7 Best Minecraft Server Hosting Platforms

Kruse Mathis

Aug 11, 2022 • 6 min read

Minecraft has sold more than 200 million copies as of 2020 and has a large community with over 126 million players. This game has stood the test of time and the demand for more resources doesn't seem to be diminishing anytime soon. From modpacks to standalone mods, plugins to servers, players are constantly on the lookout for ways to keep their game fresh, creative, and optimized.

In our updated Minecraft Mods Guide, we've already covered some of the most popular Minecraft mods. We've also included a list of the top Minecraft texture packs. In this article, we're going to look at Minecraft Servers.

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Minecraft servers are essentially dedicated to secure online platforms that allow Minecraft players to play and interact with other Minecraft players. It also gives them opportunities for greater game customization and allows them to host multiplayer game modes without exhausting their computer resources.
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Can anyone create a Minecraft server? Yes, actually! In our How to Make a Minecraft Server guide, you'll find that the process, while a little daunting, is actually very doable.

However, it does take quite a bit of time to set up - and a lot of trial and error! That's why people prefer specialized Minecraft server hosting platforms. They are much more user-friendly and convenient.

The Best Minecraft Server Host?

It would be an understatement to say that there are many options available. There are dozens of established Minecraft server hosting platforms out there, and plenty more are popping up. Many of them require that you pay a monthly, or yearly fee.

If you're not willing to pay upwards of $10 just to experience running a Minecraft server, don't worry; there are plenty of free and affordable servers out there. Below are seven of our favorites!

Server.pro

Server.pro offers professional Minecraft servers that are "easy to setup" and "easy to use." This Swedish game hosting company offers both paid or free plans to suit low risk, high-reward hosting strategies. The paid plans will, of course, have more perks and features than free accounts; ad-free, daily backups, and multi-admin capabilities, just to name a few.

The free option isn’t bad either. It's just like its paid counterpart. It's as fast, customizable and easy to edit (thanks Server.pro's sleek File Manager feature).

If you do want to avail of Server.pro's paid packages, you can get the Premium setup for $5 to $10 a month or the Pro setup for $20 to $40 a month. The Pro setup is the only package offered by Server.pro that comes with a dedicated IP and MySQL server with root access.

Pricing

Aternos

Aternos was launched in 2013 and has since attracted more than 28 million users. There are approximately 600,000 daily users. It's a very popular and well-known platform that offers all of its features, from RAM to plugins to customizations, at no cost.

Everything is 100% free. Aternos' motto is, in fact; "Minecraft Servers - Free. Forever."

What's the catch? The catch is that you get what your pay for.

Aternos is an excellent platform that offers a completely free service. What they offer is pretty on par with basic or starter packages from other hosting servers. You can add upto 20 players, up to 1.7GB of RAM and access to their 24/7 Customer Service (which, by a side note, is very quick to respond).

Aternos will never ask you for your credit cards details.

This is a major pro that, if you ask us, makes all its potential cons (i.e. inability to modify config file, limited plugins) worth it.

Pricing

Minehut

Like Server.pro, Minehut offers both paid and free plans to suit specific Minecraft server needs. You can view two (2) servers for free as a free user. This is available to the 250,000 monthly visitors who visit the lobby. You also get 12 plugin slots, 1GB RAM, and a maximum 10 players.

Pretty good, all things considered. Especially if you compare it to Server.pro's and Aternos' own "no-cost" packages.

People approach Minehut with cautious curiosity because Minehut is more commonly known as a "freemium", or free premium, server hosting provider. Servers that are truly free are rare and expensive. Many come with many drawbacks such as lags, crazy limitations, hidden fees, hundreds and even ads. But Minehut seems to pass muster.

If anything, plenty of reviews say it's a good hosting platform for pre-servers, or Minecraft servers that aren't ready for public opening. It gives you a safe space to test and refine your server without having to pay a single cent.

Upgrades are also available at a reasonable price, starting at $5 per Month for 10 more player slots as well as 1GB of RAM (for a total 2GB).

Pricing: Free Plan

BUDGET-FRIENDLY SERVICES

Shockbyte is one of the most user-friendly Minecraft server hosting platforms in the market. Although it's not free, it's very cost-friendly. Plans start at $2.50 per month and you can upgrade or downgrade as many times as you want. It's been around since 2013, but it's made quite a name for its self.

Under the $2.50 Dirt plan (which is represented by a Minecraft dirt block), you get 1GB of RAM and a recommended 20+ slots. Your server is activated upon subscription, and you also get a subdomain for it to help attract more people. Other standard features include 24/7 standby support and 100% uptime.

Shockbyte is a winner if you want something safe and secured without breaking the bank.

Pricing: Dirt ($2.50/month)

ScalaCube is one of the most flexible and accommodating game hosting platforms. It offers many servers, including Ark and Hytale. This widespread experience gives them the foresight they need to create packages that perfectly suit different Minecraft server needs.

Aside from giving users more customization and control over how they launch their game, they also allow server owners to monitor players through a configured website and forum. Users can also install thousands upon thousands of modpacks in just one click.

(Want to learn how to create your modpacks? Get our Ultimate Guide to Minecraft Modding using Java!

As far as pricing goes, ScalaCube is just as affordable as Shockbyte. It may not have as many levels, but ScalaCube does offer a 50% discount on any server you order after your first.

Pretty neat, huh?

Package prices start at $2.50 per month and don't go higher than $13. The $13-a month package includes a staggering 4.5GB RAM and 70 slots for players, among other things.

Pricing: Minecraft VPS 768 MB ($2.50/month) | Minecraft VPS 1.5G ($5.00/month) | Minecraft VPS 3G ($10.00/month) | Minecraft VPS 4.5G ($13.00/month)

MelonCube Hosting

MelonCube Hosting's goal is to "provide the best product and service" at a price they consider "good value for money."

MelonCube is a restructured and redesigned Minecraft hosting company in 2013. It has many unique features that make it stand out. Comprehensive SSD storage, for instance. Full FTP access and custom JAR functions are also available. It also supports modpacks and provides excellent Bukkit plugins.

Plans start at $3.00 per month (1GB of RAM, unlimited player slots) and can go all the way up to $144.00 a month (48GB DDR4 RAM, unlimited player slots).

If you're playing offline, you can easily allot more RAM to Minecraft. Our complete guide on How To Allocate More RAM to Minecraft!

MelonCube Hosting has 22 plans available at different price points.

Pricing: Zombie ($3.00/month)

Marketed specifically as a "budget hosting option" for Minecraft servers, PebbleHost's standard plan is pretty inclusive compared to most. For $3.00 a quarter (not a month! You get 1GB of RAM, 250 Mbit uplink, unmetered enterprise SSDs, unlimited player slots, and unmetered enterprise SSDs.

PebbleHost's Budget Minecraft Hosting 1GB package also includes access to the Control Panel. This allows the server host to run commands directly from console, run auto-reboots on a crash and manage plugins. It also provides statistics about usage statistics. PebbleHost is known for its 2-factor authentication and 160Gbps DDoS defense, as well as 24/7 Discord Support.

They currently offer three pricing levels: Extreme, Premium and Budget. There are 12 Budget plans, starting at $3.00/quarter. Ending at $25.00/month. 12 Premium Plans start at $2.25/month. Ending at $56.25/month.

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So there you have the answer. Our top picks for Free and Budget-Friendly Minecraft Server Hosting Platforms.

Let's recap the list of the best Minecraft server hosting platforms:

- What is a Minecraft Server? - The Best Minecraft Servers? Server.pro - Aternos Minehunt Shockbyte ScalaCube hosting PebbleHost

Creating and hosting a Minecraft server may be a little intimidating at first. There are many things to do and many more to consider. For smooth gameplay and good times, it is essential to have top-tier resources such as a great platform for server hosting.

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