Minecraft Server Hosting
Choose your Minecraft version
Pick the version that matches your community. You can switch later from the control panel — no extra charge, your IP and ports stay the same.
Minecraft server plans
Pick the plan that fits your community. Every plan deploys instantly and can be resized later from the control panel.
Starter
- RAM
- 4 GB
- NVMe
- 15 GB
- CPU
- 1 vCore
Standard
- RAM
- 10 GB
- NVMe
- 30 GB
- CPU
- 2 vCores
Ultimate
- RAM
- 16 GB
- NVMe
- 40 GB
- CPU
- 3 vCores
Included with every plan
Save up to 15% with longer billing periods
Built for Minecraft: seven frameworks, a heap you never type, and Bedrock apart
Minecraft is not one server product, and the two decisions that cost people a weekend are made before first boot: which framework you run, and how much heap the JVM gets.
Seven frameworks, one server, the same world
Vanilla, Paper, Purpur, Spigot, Fabric, Forge and NeoForge are seven different servers, and picking one usually means committing a world to it. Here Framework is a Startup field: change it, reinstall, and the world, server.properties, plugins/ and mods/ survive. Plugins and mods are not interchangeable, so the folder that no longer applies is cleared. Minecraft server software compared
The heap is a percentage of your plan, not a number you type
Every Minecraft guide tells you to set -Xmx, then to set it 1–1.5 GB below your machine's RAM so the JVM's own overhead does not get the process killed. Our launch line is java -Xms128M -XX:MaxRAMPercentage=95.0, with no -Xmx and no memory field, because the ceiling is derived from the RAM the server has. Minecraft server RAM and JVM flags
Bedrock is a separate product, not a checkbox
Java and Bedrock are two servers, and the difference that matters is the save format: Bedrock worlds are LevelDB and cannot be opened by a Java server, or the reverse. Bedrock is UDP where Java is TCP, and its clients auto-update. We run them as two products, never converting one world into the other. Minecraft Bedrock world management and LevelDB
Update day is a reinstall that keeps the world
Minecraft's version is a field, not a jar you upload. Minecraft Version takes latest or a literal number — 1.21.1, 26.2 — and Build Number pins an exact Paper or Purpur build. So update day is a decision, not a migration: reinstall and the world, configs and plugins survive, or pin them. Minecraft update day checklist
Powerful Server Management
Every server comes with our feature-rich game panel — manage your server from anywhere with no technical expertise required.
Live Server Console
Monitor your server in real time with a built-in console, live CPU, memory, and network graphs, plus one-click start, restart, and stop controls.
Full File Manager
Browse, upload, edit, and manage all your server files directly from the panel — no FTP client needed. Drag and drop uploads, bulk actions, and more.
Startup Configuration
Fine-tune every aspect of your server with an intuitive variable editor. Selects, toggles, and validated inputs replace fragile command-line flags.
One-Click Backups
Create on-demand or scheduled backups with one click. Lock critical snapshots, download them for offsite storage, or restore any of them yourself.
Network & Allocations
Every server gets a dedicated port allocation behind always-on DDoS filtering. Add extra ports for query, RCON or mods without touching a config file.
Global Server Network
Pick a data center close to your players. The times below are measured live from your own connection, not quoted from ours. View all locations.
Minecraft servers deploy from four locations. Dallas sits in the middle of North America and is the usual default for a community spread across the United States. Ashburn covers the East Coast and is the shorter hop for players in the eastern states and eastern Canada. London serves the UK, Ireland and the western edge of Europe, and Frankfurt sits central for Germany, the Nordics, the Benelux countries and most of Eastern Europe. Between them the four cover North America and Europe end to end.
The figures beside each city were measured by your own browser a moment ago, so read them as a fair guide to what players near you will see rather than a number we picked. If you choose the wrong one, moving is free: open a ticket and support migrates your server files to any available location at no charge.
What our customers say
“This is the first time in my life that someone actually tried to help around this world of VPS/dedicated servers. Rene isn't good, he is amazing! Gave total attention, made recommendations. I am looking forward to migrate my services to GameServerKings because of Rene. I appreciate the attention once again.”
Igor garcia
“I've been with GSK and Cosmic guard for nearly 2 years now, They are very professional, helpful and quick to fix any issues. They normally can get a tech in same day to fix and hardware issues. We've had 2 cpu's burn out and they replaced them (after diagnosing the issue) Fast and free Extra big should out to Alexander hes the goat <3”
Josh from flowstate
“Machines and support are top notch! Love being able to communicate with real humans here and not sh.. ai bots that other sites offer. Communication is smooth and fast.”
BekerMelk
Aimtraining
Outgrowing a shared Minecraft server?
For larger Minecraft communities — or when you're running a fleet of high-performance instances — a dedicated machine gives you the whole box: every core, all the RAM, and no noisy neighbors. You decide how it's run.
Run it on our game panel
Hand us the machine and we deploy it onto the same GameServerKings panel you already know — one-click installs, mods, backups, and 24/7 support, managed on your behalf.
Or manage it yourself
Prefer full control? Take root access and run it your way. The box is yours end to end — we just keep the hardware and network humming underneath.
Minecraft Knowledge Base
Guides for installing, configuring, and troubleshooting your Minecraft server.
Minecraft
Minecraft is a game made up of blocks, creatures, and community. You can survive the night or build a work of art – the choice is all yours. But if the thought of exploring a vast new world all on your own feels overwhelming, then fear not! Let’s explore what Minecraft is all about!
Details five operator levels in ops.json, 1.21.11 renames like keep_inventory, /execute, target selectors, save-off/on.
Sets up Forge, Fabric or NeoForge; mod .jar files and Fabric API go in mods. Covers All The Mods 9, Cobblemon packs.
Covers plugin .jar files in plugins on Paper/Spigot: EssentialsX, LuckPerms, WorldGuard, CoreProtect, MySQL permissions.
Covers choosing a jar — vanilla, Paper, Purpur, Forge, Fabric, NeoForge — EULA, server.properties, JVM heap, opping.
Walks through first boot on Bedrock, joining via Friends tab, server.properties values, XUID ops, and .mcpack installs.
Set up a BedWars server on Paper 26.2: Screaming BedWars arena commands, generator tiers, rebuild scope, and why BedWars1058 is no longer viable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about Minecraft server hosting with GameServerKings
How much does it cost to run a Minecraft server?
A Minecraft server here starts at $4.80 a month. The price tracks the resources you pick:
- Starting
- 1 vCore · 4 GB RAM · 15 GB storage
- $4.80/mo
- Fully loaded
- 3 vCores · 16 GB RAM · 40 GB storage
- $42.00/mo
- Dedicated IPv4
- Optional add-on
- +$5.00/mo
- Longer terms
- Paid annually or up front
- 5–15% off
RAM is the number worth getting right: view distance, loaded chunks and any modpack matter far more than raw player count.
How quickly will my server be ready?
Your Minecraft server is provisioned automatically within about a minute of payment. You'll receive login credentials to your inbox so you can connect straight away.
Do game updates install automatically?
Yes. Your Minecraft server is kept on the current game build automatically — you don't need to patch it by hand or open a ticket when the game updates.
Can I install mods and plugins?
Absolutely. You have full file access via our control panel and FTP/SFTP. Install any mods, plugins, or custom configurations — we don't restrict what you run on your server.
What if I need to upgrade my resources?
Upgrading is instant. You can change your memory, storage, or CPU priority from your client area at any time without any downtime or server migration.
Is DDoS protection included?
Yes. Every Minecraft server includes enterprise-grade DDoS mitigation at no extra charge. We absorb attacks at the network edge — your players won't notice a thing.
Are backups included?
Yes, and in two ways. Your Minecraft server is backed up automatically every 24 hours to off-site storage, so there is a recent copy to fall back on if the machine itself fails — you do not have to set anything up for that. On top of it, every plan includes five backup slots in the control panel that are yours to use: take one with a single click before a wipe, an update or a mod install, or set a schedule so they run on their own, and restore or download any of those five whenever you like. Neither costs extra.
Do I need a dedicated IP?
Only if you want one. A dedicated IPv4 address gives your Minecraft server its own entry in the in-game server browser and puts it on the game's default port, so players can connect by typing just the IP address. Without one your server shares an IP with other servers and uses its own port instead — it runs exactly the same and your friends can still join, they just need the IP and the port together. It costs $5.00 a month if you decide you want it.
Do you offer a money-back guarantee?
We offer a 72-hour money-back guarantee. If you're not satisfied for any reason within the first 72 hours, contact us and we'll issue a full refund — no questions asked.
Can I switch server locations?
Yes. Contact our support team and we'll help you migrate your server data to any of our available locations at no charge.
Still have questions?
Our support team is available 24/7 and typically responds in under 5 minutes.
Open a support ticketDeploy Your Minecraft Server.
Join thousands of gamers who trust GameServerKings for reliable, high-performance server hosting.
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