How to Make a Minecraft Server (Free & Paid, 26.3)

Every way to run a Minecraft server — Realms, the free server.jar, Bedrock Dedicated Server, hosting, and LAN play — compared with costs and limits.

9/29/2026 26.3 / 26.52 Minecraft Wiki Team Last updated: 9/29/2026 3 min read

FAQ

How do you make a Minecraft server for free?

Java Edition: download the official server.jar from minecraft.net, run it, accept the EULA, and share your IP (port-forward 25565) — or use free tiers of hosting providers. Bedrock: Bedrock Dedicated Server runs on Windows/Linux. Realms and hosted options cost money.

Is Minecraft Realms worth it?

For small friend groups who want zero maintenance — yes: $7.99/mo for 10 players, always online, automatic backups, one-click world slots. For mods, plugins, or 20+ players, a dedicated host or self-hosted jar beats it.

Can Java and Bedrock players join the same server?

Not natively — Java servers need Java clients, Bedrock servers need Bedrock. Third-party proxies like GeyserMC can bridge Bedrock players onto Java servers, but that's a community workaround, not an official feature.

Four ways to run a server

Option	Cost	Setup difficulty	Players	Mods/plugins
Minecraft Realms	$3.99–7.99/mo	Easiest — in-game menu	2–10	Marketplace add-ons only
Self-hosted server.jar / BDS	Free (your hardware)	Medium — port forwarding	Unlimited (your RAM)	Java: full mod/plugin support
Paid hosting	~$5–20/mo	Easy — control panel	Scales with plan	Full support
LAN / friends join	Free	Instant — Open to LAN	Whoever’s on your network	Same as host world

Option 1: Realms — the official one-click server

Mojang’s subscription service, managed entirely in-game:

Bedrock: Realms Core $3.99/mo (2 players online at once), Realms Plus $7.99/mo (10 players + Marketplace Pass content library)
Java: $7.99/mo for 10 players, with 30/90/180-day one-time packages
30-day free trial for first-time accounts; a free Preview Realm (Bedrock preview/snapshot builds) comes with every subscription
Always online, automatic backups, three world slots — but no plugins and no Java-style mods

Option 2: Self-hosted — free and full control

Java: grab server.jar from minecraft.net, run java -Xmx2G -jar server.jar, accept the EULA, port-forward 25565. Swap in Paper/Fabric/NeoForge server builds for plugins or mods — see install mods
Bedrock: Bedrock Dedicated Server (Windows/Ubuntu) from the same page — it’s what Realms itself runs internally
Free apart from power and hardware; your PC must stay on for friends to play

Option 3: Paid hosting

Panel-based hosts handle networking, DDoS protection, backups, and one-click modpacks. Pick by RAM and tick-rate guarantees rather than headline “unlimited players” claims — a vanilla 10-player world runs fine on 2–4 GB.

Option 4: No server at all

Java: pause menu → Open to LAN — anyone on your network joins instantly
Bedrock: Xbox Live friends can join your world directly whenever you’re online (multiplayer toggle in settings)

Which should you pick?

Friends-only world with zero hassle → Realms. Mods or plugins → self-host or paid host. Same house → LAN. Crossplay between Java and Bedrock isn’t officially supported — plan around it.