The Best Free Minecraft Server Hosting
If you want to play Minecraft with your friends but have no budget for a server, you may want to look into some free options. Free servers are very limited in capability and we have found that companies who offer free trials will give you a better experience and more flexibility through the trial period with the hope that they will upgrade with them.
Through our experience testing dozens of minecraft servers hosts, we discovered that any server running on less than 512mb of ram isn’t able to host a group of friends and crashes too often. For this reason, those server providers haven’t been included in this list. We have listed our top picks for Free Minecraft servers and hosts with free trials.
Our Most Recommended Free Minecraft Server Hosting Companies
1. Minehut - Most Popular Free Minecraft Server
With nearly 2 million accounts, Minehut is the most popular free host for Minecraft servers. With Minehut, you can use 2 free servers that could potentially host up to 500 players. They have a large community that enjoys playing together and trying out other servers. Minehut recently released the MH Unlimted Plan which is their first 24/7 offering. This means your server will never shut down.
While this is the best of the free hosts, there are some common issues that users experience, such as lag, disconnects, and servers not loading.
What You Get with a Free Minehut Server
With a Minehut Server, you will receive the following perks:
- 10 Player slots
- 1 GB RAM
- 12 Maximum plugins
- The ability to upgrade the server with credits
Note: All plugins (except BukkitCore and PlayerServer) count toward the 12 total.
How Does Upgrading Your Plan with Minehut Work?
Minehut’s plans run on a “credit” system where 40 credits are the equivalent of $.25 USD. You can purchase credits or vote for Minehut on MinecraftServers.org for each day for 25 credits (up to 725 per month). These credits can be used to purchase a Minehut server package that will give you more plugins, RAM, player slots, and the ability to play without ads.
Tip: if you vote each day, you will have enough credits to purchase the minimum monthly plan on Minehut.
2. Aternos - Always Free, No Paid Upgrades
Aternos is another Free Minecraft server host that allows users to add mods and plugins to their worlds. They offer DDoS protection and automatic backups. You can visit other custom worlds and even offer customer support.
Unfortunately, many users experience lag even when playing alone. Some plugins don’t work with the servers and if you choose to transfer your world elsewhere, you will lose your progress.
What You Get with Free Aternos Server
With an Aternos free server, you will receive the following perks:
- 8-20 servers
- Modpack and plugin abilities
- Custom worlds
- 2 Core Processor
3. FreeMCServer
FreeMCServer offers free hosting with the option to import worlds and add plugins. They have a control panel to make it easy for you to change your server settings when needed.
You have to continually renew your server to keep it active by logging in to the control panel and pressing a button at least once every 2 days. Users report lagging on occasion and poor support. You also have to wait in a queue before you are able to access your server. There is also no option for 24/7 servers. Due to high capacity, you may need to wait in a queue before you are able to play the game.
What You Get with a FreeMCServer Server
You will get the following perks with a FreeMCServer Server:
- FTP Access
- Control panel
- Support
Minecraft Server Hosting with Free Trials
SpartanHost
SpartanHost offers a 48-hour free trial for a limited version of their premium Minecraft servers. You will have access to a 1GB server with unlimited slots during your trial, after which you can upgrade to a paid server.
With SpartanHost, you pay for the amount of RAM you want. Plans start at $5 USD monthly for 1GB to $60 USD for 12GB. Their plans include an easy plugin/mod installer and full FTP access.
SpartanHost Features
With SpartanHost, you can look forward to using the following features:
- DDoS Protection
- 24/7 Customer support
- Easy plugin/mod installation
- Multiple server locations around the globe to minimize ping
ScalaCube
ScalaCube offers a free-trial of their fully-functional servers. At the end of the trial, if you choose to extend your subscription, all your work on their server will be saved, including maps, added mods and plugins, and IP addresses.
ScalaCube’s servers are monitored and maintained 24/7 and they have a “low ping” guarantee due to the multiple server locations they operate around the world. Their control panel is easy to navigate, allowing you to make quick changes when needed.
ScalaCube Features
Some of the features you can expect with ScalaCube are the following:
- Unlimited player slots
- DDoS Protection
- Free Domain
- Plugin/Mod support
- Access to multiple servers
- Full file access
- Free web hosting
Nodecraft
Nodecraft offers a 24-hour free trial for their Minecraft servers. They often offer a discount for your first month after your free trial. They offer four different plans and offer a 7-day money-back guarantee. They offer DDoS Protection and a mobile control panel.
Pros and Cons of Free Minecraft Server Hosting
Free Minecraft servers are good for people who want to play on a server with their friends but can’t afford to pay for hosting. They can also be useful for those who want to try out hosting a server before making an initial investment.
The negative aspects of Free Minecraft servers center around gameplay. Free servers are known for having lag, getting disconnected, and not loading plug-ins correctly. There are very few possibilities for 24/7 activity and users generally have to wait in a queue before they can play. Some require you to jump through additional hoops to keep your server active which takes time and effort.
At any time, the platform may change their system and delete your server or world as a part of the change. As your server was free, there isn’t anything you can really do about it. They may also drop their “free” plan and not allow you to transfer the world to another server.
Many Free Minecraft Hosts Aren’t Actually Free
Many free Minecraft hosts will make promises that aren’t true in order to push you into upgrading to a paid plan in the future. The server may work perfectly for a few days as you grind through the early game and create the beginning of your world. Even if the platform offers support, there is very little you can do to get things working once you begin to experience problems.
After a few days, many hosts may drop the RAM they have allotted you, making the game lag, disconnect, or have other issues. When reaching out to them for help, you’ll often receive a sales pitch to go to a paid plan as the solution. Often, if you choose to move to a different server altogether, the first company won’t allow you to port your world, forcing you to lose all your in-game progress.
Warning Signs of a Bad Minecraft Server
Many “free” Minecraft hosting sites will use old servers as their entry servers. Worn-out equipment can set up users for a bad experience overall, leading to frustration and people leaving for other servers.
Some sites hide their server packages to make it appear as though they only offer free packages. It isn’t until you have signed up and have invested time into your Minecraft projects that they will reveal the prices of their good servers.
How Free Minecraft Servers Make Money
Free Minecraft servers typically make money in the following three ways:
- Upgrading free accounts to paid servers when users grow weary of the lag
- Selling user information to third-party companies
- Ad space
Free 24/7 Minecraft Server Hosting
Most Minecraft servers won’t operate 24/7. Many will have downtime that you can’t control. Crowded servers can also lag more at peak times, making game-play unbearable.
Conclusion
While free servers may be easy on the wallet, they can be a hassle to play and maintain. Check out our Best Minecraft server picks for affordable servers without the headache.
