Aternos Alternatives: Free and Cheap Options Compared (2026)

Aternos is one of the most popular free Minecraft hosts, and for good reason: it is free, simple and has kept running for years. People start looking for Aternos alternatives when their group outgrows its trade offs, usually the wait to start the server, a world that stops when nobody is on, or a modpack that wants more memory. This guide is fair to Aternos and lays out the real options, including how to get a real server without paying cash.

Why people look for Aternos alternatives

Aternos pays for free servers with ads and with limits that keep costs down. That is a fair deal, but it means:

• You start the server yourself. The server is off until someone presses Start on the website, so friends cannot just open Minecraft and join whenever they like.
• Queues at busy times. When many people want a free server at once, you can wait in line before yours boots.
• The server stops when empty. Once everyone leaves, it shuts down after a while, and the next person has to start it again.
• Resources are shared out. Fine for vanilla and light plugins, tighter for big modpacks.
• Plugins and mods come from its lists. You install them from the panel rather than uploading any file you want.

If none of that bothers your group, Aternos is a good choice and you may not need an alternative at all.

Aternos alternatives at a glance

1. Another free host

Other free Minecraft hosts exist, Minehut being the best known. They work on the same basic model: free servers funded by ads or paid upgrades, with servers that stop when empty and limits on memory and features. Switching from one free host to another can help if one suits your version or plugins better, but it rarely removes the trade offs above. Compare them in best free Minecraft server hosting and Minehut alternatives.

2. Host it on your own PC

If you have a PC that can stay on, hosting yourself removes the queue and the start button entirely.

1. Install Java 25 and download Paper.
2. Run it once, accept the EULA in eula.txt, and start it with java -Xmx4G -jar paper.jar nogui.
3. Forward TCP port 25565 on your router.
4. Upload your Aternos world: download it from Aternos first, then replace the world folder before starting.

The step by step is in how to make a Minecraft server.

The catch: the world is only up while the PC is on, power costs add up, CGNAT connections cannot port forward at all, and players see your home IP. Is hosting a game server at home safe covers the risks.

3. A real server paid for with credits

This is the closest thing to a free paid server. Every GamezServers account gets a share link from the dashboard in one click, and the link earns credits two ways:

• 5 cents for every person who clicks it, counted once a day per person.
• 10 USD in credits for every person who clicks it and subscribes, once per person. Anyone counts, not just friends.

Credits are money for servers. They come off your bills automatically, and as soon as they cover a server, which can be a few days of a small prepaid one, you can get it with credits alone and no card. They have no cash value outside GamezServers.

How it compares with Aternos:

A 2 GB Minecraft server, enough for vanilla or Paper with up to 5 friends, costs 4.99 USD a month or about 1.25 USD for 3 days prepaid. That is about 100 clicks for a month or 25 for a short rental. One person who subscribes through your link earns 10 USD, two months of that plan. See how game server credits work and our free Minecraft server hosting page.

4. A short prepaid rental

If you only play on weekends, you do not need a monthly plan. Prepaid rentals of a few days are the cheapest prices on the site and nothing renews. Use one for a weekend event, then come back next time. Credits can pay for it too. See cheap game server hosting.

5. Split a monthly server with friends

Most groups on a free host have one person who does the admin and a few who just play. Splitting turns that into a fair bill. At checkout choose Split with friends and up to 10 friends each pay their own share, plus a 1 USD fee per share. A 4 GB server at 9.99 USD split five ways is about 3 USD each. New customers get 50% off the first month of their first subscription. More in game server hosting you can split with friends.

How to move your world off Aternos

Whatever you choose, your world comes with you:

1. In the Aternos panel, open Worlds and download the world as a zip.
2. Unzip it on your PC. You should see level.dat and a region folder.
3. On your new server, stop it, upload the folder in the file manager to replace world, and start it.
4. Match the Minecraft version and server type you used before so nothing breaks.

Which Aternos alternative should you pick?

• You want to stay free and the limits are fine: stay on Aternos, or try another free host.
• You have a PC that can stay on: host it yourself.
• You have a Discord, a channel or a group that plays: a credit funded real server.
• You play in short bursts: a prepaid rental.
• Everyone is happy to chip in: split a monthly server.

FAQ

Is there anything better than Aternos for free?

For a group that wants the server always running with no queue, a real server paid for with share link credits is the stronger free option. For a quick free test, Aternos is already one of the best.

Why does my Aternos server keep turning off?

Free hosts stop servers that are empty to free up the machine for others. Someone has to start it again from the website before friends can join.

Can I move my Aternos world to another host?

Yes. Download the world from the Aternos panel, then upload the folder to your new server in place of world, on the same Minecraft version.

Do I need a card to use GamezServers credits?

No. Once your credits cover a server, for example a few days of a small prepaid one, you can get it with credits alone.

How much is a cheap Aternos alternative?

On GamezServers a 2 GB Minecraft server is 4.99 USD a month, about 1.25 USD for 3 days prepaid, or split between friends for a few dollars each.