How to Host a Minecraft Server (Step by Step, 2026)

The easiest way to host a Minecraft server is to rent one: you pick a plan, pay, and about 60 seconds later you have an address to paste into Minecraft. This guide walks through Minecraft server hosting with GamezServers from checkout to your first session, then covers the settings worth changing on day one: whitelist, operators, plugins or mods, world uploads and backups. If you would rather run it on your own PC, read how to make a Minecraft server instead.

Step 1: Pick the right plan

Minecraft plans are sized by RAM, because memory is what decides how many players, plugins and mods the server can handle. Every plan runs Minecraft: Java Edition.

Plan	RAM	vCPU	Suggested players	Price per month
Starter	2 GB	2	up to 10	4.99 USD
Standard (Popular)	4 GB	2	up to 25	9.99 USD
Pro	8 GB	2	up to 60	19.99 USD
Elite	12 GB	3	up to 120	29.99 USD

What to pick for your group:

Your server	RAM that fits
Vanilla or Paper, up to 5 friends	2 GB
Paper with plugins, 10 to 25 players	4 GB
Light modpack or Fabric mods, up to 10 players	6 GB, so take the 8 GB plan
Big modpack like All the Mods, up to 15 players	8 GB
Public server or heavy modpack with a big crowd	12 GB

Not sure? Start with Standard. You can change plans any time later and your world comes with you. For the long version, read how much RAM a game server needs or choosing a plan.

Step 2: Split the bill with friends (optional)

Hosting for a friend group? At checkout choose Split with friends and pick how many people are paying, from 2 to 10. Everyone pays their own share by card, and each share includes a 1 USD payment fee. A 4 GB server split four ways comes to about 3.50 USD each.

You pay your share and the server starts straight away. Each friend gets their own payment link and pays whenever they are ready, and every share that comes in keeps the server running longer. If you are a new customer, your friends get 50% off their first month too.

Step 3: Pay and check your dashboard

Open Minecraft server hosting and click the button under your plan.
Name your server (optional), then sign in or create an account on the same page.
Pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay through Stripe. New customers get 50% off the first month on any plan.

You land on your dashboard, where the server shows as Setting up for about a minute and then Online. Your server address and panel login are right there. No ticket, no waiting on an email. The getting started doc explains each status.

Step 4: Copy your address and join

Open the server from your dashboard. The address sits at the top of the control panel, with the port after a colon, for example 123.45.67.89:25601. Click it to copy.

Then in Minecraft:

Open Minecraft: Java Edition on the same version as your server.
Click Multiplayer, then Add Server.
Paste the server address, including the port, and click Done.
Double click the server in your list to join. Send the same address to your friends.

Always paste the whole address with the port. Without it, Minecraft looks for port 25565 and says it cannot connect. If you see "Outdated client" or "Outdated server", read how to fix Minecraft outdated server and client errors.

Step 5: Whitelist your friends

Minecraft 26.3 changed the default: a fresh server.properties now has white-list=true, so a brand new server lets nobody in until you add them. That includes you. If you get "You are not white-listed on this server!", this is why.

In the control panel, click Whitelist player and type a Minecraft username, or type this in the Console:

whitelist add Steve

Repeat for each friend. To open the server to anyone with the address, set white-list=false in server.properties and restart. Our whitelist guide covers enforce-whitelist, removing players and common mistakes.

Step 6: Make yourself an operator

Commands like /gamemode, /tp and /time set only work for operators. Click Make operator in the panel and enter your username, or type op YourName in the Console. Only op people you trust, since level 4 ops can stop the server and op others. More in how to op someone on a Minecraft server.

Step 7: Change server.properties

Open the Files tab and click server.properties to edit it in the browser. The settings most groups change:

Setting	What it does
`motd`	The text under your server name in the multiplayer list.
`difficulty`	`peaceful`, `easy`, `normal` or `hard`.
`gamemode`	`survival`, `creative`, `adventure` or `spectator` for new players.
`pvp`	`false` stops players hurting each other.
`max-players`	How many can be online at once.
`view-distance`	Chunks sent to players. Lower it if the server lags.
`simulation-distance`	Chunks where mobs, crops and redstone run.
`spawn-protection`	Blocks around spawn that only ops can edit. `0` turns it off.

Leave server-port and server-ip alone, they are set for you. Save and click Restart so the changes load.

Step 8: Add plugins or mods

Your server starts on Paper, the fast version of the official server that runs plugins. Pick another server type in the panel and the right files are installed for you:

Plugins (Paper, Purpur): best for survival with friends. Drop .jar files into the plugins folder and restart. Players do not install anything. See the best Minecraft server plugins.
Mods (Fabric, Forge, NeoForge): add new blocks, mobs and dimensions. Mods go in the mods folder, and every player needs the same mods. Our guide on how to install mods on a Minecraft server goes through it.
Modpacks (CurseForge, Modrinth): whole packs such as the ones in our best modpacks list. Upload big packs over SFTP.
Geyser and Floodgate: let Bedrock players on console and phone join your Java world.

Back up before switching server type or Minecraft version.

Step 9: Upload your own world

Want to bring a singleplayer world? Upload the whole world folder:

Stop the server and click Backup.
In Settings, click Show SFTP login and connect with FileZilla or WinSCP.
Upload your world folder from .minecraft/saves into the server folder.
Set level-name in server.properties to the folder name, then start the server.

The full walkthrough, including Paper folder layouts and version upgrades, is in how to upload a world to a Minecraft server.

Step 10: Backups, Sleep when empty and upgrades

Backups: click Backup before big changes like a version update, a new modpack or a risky build. You get 3 backups.
Sleep when empty: the server stops after 90 minutes with nobody online and your world is saved. Anyone with access starts it again with one click. Turn it off in Settings if you want it online around the clock.
Upgrading: lag with more players or a bigger modpack? Pick a bigger plan in Settings. The price is prorated and the new RAM applies after a restart. Our Minecraft lag guide helps you check whether RAM is actually the problem.

Self hosting vs GamezServers

	Self hosting	GamezServers
Cost	Free, plus electricity	From 4.99 USD a month, splittable
Setup	Java, server jar, EULA, RAM flags	Pick a plan, pay, live in about 60 seconds
Port forwarding	Required on your router	None
Online when you log off	Only if your PC stays on	Yes, it runs in a data center
Your home IP	Shared with every player	Never shared
Plugins and mods	Install loaders by hand	Pick a server type in the panel
Backups	Copy folders yourself	One click, 3 kept

Self hosting is a great way to learn, and our self hosting guide covers it step by step. Hosting is the quicker route when you just want to play.

FAQ

How much does it cost to host a Minecraft server?

With GamezServers, from 4.99 USD a month for 2 GB, and 9.99 USD for the popular 4 GB plan. New customers get 50% off the first month, and you can split the bill with up to 9 friends.

Can Bedrock players join?

Yes, if you add Geyser and Floodgate. Without them only Minecraft: Java Edition on PC and Mac can join.

Do my friends need to own Minecraft?

Yes. Everyone needs their own copy of Minecraft: Java Edition, or Bedrock with Geyser. Online mode keeps cracked accounts out.

Can I change the Minecraft version later?

Yes. Pick another version in the panel whenever you like. Click Backup first, especially when going back to an older version, since old versions cannot load newer worlds.

Why can nobody join my new server?

On Minecraft 26.3 and newer the whitelist is on by default. Add everyone with Whitelist player, or set white-list=false and restart.