Minecraft isn’t just a game anymore, but a massive living universe with tons of multiplayer servers and an active community of over 200 million players. A majority of this community regularly meets and plays on these online servers. While some of them are hosted on the player’s system, others are backed by powerful third-party hosts. Whether you’re planning a private survival world with friends or a modded SMP, choosing the right Minecraft server hosting service is crucial. Whether you’re looking for premium options, the cheapest Minecraft server hosting, or even a few free options, we have got them all in this list. So, jump right in.
Best Minecraft Server Hosting Services (2025)
We have covered the hosting providers that you can use to build and host your Minecraft server. You can also check out the pros and cons of each service to make the right choice as per your requirements.
1. Hostinger
Chances are, because of its popularity and reputation, you might have already heard about Hostinger. Among all the major Minecraft server hosting services, it is the only one with a dedicated set of servers for Minecraft. Most of the servers here are built on VPN servers with their dedicated resources and a minimum of 2 GB of RAM. What further sweetens the deal is the amazing technical support and almost instant setup options for Minecraft.
They offer multiple packages. While the cheapest Minecraft server hosting plan starts at $5.49/ month, it can go all the way up to $21.99/ month. Even though its clean-looking control panel can feel a bit overwhelming, it’s quite straightforward to get started with. Moreover, as Hostinger is already working as a website hosting provider worldwide, you get easy payment options in almost every country.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| 30-day money-back guarantee | Competitors have cheaper base level plans |
| Instant plan changing option | Limited number of ready to install mods and plugins |
| Changeable server hosting location | No free domains |
| 99.99% uptime and automatic backups on all servers | Only 5 server locations |
| Support for VOIP systems | |
| Variable pricing with International payment options |
Price: starts at $5.49/month
2. Apex Hosting
Another popular and one of the cheapest Minecraft server hosting options that many players and even streamers use to set up their custom Minecraft online server is ApexHosting. Other than the regular basic servers, they also offer a ton of additional features. From automated backups, one-click modpacks, and instant setup to get your server running quickly, Apex offers it all. Their control system seems to be one of the easiest to handle, and other than the handy detailed video guides, you can also get professional support.
You can also purchase proxy plans if you want to connect multiple servers. They also provide support for other popular multiplayer games, including Rust and Valheim. When compared to other Minecraft server hosting services, the vast number of options on their control panel can make it confusing. But their constant support system and video guides are enough to let you make the most out of it.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Free subdomains | Only supports 5 currencies |
| Premade Minigames | Larger plans are slightly more expensive than peers |
| 200+ ready to install mods | Only 7-day money-back guarantee |
| On-site Guides to fix errors | Slightly complex server migration process |
| Pre-made seeds for custom results | |
| 99.9% uptime with automated backups | |
| Free test servers available |
Price: starts at $1.49/month for 1st month
3. Shockbyte
If you are running low on the budget but don’t want to compromise on quality, Shockbyte is the perfect option. Even without any major compromise on the performance, their plans start at $3.99/ month. Shockbyte claims that its competitors can’t match its offerings when talking about Minecraft servers. Their packages include 100% uptime, free subdomains, cross-compatibility, and more.
Even the most basic plan comes with 1 GB of RAM, which is enough to host a server for a group of close friends. Expanding their options of available packages, you also get an option to make your custom package based on the requirements of your server. Now, the only red flag in this seemingly perfect host is several user reviews with claims around monetary issues, putting ShockByte in a weird position. The website not only has limited currency support and a smaller refund window, but multiple users report additional fees and pricing issues on support forums.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Cheaper pricing for every package than the peers | Limited currency support |
| Free subdomain; DDOS protection | Only a 72-hour refund policy |
| Claimed 100% uptime & automated backups | Several users claimed additional fees & pricing issues |
| Free Buycraft and Enjin trials | |
| Quarterly, semi-annually payment options are also available | |
| Offers cross-compatible servers |
Price: starts at $3.99/ month
4. Bisect Hosting
Next, we have a Minecraft server hosting service that relies on flexibility. With plans starting from $3.00 per month and having practically dozens of more plans to choose from, Bisect offers a lot of options for Minecraft players online. You can enter your requirements in Bisect’s system, and the expert AI will tell you the best-suited plan for your needs.
What makes Bisect stand out the most is how far the plans can go. While other providers cap at a maximum of 16 GB of RAM, Bisect also offers support for 48 GB of RAM if your server needs it. Since they offer hosting services for 11 other popular games too, including Counter-Strike and Team Fortress 2, you can expect quality response time and performance.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Huge number of package options | Lack of regular backups for budget options |
| High-end packages available | Server locations are limited to premium users |
| Free sub-domain and MySQL database | Charges for modpack installation on budget options |
| Multicraft control panel |
Price: starts at $3.00/ month
5. Scalacube
Following the series of affordable options, we have Scalacube. Out of all the hosts on our list, it is the only free Minecraft server hosting service. Their usual plans start from $2 and go all the way up to $96. They also offer one-click installation for 1000+ mods. You also get a custom forum and a Minecraft launcher, which are a great way to make servers personal.
Scalacube also offers high-end servers with 32 GB of RAM, like Bisect. The server pricing might seem cheaper on Scalacube, but that comes with a compromise on a few essential features, such as a lack of instant support, no free backups, and more. However, if you just want to experience what it feels like to host a Minecraft server for free, this might be a good place to start.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Free hosting options | Limited currency support |
| Get a free subdomain | No refunds |
| Custom launcher and forum support | Users have claimed lag in several reviews |
| High-end packages available | No free backups |
| Custom Guide to get started | Lack of instant support |
| Testable servers |
Price: starts at $2/ month; also offers a free option
6. Sparked Host
For just $1 per month, this is the cheapest Minecraft server hosting and beats anything else in terms of affordability. Now, Sparked Host has many more affordable plan options, but with comparatively limited server types. The site claims to use only enterprise-level servers, enabling them to lower their costs while keeping the quality high.
You can get almost everything that the other providers have to offer, but at a lot cheaper price. But the quality of performance, as the mixed user reviews suggest, might vary. The site also has a recommended service, which can make choosing the right server easier, even with limited options. If you want to go even below $1 to try their services, they also offer a 24-hour free trial.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Cheapest hosting options | No Money-back period |
| Live support system | Limited currency support |
| Subuser access | Slightly complex location change process |
| Subdomain options | |
| Cheaper high-end plans |
Price: starts at $1/month; free trial available
7. Falixnodes
As the last entry on our list, we have a completely free Minecraft server hosting service, Falixnodes. Other than providing affordable server options, they also have dedicated apps to help you manage the servers. There is absolutely no credit card required, and it even provides unlimited player slots.
Falixnodes claims that the server is activated instantly. All you need to do is select the Java or Bedrock edition, choose the server subdomain, RAM, and location. Once activated, you can launch the Minecraft server and play with your friends.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Multi-game support on the same server | Slightly overwhelming control panel |
| Dedicated mobile apps | A few performance issues during peak times |
| 24/7 Online & On-Call support | Free hosting is limited to some countries |
| Backup snapshots with each plan | |
| Regular contests and offers |
Price: Free
What to Look for When Choosing a Minecraft Server Host
Being a game that doesn’t run independently online, Minecraft has comparatively lower hardware requirements than most games. We have listed the minimum requirements you must fulfill alongside the recommended requirements that you should opt for if your budget allows.
| Requirements | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| RAM | 1 GB | 3 GB |
| Processor | Intel Pentium 4 2.8 GHz or AMD Athlon XP 2600+ & better | Intel Core CPUs or AMD K8 CPUs & better |
| Storage Space | 2 GB | 5 GB |
| Server Location | Reliable with Good Uptime | Same Country or Continent as Most Players |
| Players | 1-5 | 15-20 |
If you are playing with little to no mods and only with a close circle of up to 3 friends, you can go even lower than our stated minimum requirements. But if the number of players increases, make sure to increase your RAM too, as it is the first hardware to take a hit. The easiest way to make sure you have enough RAM is to allocate 200 MB of RAM for each player.
Why You Should Have Your Own Minecraft Server
Hosting your own Minecraft server can feel a little daunting, but the benefits that it brings make the cost and the effort all worth it. Here are some of the key reasons that you should have your own Minecraft server:
- Setting the Rules: You are the rule-maker of your world. quite literally. From the way the world looks, Minecraft’s biomes and the number of entities, to the last power that a player can have, you can control it all.
- Mods & Texture Packs: Taking control to the next level, you can have any kind of mods and texture packs in your game. Then you can use these servers to change almost everything in Minecraft. Thanks to the large Java community, there are a ton of free Minecraft mods for you to explore. As for the Bedrock players, Minecraft Realms with monthly content might be a better call.
- Creating Community: A self-controlled Minecraft server often comes with benefits, including forums, domains, and even full-fledged community websites.
- Admin Control: The problem I most often face in online gaming is toxic players. Hosting your server means you can lock, punish, and even blacklist players that might disrupt your Minecraft world. For concerned parents, these servers can be locked to make sure only their kids’ friends are playing on them.
- 24/7 Access: As we are focusing on externally hosted servers that are not on your PC, you can keep them running all the time. After covering the server costs, the service providers take care of the maintenance and electricity to ensure that you or your friends can log onto the server at any time.
That’s all we have for you when talking about the best Minecraft server hosting services. If you have found what you like, you can directly jump into these services right away. But if you plan on waiting, you can instead hop into some of the best Minecraft maps and check out a few cool house ideas in Minecraft for your upcoming online server.
So, are you facing any confusion while choosing a Minecraft server hosting service? You can always tell us in the comment section below.
Hostinger and Apex Hosting are the two best Minecraft server hosting services in 2025. While in the cheapest Minecraft server hosting options, you can go with Sparked Host or Falixnodes.
For the vanilla and unmodded servers, 1-2 GB of RAM is enough for a Minecraft server.
