Do you want to skip the read and get right to my top picks? The best Minecraft server hosting for most people is Hostinger.
Introduction to our Best Minecraft Server Hosting Guide
Minecraft is an extremely popular and versatile game that most people would want to set up their own Minecraft server. Of course, there are many ways to enjoy playing Minecraft with buddies. However, nothing beats playing that game via the best Minecraft server hosting online.
If this is your first time hearing about it and are unsure of what to get, don’t fret. We’ve compiled a list of the top 5 best Minecraft server hosting and free Minecraft hosting services in the market today!
What is Minecraft Server Hosting?
Minecraft is the world's most popular game at the moment, captivating the hearts of children and adults alike. It's generally considered as a virtual LEGO where players are able to explore and create worlds by fitting pieces into a whole.
While you can play Minecraft with a few friends, you should consider upping the ante and hosting your own Microsoft server. Sure, hosting games isn't easy. In general, it takes a lot of resources to host games online. However, Minecraft is an exception to the rule since it doesn't consume a lot of resources. In fact, the pure Vanilla Minecraft accounts, or its most basic setup, can let you host a group of 10 players, and a minimum requirement of of 1GB RM memory, and 1 CPU core.
Still, there are plenty of benefits to hosting a Minecraft server. Aside from getting full control, you also socialise with a whole community of up to 50 players, and can even profit from it if you monetise your server! Best of all, you can take the opportunity to use Minecraft as a teaching tool, similar to what several educational institutions are doing currently.
So read through this guide and be more knowledgeable about which are the best Minecraft server hosting options and best free Minecraft server hosting!
Our Handpicked Best Minecraft Server Hosting List:
In this review, we're breaking down the five best cheap Minecraft servers you need to consider:
Our shortlisted cheap Minecraft server hosting includes:
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Hostinger – Best for budget-friendly Minecraft server hosting
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Apex Hosting – Best for hassle-free Minecraft server hosting
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ScalaCube – Best for reliable Minecraft server hosting with 24/7 support
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Shockbyte – Best for premium Minecraft server hosting with advanced features
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Bisect Hosting – Best for fast and easy Minecraft server setup
How to Choose the Best Minecraft Server Hosting?
We didn't come up with our shortlist from out of nowhere. Every hosting decision comes with plenty of considerations. We specifically looked at the following criteria to explain why we chose our picks!
- Ease of use – Any service that's too complex and confusing to use isn't worth your time and money. So, we looked at how easy and straightforward the set up for each contender. It doesn't have to be beginner-friendly, but your provider needs to hand full control so you can configure your server as you see fit.
- Features – Features-wise, we considered the hardware conducive to a multiplayer environment. Remember that hosting a Minecraft server can be resource-intensive, so you have to get a cheap Minecraft server that can handle those needs. We evaluated RAM, processor, and the number of players.
- Performance – Downtime is a dealbreaker with any Minecraft server hosting option. So, you need to look at uptime, server locations, security, and speeds.
- Support and Resources – Even if you're experienced in the hosting arena, you will inevitably encounter issues. Therefore, we looked at the level and quality of Minecraft-specific support of the best Minecraft server hosting service.
- Pricing – Minecraft server cost is always a factor in your purchasing decision. We're looking at a cheap Minecraft server with a chock-full of features and a flexible range of plans to accommodate your budget.
In Detail: Our Handpicked Best Minecraft Server Hosting
Based on the criteria presented above, here are our tried and tested picks for the best Minecraft server hosting hosting services in various categories:
Hostinger Minecraft Server Review
Hostinger is a topnotch hosting provider used by over 29 million people worldwide. Therefore, it isn’t a terrible surprise that it’s also the best Minecraft server hostings in the market now. Hostinger’s Minecraft hosting plans are powered by VPS servers, dedicating the requisite resources to seamlessly host Minecraft. Its basic offering allots 2GB of memory, swift server setup and excellent Minecraft-specific support.
Reasons to buy:
- Easy setup in just a few clicks with its Multicraft panel
- Pre-installed mods to ensure you have the full Minecraft experience
- 100% uptime guarantee
- Global server locations
- Protection from DDoS attacks
Pricing:
Hostinger offers cheap Minecraft server hosting plans, ranging from $6.95 per month (Alex Plan, with 2GB RAM and 2vCPU) to the high-end powerful plans as much as $77.95 per month (Wolf Plan, with 16GB RAM, 8vCPU). You get a 30-day money-back guarantee.
If you're considering Hostinger, do read their service terms page.
>> Click for the lowest Hostinger Minecraft server pricing today <<
Apex Minecraft Hosting Review
“A gamer’s server” would probably be the best phrase to describe Apex Hosting. It was developed by gamers to rectify issues that hosting providers could not address. As a result, Apex Hosting is one of the most highly rated Minecraft servers known for lag-free servers and terrific support.
Features:
Right off the bat, Apex Hosting gives you all the bells and whistles for a cheap Minecraft server hosting service:
- Easy setup
- Intuitive Multicraft 2.0 panel
- 1-click modpacks
- 24/7 support
- Free subdomain
- Java and Bedrock edition servers
- 18 server locations
- Automated backups and DDoS protection
- Robust hardware
Reasons to Buy:
What's impressive about Apex Hosting is its robust hardware – it's almost unbeaten. In addition, 18 server locations around the globe ensure no lags and 100% uptime. It also has an excellent range of plans that while not as low-priced as its competitors, and great value for money.
Pricing:
Overall, Apex has 8 Minecraft hosting plans that range from $7.49 per month (2GB RAM) to $37.49 per month (10GB RAM) for the first month. Its recurring prices for the subsequent months are higher. There's also a Proxy option at $2.99 for the first month and the most powerful EX Series plan (15GB RAM) at $59.99 per month for the first month.
Sadly, it only has a 7-day money-back guarantee.
>> Click for the lowest Apex Minecraft Hosting pricing today <<
ScalaCube Minecraft Server Review
This Estonia-based gamer server hosting provider is our pick for the most budget-friendly hosting provider. Aside from very affordable plans, ScalaCube also comes with a free Minecraft hosting option.
Features:
Scala Cube proves that you affordability and reliability in a hosting provider aren't mutually exclusive. Neat features like 1-click installation for any modpack, customised Minecraft launcher for maximum configurability, and a sleek and friendly interface are hard to miss. Moreover, it offers free MySQL, full FTP access, and up to 32GB RM and 600 player slots.
Reasons to Buy:
- Flexible and affordable pricing
- Free plan available, with limited features
- Easy to use
- Decent number of server locations
Pricing:
Out of our five picks featured here, Scala Cube is the only one that offers a free Minecraft hosting option. From there, it offers several cheap Minecraft server hosting plans that start at $2.50 per month with its highest tier plan at $96.00 per month.
>> try ScalaCube Minecraft server for free <<
Shockbyte Minecraft Server Review
Shockbyte isn’t a standard web hosting provider like Hostinger; this Australia-based company specialises in gaming servers of which supporting Minecraft is a focus. Of the cheap Minecraft server hosting options we cover here, Shockbyte has the best reputation.
Features:
Some of Shockbyte’s outstanding features include:
- Instant setup
- 100% uptime
- DDoS protection
- 24/7 support
- Free subdomain
- Server locations in Europe (UK, France, Poland, Germany), North American (Oregon, USA, Virginia, USA, and Quebec, Canada), and Asia Pacific (Sydney, AU, and Singapore)
Reasons to Buy:
- It specialises in game servers
- Minecraft-focused and flexible plans
- 100% uptime guarantee
- Powerful but cheap Minecraft server hosting service
Pricing:
Shockbyte has one of the most flexible hosting options available, with 12 plans and an option for a custom plan. The price ranges from $2.50 per month on the Dirt Plan (1GB RAM, 8+ slots) to $40.00 per month on the most powerful high-end Titan plan (16GB, unlimited slots).
>> Click for the lowest Shockbyte Minecraft server pricing today <<
Bisect Minecraft Server Review
Bisect Hosting is one of the most popular Minecraft server hosts in the market. It is acclaimed for its straightforward and cheap Minecraft server hosting providers. Built in 2011, its founders explained that they set up their own hosting service after finding existing hosts wanting and failing to deliver on what was promised. Supporting Java and Bedrock editions, Bisect Hosting has everything you need to run a multiplayer community.
Features:
Some of the most excellent features are:
- Wide range of flexible plans, both premium and low-cost packages
- Multicraft Control Panel
- Instant setup
- 24/7 Support
- Full FTP access
- DDoS protection
- Free unlimited slots for premium packages
Reasons to Buy:
- Low-cost, budget-friendly plans
- Great number of server locations
- DDos protection
Pricing:
Its flexibility and affordability are what attracts Minecraft fans to Bisect Hosting. It offers a number of cheap Minecraft server hosting packages (budget and premium) with 1GB to 8GB RAM, with a starting price of $2.99 per month.
>> Click for the lowest Bisect Minecraft server pricing today <<
Best Free Minecraft Server Hosting
Now, we've presented to you the best Minecraft server hosting options to consider. Let's take a look at the best free Minecraft server hosting alternatives to try. It should be noted that these are Free but with limitations whether it be advertisements or resources.
The best free Minecraft server hosting in our book are:
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ScalaCube – limited to 1 Game Server
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Aternos – will have advertisements
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Freemc – potential limited resources
Aternos Minecraft Servers
Aternos is our choice for the best free Minecraft server hosting. Being “free forever,” it has 54.3 million users and 1 million players using its servers daily. What's great about it is that despite being free Minecraft hosting, it is safe, secure, and most importantly, legit. Take note it is completely financed by advertisements so adverts will come with the package.
It has plenty of attractive features to tickle any Minecraft player despite being a free Minecraft hosting, such as:
- Full customisation
- DDoS protection
- Automatic backups
- Mods galore
Free MC Host
FreeMC is a free Minecraft hosting option that guarantees high-level performance while being free of charge. However, it's only a free Minecraft hosting alternative for up to 4GB of RAM.
You should consider FreeMC primarily because it's a powerful free Minecraft hosting option. It offers DDoS Protection, unlimited slots, mods, and decent support. If you run out of resources or they're simply not enough, you can upgrade to 8GB for €0.70 per day.
Conclusion and Recommendation
So there you have it, the best Minecraft server hosting and best free Minecraft server hosting options to maximise your gaming enjoyment!
Our top pick for the best cheap Minecraft hosting is Hostinger, followed by the highly rated game server specialist Shockbyte. Third on our list of the best Minecraft hosting is Apex Hosting, closely followed by Bisect Hosting, then Scala Cube, which is also a great contender for best free Minecraft server hosting since it offers a free plan.
For the best free Minecraft server hosting options, topping our list is Aternos, followed by Free MC hosting.
Click for the best Hostinger pricing
FAQs:
Can you host a Minecraft server for free?
Yes, you can. Free Minecraft hosting can come in a free trial or a free plan option in some of the best Minecraft server hosting providers. However, there are also completely free Minecraft hosting options such as Aternos and freeMC.
What's the minimum RAM for a Minecraft server?
For 10 player slots, a minimum of 1GB RAM should be available on your game server.
That's all for now:
If you've read all the way through this best Minecraft hosting list, we are thankful. We hope you can now answer the question of what is the best free Minecraft server hosting option for you! We have a large collection of articles, guides, and comparison reviews of eCommerce solutions, web hosting providers, website builders, and more! Feel free to check them out;
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