Before diving into the world of Minecraft server hosting, it’s important to understand what makes some providers stand out from the rest. To ensure a smooth gaming experience, there are several key factors to consider when choosing a hosting platform.
Good Connection Parameters
One of the most crucial aspects of a Minecraft server is its connection parameters. A high-performance server with low latency/ping and good uptime is essential to avoid frustrating connection drops. To ensure a stable connection, it is important to choose a server with sufficient RAM and processing power. The more players you intend to host simultaneously, the more powerful the server needs to be.
Multiple Players Allowed
To create an engaging multiplayer experience, it is important to select a hosting setup that can handle multiple players. Look for a hosting provider that can accommodate at least 10 players, although options with higher player capacities are preferable for larger gaming communities.
Game Servers in the Right Locations
When signing up for Minecraft server hosting, it is beneficial to choose a provider with servers located close to your geographical location. Servers located in your country or region can significantly reduce connection latency and provide a faster, smoother gaming experience.
Mods Allowed and Included
Minecraft is known for its extensive modding community, so it is essential to choose a server hosting provider that allows and supports mods. Some hosting providers may even include popular mods in their packages, saving you the time and effort of installing them yourself.
Easy or Instant Setup
Setting up and managing servers can be complex, requiring specialized knowledge. Choosing a hosting company that offers an easy or instant setup can simplify the process and get you started playing the game right away. Look for providers that offer user-friendly interfaces and streamlined setup procedures.
Contract Length
While it may not be immediately apparent, the length of the hosting contract is an important consideration. Some hosts require upfront payment for several years, which can be advantageous for long-term projects. However, for shorter-term ventures, it is advisable to look for hosting providers that offer monthly payment options.
DDoS Protection
DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks are a common threat to web servers, particularly in the gaming industry. These attacks can cause server crashes by overwhelming them with a massive number of connection attempts in a short period. It is crucial to choose a hosting provider that offers robust DDoS protection to safeguard your Minecraft server from such attacks.
Top Minecraft Server Hosting Options
In this article, we will explore eight of the best Minecraft server hosting options available, taking into account the aforementioned criteria. These hosting companies have been selected based on their ability to deliver on the essential features required for an optimal Minecraft hosting experience.
1. Hostinger
- Price: from $6.95/month
- Free trial: No
- Players: 70
- Control panel: Multicraft
- DDoS protection: Yes
- RAM: 2 GB
- Mods allowed: Yes
- Instant setup: Yes
Hostinger is a leading player in the hosting industry, offering a range of services including Minecraft server hosting, website hosting, email hosting, cloud hosting, dedicated servers, and WordPress hosting. Hostinger’s Minecraft plans provide all the essential features, including instant setup, DDoS protection, and powerful server hardware. With Intel Xeon processors, SSD drives, and a minimum of 2 GB RAM, Hostinger ensures optimal performance for your Minecraft server. The hosting platform also supports modpacks and custom JAR files, allowing you to personalize and enhance your gameplay experience. Hostinger offers server locations in the US, UK, the Netherlands, and Singapore, ensuring low-latency connections for players worldwide.
Pricing: Hostinger’s Minecraft server hosting starts at $6.95 per month. However, keep in mind that this price requires a four-year upfront payment. If you prefer monthly payments, the cost is $8.95 per month. Higher-tier plans are available for those who require more server power.
Visit Hostinger to learn more: No hyperlink allowed
2. Nodecraft
- Price: from $9.98/month
- Free trial: Yes
- Players: Unlimited
- Control panel: NodePanel 2
- DDoS protection: Yes
- RAM: 2 GB
- Mods allowed: Yes
- Instant setup: Yes
Nodecraft is a specialized hosting platform designed specifically for online gaming. Unlike other hosts, Nodecraft exclusively focuses on game hosting, providing optimized servers for various popular titles, including Minecraft. With Nodecraft, you can enjoy one-click installs for vanilla and modded Minecraft versions, unlimited player capacity, and the flexibility to switch between different games. The platform offers robust server parameters, including a minimum of 2 GB RAM, solid-state drives (SSDs), and DDoS protection. With data centers in the US, South Africa, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, Nodecraft ensures low-latency connections for gamers worldwide.
Pricing: Nodecraft’s Minecraft server hosting plans start at $9.98 per month. This price includes 2 GB of RAM, 10 GB of disk space, 20 GB of backups, and unlimited player slots. While the cheapest plan is available, it is recommended to opt for the $19.98 Keelo plan to ensure optimal performance and gameplay experience. Nodecraft offers flexible billing options, allowing you to choose monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual payments.
Visit Nodecraft to learn more: No hyperlink allowed
3. Apex Hosting
- Price: from $7.49/month
- Free trial: No
- Players: Unlimited
- Control panel: Multicraft 2.0
- DDoS protection: Yes
- RAM: 2 GB
- Mods allowed: Yes (not on the cheapest plan)
- Instant setup: Yes
Apex Hosting is a highly regarded Minecraft server hosting provider known for its reliable servers, seamless performance, and exceptional customer support. Apex Hosting offers all the essential features for hosting a Minecraft server, including support for mods and plugins, one-click installers, low latency, and quality hardware with FTP and MySQL database access. The platform also supports different versions of Minecraft, such as Minecraft Bedrock and Java editions, providing flexibility for players. Apex Hosting offers a user-friendly Multicraft 2.0 control panel for easy server management. With unlimited player slots and server locations in 19 global regions, Apex Hosting ensures a smooth and enjoyable Minecraft gaming experience.
Pricing: Apex Hosting’s Minecraft server hosting plans start at $7.49 per month for the first month and $9.99 per month thereafter, with monthly billing. This price includes 2 GB of RAM, unlimited player slots, a 7-day money-back guarantee, automated backups, instant setup, and DDoS protection. Apex Hosting offers several higher-tier plans with gradual upgrades at reasonable prices.
Visit Apex Hosting to learn more: No hyperlink allowed
4. ScalaCube
- Price: from $2.50/month
- Free trial: No
- Players: 10
- Control panel: Custom
- DDoS protection: Yes
- RAM: 768 MB
- Mods allowed: Yes
- Instant setup: Yes
ScalaCube offers hosting services for various games, with a strong focus on Minecraft. The platform allows you to host your preferred Minecraft version and even create your own custom Minecraft launcher. This launcher can load your favorite mods on startup and invite players to join the server through the launcher. ScalaCube supports over 1000 mods with simple one-click installation, providing extensive customization options. Additionally, ScalaCube offers a pre-installed website and forum alongside your server, making it a comprehensive hosting solution for Minecraft enthusiasts. With server locations in North America, Australia, and Europe, ScalaCube ensures low-latency connections for players worldwide.
Pricing: ScalaCube’s Minecraft server hosting plans start from $2.50 for the first month and $5 per month thereafter, with monthly billing. The entry-level plan includes 768 MB of RAM, 10 GB of disk space, 10 player slots, and a pre-installed website and forum. While ScalaCube offers an affordable option for beginners, scaling to accommodate 100 players or more can become expensive ($36 per month from the second month).
Visit ScalaCube to learn more: No hyperlink allowed
5. GGServers
- Price: from $3/month
- Free trial: No
- Players: 12
- Control panel: Multicraft
- DDoS protection: Yes
- RAM: 1 GB
- Mods allowed: Yes
- Instant setup: Yes
GGServers is a well-established hosting company with a strong reputation for reliable Minecraft server hosting. With over eight years of experience in the market and a Trustpilot score of 4+, GGServers is known for meeting users’ needs effectively. The platform supports both Java and Bedrock editions of Minecraft and offers a customized Multicraft control panel for easy server management. GGServers provides one-click installs for popular modpacks and plugins, allowing players to enhance their gaming experience. The hosting plans support all popular modpacks and server types, enabling players to create worlds with various difficulty levels, game modes, and other customizable parameters. GGServers offers server locations in the US, Canada, Europe, Singapore, and Australia.
Pricing: GGServers’ Minecraft hosting plans start at $3 per month for “standard” servers and $6 per month for “premium” servers. The standard plans offer slightly lower server hardware parameters compared to the premium plans. Both plans allow for 12 player slots, with the option to scale up as needed. GGServers provides a range of hosting tiers, allowing users to upgrade their server power without changing hosts.
Visit GGServers to learn more: No hyperlink allowed
6. Server.pro
- Price: from $0/month
- Free trial: free plan
- Players: 10
- Control panel: n/a
- DDoS protection: Yes
- RAM: 1 GB
- Mods allowed: Not on the free plan
- Instant setup: Not on the free plan
Server.pro stands out from the rest of the hosting providers on this list by offering a free plan. Despite being free, Server.pro does not compromise on features compared to its competitors. The platform supports both Minecraft and Minecraft Bedrock editions, providing powerful hosting hardware with NVMe drives and modern CPUs. While the free plan has limitations, including the inability to use mods or custom JAR files, Server.pro offers paid plans with enhanced features. The hosting plans include instant setup, DDoS protection, file access, daily backups, firewalls, and support for mods, plugins, and custom JAR files. Server.pro allows for up to 10 players on the free plan, with the option to welcome an unlimited number of players on paid plans.
Pricing: Server.pro offers a free plan that includes 1 GB of RAM, standard DDoS protection, file access, 10 player slots, and 10 plugin installs. However, the free plan does not support mods, custom JAR files, instant setup, daily backups, or the removal of Server.pro’s ads. The entry-level paid plan starts at $5 per month, providing 2 GB of RAM, instant setups, an ad-free experience, backups, unlimited player slots, and support for modpacks and custom JAR files.
Visit Server.pro to learn more: No hyperlink allowed
7. BisectHosting
- Price: from $2.99/month
- Free trial: No
- Players: 12
- Control panel: Multicraft
- DDoS protection: Yes
- RAM: 1 GB
- Mods allowed: Yes
- Instant setup: Yes
BisectHosting offers customizable Minecraft server hosting, allowing users to tailor their server to their specific needs. The hosting provider offers a signup wizard that guides users through the process of selecting and configuring a plan that suits their requirements. Users can choose the Minecraft version they want to run, specify the number of players their server needs to accommodate, and select premium upgrades if desired. BisectHosting provides all the essential features expected from a reliable Minecraft server hosting provider, including instant setup, DDoS protection, support for mods and custom JAR files, and a range of server locations. However, certain server locations may not be available for certain Minecraft versions.
Pricing: BisectHosting’s Minecraft server hosting plans start from $2.99 per month with monthly billing. The price includes 1 GB of RAM, NVMe drives, and 12 player slots. Additional services, such as daily backups and dedicated IPs, are available for an extra cost. BisectHosting offers multiple hosting tiers, allowing users to upgrade their server power without changing hosts.
Visit BisectHosting to learn more: No hyperlink allowed
8. Shockbyte
- Price: from $2.50/month
- Free trial: No
- Players: 8+
- Control panel: Multicraft
- DDoS protection: Yes
- RAM: 1 GB
- Mods allowed: Yes
- Instant setup: Yes
Shockbyte is a well-known hosting provider in the Minecraft community, offering reliable and affordable Minecraft server hosting. With over eight years of experience, Shockbyte has established itself as a trusted host. The platform supports both Java and Bedrock editions of Minecraft, allowing players to choose their preferred version. Shockbyte provides instant setup, DDoS protection, mod support, 24/7 customer support, unlimited NVMe SSD storage, and bandwidth. The Multicraft control panel makes server management easy, and full FTP access is available for advanced users. With server locations in North America, Europe, and Asia, Shockbyte ensures low-latency connections for players around the globe.
Pricing: Shockbyte’s Minecraft server hosting plans start from $2.50 per month, making it an affordable option for Minecraft enthusiasts. The price includes 1 GB of RAM, DDoS protection, unlimited bandwidth, NVMe SSD disk space, and 8+ player slots. Dedicated IPs and a server management upgrade are available for an additional cost. Shockbyte offers various hosting tiers to accommodate different server power requirements, including plans with unlimited slots.
Visit Shockbyte to learn more: No hyperlink allowed
Ready to Pick Your Ideal Minecraft Server Hosting Provider?
With a comprehensive understanding of the key features and a detailed analysis of the top Minecraft server hosting options, you are now equipped to choose the ideal hosting provider for your Minecraft adventures. Consider your specific needs, budget, and desired server capabilities to make an informed decision. Whether you opt for Hostinger, Nodecraft, Apex Hosting, ScalaCube, GGServers, Server.pro, BisectHosting, or Shockbyte, you can rest assured that you will have a reliable and enjoyable Minecraft hosting experience.