers, highlighting their commitment to superior service.

Minecraft Edition Support	Java, Bedrock
RAM	Up to 32 GB RAM
Mod Support	Included
DDoS Protection	Included
Server Locations	10
Dedicated IP Address	Add-on
Sub-domains	Free
Automatic Data Backup	Yes
Customer Support	Ticket support

Pricing

Apart from free offering, ScalaCube’s cheapest paid plan comes with 768 MB RAM, 3.4 GHz CPU, and slots for 10 players at $2/month. The most expensive has 32 GB RAM, 8×3.4 GHz CPU, and 600 player slots at $96/month. Each plan allows you to create an unlimited number of game servers.

5. GameTeam

GameTeam is a relative newcomer to Minecraft hosting space and aims to provide users with an industry-leading gaming experience at quite an affordable cost with plans starting at just $8/month. It supports all the good stuff such as Minecraft Java & Bedrock Edition and 1-click installs for mod packs & plugins in addition to providing players with an unlimited number of slots per server. While obviously, the entry-level server will start lagging with a large number of players, it’s still a nice touch.

Minecraft Edition Support	Java, Bedrock
RAM	Up to 32 GB RAM
Mod Support	Included
DDoS Protection	Included
Server Locations	Five
Dedicated IP Address	No
Automatic Data Backup	Yes
Customer Support	Live chat, ticket support

Pricing

GameTeam’s pricing is fairly straightforward. The cheapest plan comes with 2.0 GB RAM at $8/month. Higher tier plans offer additional RAM with the most expensive plan providing us with 32 GB RAM at $128.00/month. The company offers also additional support with modpack installation and plugin setup for an additional one-time charge of $15.00. Whatever plan you choose under this platform will offer good Minecraft hosting that you can rely on.

6. GG Servers

GG Servers has provided people with reliable and fast game servers at affordable prices since 2013. On top of that, the company is focused on giving its customers true 24/7 support with an actual human for all their server needs.

Pricing

GG Servers offer Standard and Premium packages for all its plans. Standard uses DDR4 2133 MHz 3.2-4 GHz, and SOFT RAID 1 (400 MB/s r/w). MySQL Database and unlimited slots are available as add-ons at +$2/month each.

Minecraft Edition Support	Java, Bedrock
RAM	Up to 32 GB RAM
Mod Support	Included
DDoS Protection	Included
Server Locations	Nine
Dedicated IP Address	Add-on
Automatic Data Backup	Yes
Customer Support	Live chat, ticket support, community discord

Premium not only has MySQL and unlimited slots included in the plan but it offers better specs – DDR4 2400 MHz, 4.4-5 GHz, and NVMe (2500+ M/Bs r/w).

7. HostHavoc

HostHavoc comes highly recommended in the Minecraft community, with over 730 reviewers rating the company at an average of 4.7 stars out of 5.0 on Trustpilot. With top-notch servers across mainly the US and Europe as well as one center in Australia, the company aims to provide premium service without any compromises.

Pricing

HostHavoc plans do not provide any budget options budget as the company believes in speed and reliability and caters to those who are willing to pay a bit extra for high-quality Minecraft hosting. The cheapest plan has 1-4 recommended players with 1GB RAM while the most expensive option with 16GB RAM allows expanding your multiplayer game up to 250+ players. Each plan comes with unlimited storage and all earlier mentioned features such as backups, mods, and more.

8. BisectHosting

BisectHosting comes highly recommended in the Minecraft community, with over 730 reviewers rating the company at an average of 4.7 stars out of 5.0. With top-notch servers in different parts of the globe, the company aims to provide premium service at an affordable budget. 

Pricing

BisectHosting plans are divided into two: premium and budget. Budget packages can enjoy instant setup, Multicraft Control Panel, 24/7 support, and free subdomains, among others. 

Premium packages benefit from the same features as the Budget packages. However, they also get free unlimited slots, more servers from different locations, free dedicated IP, and more!

9. Nodecraft

Nodecraft is another game hosting company that offers top-notch hardware for its server located worldwide for fast gaming. But what separates the company from the rest is it uses NodePanel 2, a next-gen game hosting control panel built by Nodecraft so that you can manage your servers better.

Pricing

The price for all plans ranges from $9.98/mo to $39.98/mo. They possess the same feature and even host unlimited Minecraft player slots. The difference lies in the hardware – the higher the plan, the better the specs are.

10. Sparked Host

We recognize Sparked Host as one of the easiest, most affordable, and quite powerful online Minecraft server hosting options. After you buy a hosting service with them, which starts as low as $1.50 a month, your server is automatically set up for you. From there, you can immediately start playing via your Minecraft client or continue to set up the server to your liking with additional modpacks or plugins. No matter what you choose, it is our experience that their trained support team is always right there to help.

Sparked Host is a platform that offers the best bang for your buck. Their servers use industry-leading hardware which means your Minecraft community, whether it is just starting out or already has a large player base, will run flawlessly on their platform. Just make sure you choose the right plan to fit your needs. Furthermore, they have amazing resources and documentation for aspiring server administrators like yourself to get up and running in no time.

Hey, it’s fair. You might still have some reservations: starting a Minecraft server is a big task. There is no need to believe us to tell you how good Sparked Host is, though. At the time we’re writing this review, they are rated 4.7 / 5 stars on Trustpilot which puts them in the similar customer satisfaction range as the big names like MCProHosting and Apex Hosting at just a fraction of the price. Not only that but Sparked Host guarantees “99.99% network” uptime, or you will be compensated by either time back on their service or money back. Not convinced? Go check out their website for more information or keep reading.

Minecraft Edition Support	Java, Bedrock
RAM	Up to 26 GB RAM
Mod Support	Not included
DDoS Protection	Included
Server Locations	Nine
Dedicated IP Address	Yes
Automatic Data Backup	Yes
Customer Support	Live chat, ticket support

Pricing

Best Free Minecraft Server Hosting Options for 2024:

1. Server.pro (Freemium)

Best Minecraft Free Server Hosting

If you’ve ever typed: “Minecraft server hosting free” on your browser, don’t be surprised if Server.pro comes up as one of the top options. Server.pro is a Swedish game hosting company offering free and paid plans. On top of it being easy to use, the platform serves as a low-risk, high-reward game hosting that allows people to host Minecraft servers without breaking the bank.

Pricing

Among the best Minecraft server hosting providers here, Server.pro is the only one with a free plan. But aside from having 1 GB RAM, it also serves ads and doesn’t include daily backups, multi-admin capabilities, and instant setup, among others.

The Premium ($5-10/month) and Pro ($20-40/month) plans are ad-free and offer everything that the Free plan doesn’t. The only difference between the two is the Pro plan offers a dedicated IP and a MySQL server with root access.

2. Aternos (Free)

Best Completely Free Minecraft Hosting

While there are definitely a lot free MC servers, Aternos operates on the premise that as long as Minecraft is free, they will be providing their services for free as well–from the RAM to the plugins that they offer. They’re one of the few portals that gives Minecraft fans free server hosting to run their own networks.

Since they started operating in 2013, Aternos has been a well known hosting Minecraft server option that now has close to 13 million users and 400,000 gamers.

Pricing

Because it’s free, Aternos Hosting caps players that users can add at 20. They also impose a limit on modpacks and plugins. The amount of RAM available is capped at 1.7 GB.

All things considered, Aternos is nothing fancy, but it’s perfect for small groups who want to hangout on a shared network.

What to Look for in Best Minecraft Server Hosting?

Now that you have the best Minecraft hosting companies to choose from above, you must know how to pick the right one that suits your needs. Similarly to typical web hosting, there are some key factors you should consider in order to make an informed decision.

Let’s look at some of the most important ones:

#1. The right server location

The servers must be near the location where players are from to avoid lag. There’s nothing you can do when you’re hosting players from all over the world. But if you are hosting players in a specific region or country, make sure that the company has servers closest to your area.

#2. Good connection parameters

To provide players with seamless, uninterrupted gaming, the servers must have high latency and good uptime. To ensure this, choose a Minecraft hosting provider with more than sufficient processor and RAM. Also, high-performance servers can accommodate more players without the game lagging.

#3. Easy or instant setup

The last thing you want to worry about is setting up the server yourself – you need technical knowledge to get the server up and running smoothly. Thankfully, there are hosting companies that take care of this, so you can go straight into hosting the games.

#4. Multiple players allowed at the same time

Minecraft is best played with as many players as possible. While there’s only a certain number of players a server can handle in a multiplayer mode, go with a server hosting that can accommodate at least 10 players simultaneously.

#5. Mods allowed and included

Minecraft mods can change the interface and offer additional tools that players can use while exploring the game. Since they are always an important part of improving the experience of playing Minecraft, make sure that the game server hosting provider has the best Minecraft mods installed or at least freely allows you to add the ones you like.

#6. Contract length

Some Minecraft hosting companies require you to pay for multiple months upfront. While you can save more money with a reliable Minecraft hosting company this way, it may require you to pay a lot upfront. If so, look for others that offer a monthly subscription payment to lighten the financial burden and improve your cash flow.

#7. Good level of security

The most common type of attack against Minecraft servers is DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service). This occurs when certain parties make multiple attempts to connect to your server, causing it to crash. With a reliable server, your hosting company will take care of the potential threats for you so that you can enjoy the game.

Minecraft Server Hosting: Frequently Asked Question

Still not sure which among the best Minecraft server hosting platforms to choose from? Or you’re probably new to the game itself?

Don’t worry – below are answers to the most common questions about the game and the process of setting up your server.

Best Minecraft Server Hosting – Summary

To make your choice a bit easier, we’ve compiled this quick comparison table, highlighting the key parameters of the top 5 hosts:

The most balanced and consistent among all of the above Minecraft hosting options, in our opinion, is Hostinger. It’s a bit on the pricier side, with a base plan starting at $8.95/month, but their onboarding and interface are perfect for beginners who simply want to host games they can enjoy with their friends. This hosting provider also caters to more advanced users looking to build custom worlds and take advantage of numerous mods.

At the moment, Hostinger is running a promotion on all hosting plans with discounts reaching up to 90%, so it’s a great time to check out their Minecraft hosting offer!

If a more budget-friendly option is what you’re after, you can’t go wrong with Shockbyte. Their cheapest plans start at just $2.50 / month. High uptime stats and various plans that you can potentially upgrade to will also guarantee a stress-free hosting experience.

Get started with Shockbyte using our exclusive coupon code ‘LAUNCH’ to get 25% OFF on your first month.

Have you tried any of the Minecraft hosts mentioned in this review? What did we miss? Let us know in the comment section below.

To compile this list of Minecraft server hosting options, we took a qualitative and quantitative approach that involved hands-on testing and gathering information from seasoned Minecraft server administrators and players. Each hosting service was set up, configured, and tested based on ease of installation, user interface, intuitiveness, and reliability. Additionally, factors such as pricing models and server management features were considered to create a list of our final, top recommendations.