# Cheap Minecraft server hosting

> Minecraft servers from $6.49 a month: the cheapest plan for Bedrock, Paper, mods and modpacks at every group size, and how to pay less without lag.

By the Wilderack Crew. Last reviewed 2026-11-14.

_NOT AN OFFICIAL MINECRAFT SERVICE. NOT APPROVED BY OR ASSOCIATED WITH MOJANG OR MICROSOFT._

_Minecraft is a trademark of Mojang Synergies AB. Wilderack is not affiliated with or endorsed by Mojang Synergies AB._

The cheapest Minecraft server is the smallest one that runs your world without lag. Two things decide its size: the kind of server you run and how many friends play. Bedrock and plain Java start on our smallest plan, Seed 2 GB, for $6.49 a month. Mods and modpacks need more. Here is what each one costs, and how to spend less.

**A note before you read:** Wilderack sells Minecraft servers, so this is a guide from a host, not a neutral review. The memory each kind of server needs comes from our Minecraft guides, which list the documentation they were checked against. We name no other hosts, and one section says where we fall short.

## What a Minecraft server costs for your group

Each column is our smallest plan with the memory our performance guide (https://wilderack.com/wiki/minecraft/performance/) says that kind of server needs to run without lag.

| Group | Bedrock | Java, Vanilla or Paper | Java with mods |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 to 4 players | $6.49 a month (Seed 2 GB) | $6.49 a month (Seed 2 GB) | $17.99 a month (Sapling 6 GB) |
| Up to 6 players | $6.49 a month (Seed 2 GB) | $11.99 a month (Sprout 4 GB) | $17.99 a month (Sapling 6 GB) |
| Up to 8 players | $6.49 a month (Seed 2 GB) | $14.99 a month (Sprout 5 GB) | $23.99 a month (Grove 8 GB) |
| 10 to 16 players | $11.99 a month (Sprout 4 GB) | $17.99 a month (Sapling 6 GB) | $23.99 a month (Grove 8 GB) |
| 20 or more players | $11.99 a month (Sprout 4 GB) | $23.99 a month (Grove 8 GB) | $29.99 a month (Grove 10 GB) |

Where the guide gives a range, the table starts at its low end, so a big world or lots of farms may need the next plan up. Prices in US dollars + applicable taxes, and monthly plans renew at the price shown. Work out the size for your group: https://wilderack.com/tools/game-server-ram-calculator/

## What a modpack server costs

A modpack’s size decides its memory more than your group does. Sizes from our modpack guide (https://wilderack.com/wiki/minecraft/modpacks/), for up to about 6 players:

| Pack size | What’s inside | From |
|---|---|---|
| Light, under 100 mods | Better visuals, a few new mobs, quality of life | $17.99 a month (Sapling 6 GB) |
| Medium, 100 to 200 mods | Tech or magic mods, new dimensions | $23.99 a month (Grove 8 GB) |
| Large, 200 to 300 mods | Big "kitchen sink" packs | $29.99 a month (Grove 10 GB) |
| Very large, 300 mods or more | The biggest packs | $35.99 a month (Grove 12 GB) |

## Why the kind of server changes the price

- **Bedrock.** The lightest of all. Mojang’s Bedrock Dedicated Server runs up to 8 players on our smallest plan. It’s the server for friends on phones, tablets, consoles and Windows.
- **Vanilla, Paper and Purpur.** Java servers need more memory than Bedrock as your group grows. Paper plays like Vanilla but runs faster, and it takes plugins, which run only on the server, so friends install nothing.
- **Mods on Fabric, NeoForge or Forge.** Every mod loads its own code, items and data into memory when the server starts. Even 2 to 4 players with mods need about three times the memory of plain Java.
- **Modpacks.** A pack can hold hundreds of mods, so its size decides the memory more than your group does. A big pack needs a big plan even for two players.

Only playing on phones, consoles or Windows: https://wilderack.com/minecraft-server-hosting/bedrock/

## Five ways to pay less

1. **Run the lightest server that does the job.** Paper runs a few Java friends on Seed 2 GB and takes plugins. Bedrock is lighter still. Add mods only when your group will play with them.
2. **Let it nap.** Your server sleeps when nobody plays and wakes when a friend joins. That saving is already in the price, so you don’t pay for the hours nobody plays.
3. **Use a 3-day pass for a weekend.** One payment, from $1.35, that never renews. It’s also a cheap way to try a modpack first: a medium pack on Grove 8 GB is $4.85 for 3 days.
4. **Pay for longer.** Paying every 3 months saves at least 10%, and paying yearly at least 15%, against paying monthly.
5. **Lower the view distance before you upgrade.** Each player keeps every chunk within the view distance loaded. On Java, going from 10 chunks to 8 cuts that area by about a third, and often stops the lag.

And your first order is 20% off, on a plan or a pass, so Seed 2 GB is $5.19 for the first month. Then the normal price. Cancel any time.

## What to avoid in a cheap host

- **Plans sold by player slots.** A slot count says nothing about memory, and memory decides whether your mods or modpack fit. Look for the RAM.
- **Only one kind of server.** You want Paper for plugins, Fabric or NeoForge for mods, and the freedom to change your mind. A host that only runs Vanilla costs you a move later.
- **Backups you can’t restore yourself.** A griefer or a broken mod can wreck a world in minutes. You should be able to roll it back from the panel, without a ticket.
- **A first month that hides the second.** A deal is only cheap if the renewal price is fair too. Check what the plan renews at before you pay.
- **Extra fees for the basics.** Changing the server type, installing a modpack or switching to another game shouldn’t cost extra. On Wilderack none of them do.
- **A crowded machine.** Minecraft runs 20 ticks a second, and when that drops below about 18, players notice lag. Memory you paid for doesn’t help if the machine under it is overloaded. Each of our servers keeps the memory on its plan to itself while it runs.

The full checklist for choosing a Minecraft host: https://wilderack.com/best-minecraft-server-hosting/

## When cheap is the wrong choice

- **A big modpack.** A large pack, with 200 to 300 mods, needs Grove 10 GB or more, even for a few friends. On a smaller plan it crashes with an out of memory error, however cheap the plan was.
- **A busy public server.** 20 or more players on Paper start at Grove 8 GB, and the world keeps growing. Size it for your busiest evening, not your quietest.
- **Just you and 2 friends on Bedrock.** Realms Core costs $3.99 a month for you and 2 friends, less than our smallest plan. If you don’t need mods, plugins or Java, it may suit you better.
- **When free is fine.** Friends in the same house can play together over your home network for free, and Mojang’s server software is free to run on your own computer if it can stay on.

## Where Wilderack falls short

- No free plan or free trial. The cheapest way to try us is a 3-day pass, from $1.35, and each card can buy one pass every 90 days.
- Bedrock on Xbox, PlayStation and Switch has no button to join a server by address. Console players get in with a community tool such as BedrockConnect, which takes a few extra steps. Realms is the only way built into consoles.
- Two regions open so far: US East and Europe. Players in Asia, Oceania or South America will have higher ping than with a host nearby.
- We are new, so we can’t show you years of uptime yet.

## Questions and answers

### How much does a Minecraft server cost?

From $6.49 a month for Bedrock, or for Vanilla or Paper with 2 to 4 friends. Mods and light modpacks start at $17.99 a month on Sapling 6 GB. Prices are in US dollars + applicable taxes.

### What is the cheapest way to run a Minecraft server?

Running Mojang’s free server software on your own computer, if it can stay on while friends play. With us, the smallest plan, Seed 2 GB, is $6.49 a month, and a 3-day pass on it is $1.35 for a weekend.

### Is 2 GB of RAM enough for a Minecraft server?

For 2 to 4 friends on Bedrock, Vanilla or Paper, yes. Not for mods or modpacks: even 2 to 4 players with mods need Sapling 6 GB.

### Is a Bedrock server cheaper than a Java server?

It can be. Both start at $6.49 a month, but Bedrock needs less memory as your group grows, so a bigger group often stays on a smaller plan. Bedrock can’t run Java mods or plugins.

### Do cheaper Minecraft plans have fewer features?

No. Every plan gets backups, DDoS protection, a free address, the full panel and free game switching. A bigger plan only gives your world more memory.

### Is there a free trial?

No. The cheapest way to try a server is a 3-day pass, from $1.35, which never renews. Each card can buy one pass every 90 days.

## Sources

- [Profiling](https://docs.papermc.io/paper/profiling/), PaperMC
- [Server.properties](https://minecraft.wiki/w/Server.properties), Minecraft Wiki
- [Commands/tick](https://minecraft.wiki/w/Commands/tick), Minecraft Wiki
- [Bedrock Dedicated Server properties](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/minecraft/creator/documents/bedrockserver/server-properties), Microsoft
- [Server packs tutorial](https://blog.curseforge.com/server-packs-tutorial/), CurseForge
- [Modrinth App](https://modrinth.com/app), Modrinth
- [Prism Launcher](https://prismlauncher.org/), Prism Launcher
- [Paper documentation](https://docs.papermc.io/paper/), PaperMC
- [Purpur documentation](https://purpurmc.org/docs/purpur/), PurpurMC
- [Installing a Fabric server](https://fabricmc.net/use/server/), FabricMC
- [NeoForged](https://neoforged.net/), NeoForged

Plans and prices: https://wilderack.com/minecraft-server-hosting/

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How we write and check our guides: https://wilderack.com/company/editorial-policy/
Corrections: support@wilderack.com