Among the main playable features of Minecraft is its online multiplayer mode. Multiplayer allows players to cooperate with each other to create immense and original worlds that can be shared with anyone.

For the Multiplayer in Minecraft to work, players must connect to specialized servers where the player worlds are hosted. But in order to enjoy all the possibilities, Minecraft has to offer, it is advisable to create your own server.

By having a personal server, you will have more control over the game, which has many benefits, such as being able to invite players to your worlds, creating your own rules, installing mods, and much more.

One of the best qualities of Minecraft is the relative ease of setting up servers, which leads many new players within the game to be interested, but there are many ins and out of running a server so let’s go over them.

Are Minecraft Servers Free?

Yes, you can host a Minecraft server free of charge. The server will run on your computer and your Minecraft worlds will only be available when your computer is on and the server software is running.

However, there are paid options for Minecraft servers that do have advantages over a free server. It is a fairly common dilemma among Minecraft players whether or not it is worth paying a premium for a server.

Let’s compare the two.

Types Of Minecraft Servers

Free Minecraft Server

a beautiful world in Minecraft

Minecraft servers are completely free of charge, however, they have limitations. As mentioned above, a free server uses your computer and resources. This is ok if you want to fire up the game from time to time and build a world on your own.

This works great if you have more than one person in the home that wants to play and build together.

If you play from various locations, you have to make sure that the server is online and running when you are away from it, or you will not be able to play.

How To Setup A Free Minecraft Server

Setting up a Minecraft server is very easy, but it can get more technical as you want to expand. You need to consider things like how your home network is set up, as you may need port forwarding. 

If you want mods and customizations, that is a whole other process that is not always as friendly. While there are some resources to help you find mods you still need to go out and download them separately and follow their specific install instructions.

Benefits Of A Free Minecraft Server

  • You own it, it is on your computers and you have total control
  • You can turn it off at anytime
  • You do not need to be online
  • Local gameplay is fast
  • Its free

You can download the Minecraft server software here.

Paid Minecraft Servers

A group of Minecraft players

How Much Does A Minecraft Server Cost?

A dedicated Minecraft server costs around $3 US per month on average for a starting plan. This includes everything you need to get your server running for a small group of players.

Prices will depend on the company providing the server and the options you need. In most cases how much you pay will depend on how many simultaneous players you want to allow.

How To Setup A Paid Minecraft Server?

There is no setup required for a paid Minecraft server. Your server provider should take care of all this for you or at least have a one-click setup. You should only need to log in.

You will be given access to an admin panel that will let you know the server IP and give you access to change some settings.

Want mods? No problem, most server providers give you instant access to all the popular mods and make installation as simple as selecting the mod you want from a list.

Benefits Of A Paid Minecraft Server

  • One click mod installs
  • You can log in from anywhere at any time
  • You can easily run multiple servers with unlimited slots
  • The do not rely on your hardware and bandwidth
  • Technical support
  • They do not cost that much

There are many Minecraft server providers out there. I recommend ScalaCube Minecraft hosting.  ScalaCube offers some of the cheapest packages with everything you need to get started along with many bonuses. If you are uncertain what you need, hop on over and ask their chat support.

Hosting a game of minecraft

Should You Pay For a Minecraft Server?

Paying for a Minecraft server depends on the purpose of your server and how it will be used. If you have a large group of people playing from different locations, then a paid server may be best.

A paid server would also be beneficial if you plan on streaming or recording your gameplay and it will move the load of running the server off the machine you are recording on.

If you are just getting your feet wet, I would suggest running a free server on a computer in your home. It will allow you to learn the basics and you can easily migrate to a paid server at any time if needed.

We only play from time to time, and locally, so free is the route I went. My server is stored on my HTPC so I just remote in and turn it on whenever we want to play. Our main world is almost 10 years old now and growing.