How to Make a Minecraft Server: Self-Host, Free Host, or Managed Hosting

To make a Minecraft server, you run Minecraft’s free server software on a computer that stays on and that your friends can reach. There are three ways to do that: host it yourself on your own PC, use a free host, or rent a managed server from a hosting company. Self-hosting costs nothing but your hardware and time, free hosts skip the setup but add limits, and managed hosting costs money in exchange for taking setup and upkeep off your plate.

The Three Ways to Make a Minecraft Server

	Self-host (your PC)	Free host	Managed host
Cost	Free software; you supply the hardware and power	$0	Monthly fee, usually priced by RAM
Who runs the hardware	You	The host	The host
Online when you’re not	Only while your computer is on	Depends on the host; some stop when empty	Yes, 24/7
Setup effort	Highest: Java, EULA, router settings	Low	Low
Best for	Tinkerers, LAN play, learning how servers work	Testing, one-off sessions	Groups who want a server that’s simply on

You aren’t locked in. A world you start on your own PC or a free host can move to a paid server later with world import.

First: Java or Bedrock?

Minecraft has two editions, and each has its own server software. The server download on minecraft.net is for Java Edition only, and the download page says so directly. Out of the box, a Java server only accepts Java Edition players.

Bedrock Edition uses a separate program, Bedrock Dedicated Server, which runs on Windows 10 (version 1703 or later), Windows Server 2016 or later, or Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or later, and listens on port 19132 by default. If your group is split between editions, the usual approach is a Java server with the Geyser plugin, which lets Bedrock players join. We cover that setup in Java and Bedrock crossplay.

The self-hosting steps below are for Java Edition.

Option 1: Host It Yourself (Java Edition)

Self-hosting means changing settings on your home router, and Mojang says plainly that it can’t help with home networks or privately run servers. That’s not a reason to avoid it. It just means you’re the support team.

What you need

• A computer that can stay on while people play. Mojang’s download page runs the server with 4GB of memory allocated, and that’s on top of what the computer itself is using. If you plan to add plugins or mods, see how much RAM a Minecraft server needs.
• Java 25. Every Minecraft Java release since 26.1 requires Java 25. Versions 1.20.5 through 1.21.11 need Java 21. Either a JDK or a JRE works, and free OpenJDK builds such as Eclipse Temurin offer Java 25.
• Access to your router’s settings, if friends will join from outside your home network.

Step by step

1. Check Java. Open a terminal (Command Prompt on Windows) and run java -version. If it reports an older version or isn’t recognized, install Java 25. On Linux and macOS, Java usually works from the terminal already. On Windows, you may need to add it to your PATH.

2. Download the server software. Get the server .jar from the official Minecraft: Java Edition server download page and put it in its own empty folder. The server creates its files next to the jar, so a dedicated folder keeps things tidy. Downloading it means you agree to the Minecraft EULA.

3. Run it once. In a terminal opened in that folder, run the command Mojang gives on the download page:

   java -Xmx4G -Xms4G -jar server.jar nogui

   Swap server.jar for your file’s actual name, which may be server.jar or minecraft_server.<version>.jar. -Xms4G and -Xmx4G set the starting and maximum memory to 4GB, and nogui skips the server window. The first run stops almost immediately. That’s expected: it creates eula.txt and server.properties and won’t go further until you accept the EULA.

4. Accept the EULA. Open eula.txt, change eula=false to eula=true, and save. That confirms you’ve read and accept the EULA. Skip it and the server shuts down every time you start it.

5. Set the basics. Open server.properties in a text editor. This is where you set game mode, difficulty, max players, the world seed, and the message players see in their server list. Our server.properties reference explains each setting.

6. Start it again. Run the same command. This time the server generates the world and keeps running.

7. Join. If you’re playing on the same computer, add a server with the address localhost. Other players on your home network can join with that computer’s local IP address followed by :25565.

Letting friends join over the internet

To let people outside your home connect, forward TCP port 25565 on your router to the computer running the server. 25565 is the default server-port in server.properties. The steps differ by router, so check its manual or help site. Your friends then connect to your public IP address followed by :25565, for example 12.34.56.78:25565.

Before you hand out the address:

• Keep your IP private. It’s your home network’s address, not just the server’s. Give it only to people you trust, and never post it publicly.
• Turn on the whitelist. Run /whitelist on, then /whitelist add <player> for each person. Automated scanners look for servers on the default port, and a whitelist means only people you approve can get in.
• Plan for a changing IP. Most home internet connections have a dynamic IP that can change every few days or weeks, which breaks the address your friends saved. Give the server computer a static local IP so your port forward keeps pointing at it, and consider a dynamic DNS service so friends can use a name instead of a number.

Keeping a self-hosted server running

Getting the server up is the easy part. Running it week after week is where self-hosting takes real time.

• It’s only online while your computer is. Sleep mode, shutdowns, and restarts for system updates take the server down with them. For a server your friends can join whenever they like, that computer needs to stay on.
• Updates are on you. Each new Minecraft release means downloading the new server jar and swapping it in. Back up first, and check that your plugins or mods support the new version before you update. Major releases can also raise the Java requirement, as 26.1 did when it moved from Java 21 to Java 25.
• So are backups. Nothing backs up your world unless you set it up. Stop the server, then copy the world folder (named by level-name in server.properties, which is world by default) along with your config files. Our backup guide lists which folders hold your world, plugins, mods, and settings for each server type.
• Performance tuning. If the server lags as more people join, our server optimization guide covers view distance, entity settings, and profiling.

Self-hosting is the right call if you have a spare computer that can stay on, a reliable home connection, and you’re comfortable in your router settings, or if everyone plays on the same network. It’s free, and you’ll learn how Minecraft servers actually work.

Option 2: Use a Free Host

Free hosts like Aternos and Minehut run the server for you at no cost. You sign up, pick a version, and start the server from a web page. No Java install, no router settings.

Free servers come with conditions. Aternos, for example, stops your server automatically when the last player leaves, so someone has to start it again before each session. Resource limits, backups, and how the service is funded vary by host. We go through those trade-offs in detail in Free vs. Paid Minecraft Hosting.

A free host is a good fit for testing a version or modpack, a one-off session with friends, or learning the ropes before you commit to anything.

Option 3: Rent a Managed Server

A managed server runs the same Minecraft server software, just on a hosting company’s hardware in a data center instead of your desk. You choose the server software, version, and RAM in a control panel. The host handles the machine, the network, and keeping it online. There’s no port forwarding, because players connect to an address the host gives you, and the server stays up whether or not anyone is playing.

Whoever you consider, check these before you pay:

• RAM you can upgrade later without moving to a new server
• Server software and version choice, such as vanilla, Paper, Fabric, Forge, or NeoForge
• File access through SFTP or a file manager, plus a live console
• Backups: how often they run, how long they’re kept, and whether you can get them back
• A refund window, so you can test real performance with your group
• How fast support actually replies when something breaks

How it works at WinterNode

On WinterNode’s order page you pick your server software (Paper is the recommended default), version, RAM, and location, and the server is online in about a minute. From there:

• Switch server software or loaders under Server Actions with Install Different Edition
• Set up the whitelist, OPs, and plugins with the Java quick start
• Share your address using connecting to your server
• Bring the world you started at home or on a free host with world import, or send it to our support team and we’ll import it for you

The chores from Option 1 are handled for you. The server stays on without your PC, there’s no port to forward, and automatic backups start between 2 and 3 AM and between 2 and 3 PM CT, and are kept for 45 days. There are no hard CPU caps. When something breaks, you reach a person, and replies average about an hour. Pricing is $1.99 per GB of RAM, so the recommended 6GB Paper server is $11.94/month.

What About Realms?

If you only want vanilla Minecraft for a small group, Mojang’s Realms subscription is another option. We compare it with hosted servers in Minecraft Realms vs Server Hosting.

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Rather skip the router settings and the always-on PC? WinterNode Minecraft servers are $1.99/GB, and your first eligible game server comes with a 48-hour refund window, so you can try it with your group first. Get your Minecraft server →