Hosting a Minecraft server is hardly ever cheap, with Minecraft Realms requiring a monthly subscription and offering limited customizability. In this article, we’ll explore some of the best and most affordable hosting sites to provide you with a reliable connection. Aside from using an official host, virtual planning is always available if you’re hosting with just friends.
Why Host a Minecraft Server?
Minecraft is a very interactive and dynamic game with plenty of customization options available. Hosting a server gives you direct access to playing with friends. You can even use community-made mods and plug-ins to enhance your experience. Similarly to Realms, you can upload custom maps such as minigames or adventure maps. Hosting a server makes inviting friends easy.
Alternatively, hosting a server is a great way to connect with your community. Having a small and reliable platform allows members to play and interact with you in a game, even hundreds at a time. So, searching for reliable Minecraft server hosting in this situation is a must.
Top Five Best Budget-Friendly Hosting Plans
Here are our top five picks for the best budget-friendly Minecraft server hosting plans.
ScalaCube
ScalaCube is a Minecraft server provider with a one-click setup. The control panel will help you use the single VPS server to set up unlimited game sessions with unlimited slots for players. They are also offering a 50% discount for the first month.
| Price per Month | Players | Ram |
| $2 | 10 | 768 MB |
| $5 | 20 | 1.5 GB |
| $10 | 40 | 3 GB |
| $13 | 70 | 4.5 GB |
| $18 | 100 | 6 GB |
| $24 | 150 | 8 GB |
| $36 | 225 | 12 GB |
| $48 | 300 | 16 GB |
| $96 | 600 | 32 GB |
While running the server, you can monitor the online players, join the server through the launcher, and change the launcher design. The platform also provides full access to the files regularly backed up off-site. You can easily access and edit the mod lists for each server, changing them on the fly.
Apex Hosting
Apex hosting is a service that offers dedicated hardware features such as SSD hard drives and high-clock-speed CPUs. The provider also offers high TPS with lag-free connections. The platform supports modding a control panel and can be updated to almost any player count, depending on your subscription.
| Monthly Cost | First Month Price | Server Type | RAM |
| $7.99 | $5.99 | Basic with some modpacks | 2 GB |
| $11.99 | $8.99 | Basic with some modpacks | 3 GB |
| $14.99 | $11.24 | Basic with most modpacks | 4 GB |
| $18.75 | $14.06 | Basic with most modpacks | 5 GB |
| $22.49 | $16.87 | Basic with most modpacks | 6 GB |
| $27.99 | $20.99 | Basic and all modpacks | 8 GB |
| $35.00 | $26.25 | Basic and all modpacks | 10 GB |
The host offers plenty of handy features, including 24/7 servers with 99.9% uptime. Apex offers support for both Java and Bedrock editions of Minecraft. The service also provides easy setup and over 200 1-click installation mod packs, making modding simple.
Shockbyte
Shockbyte is a popular Minecraft server host, giving experienced hosting for a wide selection of games. The provider supports both Bedrock and Java versions of Minecraft, along with instant setup. Shockbyte offers full TPS access, modpacks, and unlimited NVMe SSD storage.
| Price per Month | Players | RAM |
| $2.50 | 8+ | 1 GB |
| $5.00 | 16+ | 2 GB |
| $7.50 | 30+ | 3 GB |
| $10.00 | 40+ | 4 GB |
| $12.50 | 50+ | 5 GB |
| $15.00 | 60+ | 6 GB |
| $17.50 | 70+ | 7 GB |
| $20.00 | 80+ | 8 GB |
| $22.50 | 90+ | 9 GB |
Automatic updates and modding make managing the server a breeze. Dedicated IP support and full TPS access are great for experienced server hosts. With 100% uptime, automatic backups, low latency, and DDoS protection, the server will always be up and running, ready for your players.
BisectHosting
Dedicated hosting at an affordable price, BisectHosting is a reliable platform to choose from. The host offers VPS and dedicated servers for anyone wanting a big and fast server. Unlike other hosts, BisectHosting offers configurable budget options based on player count. Here are some examples of what server hosting will cost.
| Price per Month | Players | RAM |
| $2.99 | Not mentioned | 1 GB |
| $5.98 | Not mentioned | 2 GB |
| $14.95 | Not mentioned | 5 GB |
| $29.90 | Not mentioned | 10 GB |
The host provides support for custom JARs, the ability to host any version of the game, and unlimited SDD space. DDoS protection keeps your Minecraft server running without interruption. Files are easily accessed with any FTP client.
The host lets you pick a server location to find an ideal latency for you and your friends. Plus, aside from the hosting plans mentioned above, they offer plenty more, up to 48 GB, that cost $143.52.
HostHavoc
HostHavoc offers some of the best Minecraft hosting services across Canada, Europe, Australia, and the US. Using SSD to store your server, the platform provides fast hosting and plenty of space for mods and plug-ins.
| Price | Players (Vanilla) | RAM |
| $5.00 | 1-4 | 1 GB |
| $10.00 | 5-10 | 2 GB |
| $15.00 | 10-20 | 3 GB |
| $20.00 | 20-35 | 4 GB |
| $30.00 | 35-50 | 6 GB |
| $40.00 | 50-75 | 8 GB |
| $60.00 | 75-150 | 12 GB |
| $80.00 | 250+ | 16 GB |
Instant server activation means you can play as soon as it’s all setup. The control panel is easy to use, and you can quickly enable automatic backups. Complete FTP access and file management from the web are possible. Additionally, the server provides plenty of modpacks that can be directly installed through the platform.
Virtual Lan Hosting
You can run your own server at no cost using Hamachi, Radmin, or another virtual LAN application. However, the server size is limited to how many players your internet can support and how well your computer runs. As the platform uses your own IP address as the server address, this method is only recommended for close friend groups.
Before you can start, finding a detailed tutorial for setting up a server on your own computer is best. With the proper Java edition installed and the instructions provided on most server-side modpacks, the process is easy.
Best Enjoyed with Friends
Regardless of where you host the server, Minecraft is a game best enjoyed with friends on any server. A reliable server host with plenty of RAM can support many mods and players, letting you customize your group’s experience.
Just remember, servers are often a monthly payment plan and will require that payment to run. Adding mods to servers yourself may prove challenging, but many platforms offer easy one-click installation. With one-click installation, you can rest easy knowing the mods are set up correctly.