Best Minecraft Server Hosting in 2026: 7 Providers Compared
You don't need a 3,000-word preamble about what Minecraft is. You're here because you want a server that works, doesn't lag, and won't empty your wallet. We tested seven of the most popular hosting providers by actually running servers on them — vanilla, modded, and plugin-heavy — and compared their real-world performance, pricing, ease of setup, and support quality.
Here's what we found.
Quick Comparison
| Provider | Best For | Starting Price | RAM Range | Free Trial / Guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shockbyte | Best value overall | ~$2.50/mo | 1–16 GB | 72-hour refund |
| BisectHosting | Modded servers | ~$2.99/mo | 1–32 GB | 72-hour refund |
| Apex Hosting | Customer support | ~$4.49/mo | 1–15 GB | 72-hour refund |
| Hostinger | Full VPS control | ~$5.49/mo | 4–32 GB | 30-day money-back |
| PebbleHost | Ultra-budget | ~$1/mo | 1–32 GB | 72-hour refund |
| ScalaCube | Free tier available | Free / $2/mo | Up to 6 GB free | Free plan available |
| GodlikeHost | High-performance hardware | ~$3/mo | 1–32 GB | 3-day money-back |
What Actually Matters When Choosing a Host
Before we get into individual providers, here's what separates a good Minecraft host from a bad one:
- CPU quality matters more than RAM. Minecraft is single-threaded, meaning clock speed is everything. A host running AMD Ryzen 9 processors at 5+ GHz will outperform one running older Xeons, regardless of how much RAM they give you. Always check what CPU a host actually uses — if they don't say, that's a red flag.
- NVMe SSD storage is the baseline. Any host still running hard drives (or even SATA SSDs on their cheapest plans) will have noticeably slower chunk loading. NVMe should be standard across all plans in 2026.
- DDoS protection isn't optional. Minecraft servers are among the most commonly DDoS-targeted game servers on the internet. Any host without network-level DDoS filtering is one bored teenager away from going offline for hours.
- Server location relative to your players. The biggest factor in ping isn't the host's hardware — it's geography. Pick a data centre close to where the majority of your players are.
- One-click modpack support saves hours. Hosts with built-in modpack installers (CurseForge, Modrinth, FTB integration) make setup painless.
1. Shockbyte — Best Value Overall
Starting price: ~$2.50/month (1 GB) | Sweet spot plan: 4 GB for ~$9.99/month
Shockbyte has been around since 2013 and has built a reputation as the go-to budget host that actually delivers. They're a game-server-focused company (not a general web host that bolted on Minecraft support), and it shows in how their panel and support are set up.
What's good: The pricing-to-feature ratio is genuinely hard to beat. Even the entry-level plan includes NVMe SSD storage, DDoS protection, unlimited player slots, and full mod/plugin support. Server setup is instant — you pick your plan, choose your server type (Paper, Forge, Fabric, Bedrock, etc.), and it's live within minutes. Their 4 GB plan handles 10–15 players on vanilla or lightly-plugged servers without breaking a sweat.
What's not: Support response times are Shockbyte's Achilles heel. Ticket replies during peak hours can take a few hours. Performance also starts to dip on lower plans with heavy modpacks — you'll want 6 GB minimum for anything like All The Mods or RLCraft.
Who should pick this: Anyone who wants solid performance at the lowest price point. Perfect for friend groups, small communities, and budget-conscious server admins.
2. BisectHosting — Best for Modded Servers
Starting price: ~$2.99/month (Budget, 1 GB) | Sweet spot plan: Premium 8 GB for ~$15.98/month
BisectHosting separates their plans into "Budget" and "Premium" tiers. Budget plans use shared resources and older hardware. Premium plans get you dedicated resources, newer CPUs, a wider selection of data centre locations, and daily backups. For modded servers, the Premium tier is where you want to be.
What's good: The one-click modpack installer is the best in the business. Over 100 pre-configured modpacks available, including every major pack on CurseForge and FTB. Clicking "install" genuinely just works — the right Forge/Fabric version, the correct Java flags, everything configured automatically. BisectHosting also has 19+ server locations worldwide and offers free dedicated IPs on Premium plans.
What's not: The Budget tier is genuinely budget — expect shared resources and potential performance dips during peak hours. If you're going BisectHosting for modded, go Premium. Pricing is slightly above Shockbyte for equivalent specs.
Who should pick this: Anyone running Forge or Fabric modpacks. The modpack installer alone makes BisectHosting the path of least resistance for modded Minecraft.
3. Apex Hosting — Best Customer Support
Starting price: ~$4.49/month (1 GB) | Sweet spot plan: 4 GB for ~$14.99/month
Apex Hosting has been a fixture in the Minecraft hosting space since 2013, and their differentiator is simple: they're widely regarded as having the best support team in the industry.
What's good: Live chat support is genuinely responsive and knowledgeable. During our testing, we got answers within minutes, and the agents clearly understood Minecraft server administration rather than reading from generic scripts. Server performance is solid with bare-metal servers in Tier 3 data centres across 18 global locations. Free offsite backups included as standard.
What's not: Pricing is the highest per-gigabyte of any provider on this list. The 1 GB plan at $4.49 is more than double what Shockbyte charges for the same RAM. You're paying a premium for support quality and brand reliability.
Who should pick this: Server owners who value responsive, expert support and are willing to pay a bit more for peace of mind. Great for community servers where uptime matters.
4. Hostinger — Best for Full VPS Control
Starting price: ~$5.49/month (4 GB, 24-month commitment) | Sweet spot plan: Game Panel 2, 8 GB for ~$10.49/month
Hostinger is a major web hosting company that offers Minecraft hosting through their VPS platform. This makes them fundamentally different — you're getting a full virtual private server with root access, not a managed game panel.
What's good: You get genuine dedicated resources (vCPU, RAM, NVMe storage) on enterprise-grade hardware with DDoS protection and a 99.9% uptime guarantee. Root access means complete control: custom Java flags, any server software, cron jobs for automated backups, the ability to run multiple servers. The 30-day money-back guarantee is the most generous on this list.
What's not: This is not beginner-friendly. Setup takes 10–15 minutes instead of instant deployment. No one-click modpack installer — you'll need to upload files manually via FTP or SSH. Pricing requires a long-term commitment to get advertised rates.
Who should pick this: Technically confident server admins who want full control and the best performance-per-dollar ratio at scale. Not recommended for beginners.
5. PebbleHost — Best Ultra-Budget Option
Starting price: $1/month per GB | Sweet spot plan: 4 GB for $4/month
PebbleHost's pricing model is dead simple: $1 per GB of RAM per month. No tiers, no confusing plan names, no hidden fees.
What's good: At $1/GB, PebbleHost is the cheapest paid Minecraft hosting that actually works. Their servers run on Ryzen hardware with NVMe storage. The control panel is based on Pterodactyl (modern and well-designed). DDoS protection is included. A 4 GB server costs less than a single coffee per month.
What's not: Support is community-driven and can be slow. Documentation is thinner than bigger providers. Server locations are limited (primarily US and EU). Don't expect the same consistency as premium hosts under heavy load with 20+ players.
Who should pick this: Players on a tight budget, small friend groups, or anyone who wants a quick, cheap server for testing.
6. ScalaCube — Best Free Option
Starting price: Free (6 GB, limited) | Paid plans from: $2/month
ScalaCube offers something almost no other host does: a free plan with 6 GB of RAM. There are limitations (queue times, advertising, less reliable uptime), but for a genuinely free server, it's surprisingly usable.
What's good: The free tier is real and actually playable for small groups. Setup is simple with one-click installs for many popular modpacks. If you've never run a Minecraft server before and want to try it without spending anything, this is the place to start.
What's not: The free plan has intermittent availability during peak hours and ads in the server MOTD. Paid plan specifications are lower per dollar compared to PebbleHost or Shockbyte. Server locations are limited. Performance on the free tier is inconsistent.
Who should pick this: Complete beginners who want to try hosting without spending money, or casual groups who don't need consistent uptime.
7. GodlikeHost — Best High-Performance Hardware
Starting price: ~$3/month (1 GB) | Sweet spot plan: 6 GB for ~$15/month
GodlikeHost is newer to the scene but has made an impression by using cutting-edge hardware — specifically AMD Ryzen 9 processors running at 5+ GHz, which are among the fastest available for single-threaded Minecraft performance.
What's good: Raw performance on their premium plans is outstanding. If you're running a server that pushes hardware limits — high player counts with heavy redstone, lots of entities, or complex modpacks — the CPU performance difference is noticeable. NVMe storage and DDoS protection are standard.
What's not: As a newer provider, they have a shorter track record and fewer server locations. The community and documentation are smaller compared to established providers like BisectHosting or Apex.
Who should pick this: Performance-focused server admins who want the absolute best hardware, particularly for demanding modded or high-player-count servers.
How to Choose: Decision Flowchart
- Want to spend nothing? → ScalaCube free tier
- Under $5/month, just friends playing vanilla? → PebbleHost or Shockbyte
- Running modpacks? → BisectHosting Premium
- Need reliable support for a community server? → Apex Hosting
- Want full server control and technical freedom? → Hostinger VPS
- Maximum performance, money is secondary? → GodlikeHost
- Best balance of price and features? → Shockbyte
What About Self-Hosting?
If you're considering running a server on your own PC instead of paying a host, read our server requirements guide first. It covers exactly what hardware you need and the real costs of running 24/7. For most players, a $5–10/month hosted server is both cheaper and more reliable than self-hosting once you account for electricity, internet upload requirements, and maintenance time.
If you do decide to self-host, you'll also need to set up port forwarding so friends can connect — which comes with its own set of challenges.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much RAM do I need for a Minecraft server?
For vanilla with 5–10 players: 3–4 GB. For plugins with 10–20 players: 6–8 GB. For heavy modpacks: 8–12 GB minimum. See our detailed requirements guide for complete RAM tables.
Is free Minecraft server hosting worth it?
For trying out hosting or casual play with a couple of friends, yes. ScalaCube's free tier actually works. But for anything you rely on — a community server, consistent uptime, or good performance — paid hosting starting at $3–5/month is a significant upgrade.
Can I switch hosting providers without losing my world?
Yes. Download your world files (the world folder) from your current host via FTP or the control panel, then upload them to your new host. All player data, builds, and progress are stored in those files. The process takes 10–15 minutes for most world sizes.
Do I need DDoS protection?
If your server is public or has more than a handful of players, yes. Minecraft servers are frequently targeted by DDoS attacks. All providers on this list include DDoS protection, but if you're evaluating other hosts, make sure it's included.
What's the difference between Minecraft hosting and a VPS?
Minecraft hosting gives you a pre-configured game panel — you click a few buttons and your server is ready. A VPS gives you a blank Linux server with root access where you install and configure everything yourself. VPS offers more flexibility but requires technical knowledge. For most players, managed Minecraft hosting is the easier choice.