How to Create a Server for Minecraft Multiplayer? 9 Best Minecraft Servers
Infrastructure
10.08.2021
12 min read
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What's the best way to set up a reliable Minecraft Multiplayer server? In this article we'll be sharing with you 9 of the very best servers for your Minecraft Multiplayer experience. You'll learn about how to set up and host your Minecraft Multiplayer server, together with price comparisons, the pros and cons of each service, and lots of other great advice to help you get started.
Minecraft has been around since 2021 and remains hugely popular due to its extremely entertaining and diverse gameplay. But the real fun starts when you create your own server to play with friends (and even make new ones).
If you're thinking of creating your own Minecraft world, keep reading to find out everything you need to know to do it the right way.
What is a Minecraft server?
A server is a combination of hardware and software platforms that allows developers and administrators to run their websites, complex applications, and virtual online worlds.
It's basically a powerful computer launched remotely on one of the hundreds of data centers around the globe. It is online 24/7, and runs a special software that makes it possible for multiple users to access the web services or gaming realms residing on its hard drive.
Minecraft servers are more targeted. At a technical level, they are not too different from any VDS or dedicated servers. The real difference is in the software that they run.
These specialised servers are made to create unique Minecraft worlds online, allowing people to play together, change the rules of the game and communicate with each other.
Why do you need your own Minecraft server?
When creating your own Minecraft world, it's natural to want your own set of rules. The best way to do this is to have Minecraft on your own personal Minecraft Multiplayer server. You can set it up exactly the way you want it, invite the players you want to play with, and change anything at any moment.
Having your personal Minecraft Multiplayer server gives you control over many elements of the game such as:
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Changing characteristics of the vanilla Minecraft world — the creatures inhabiting it, the materials it contains, etc.
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Providing individual collections of accessible materials that players can use for crafting.
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Choosing the most convenient way to create and maintain a virtual Minecraft realm as an administrator or game master.
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Having the opportunity to make money from your Minecraft server.
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Playing exclusively with your closest friends without being disturbed by strangers.
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Building your very own private and cozy Minecraft world.
If the above sounds like a lot of fun, then you definitely should consider creating your private server.
How to play Minecraft online
Minecraft is a great game to play alone, but the fun multiplies when you join someone or invite friends to play together. That’s why so many Minecraft fans are eager to find the best way to play the game online. And that’s why you need a server.
We will guide you through different ways to create Minecraft servers, showing you the best way to set up your own, explaining how to play with your friends for free and what great Minecraft servers (with engaging and entertaining mods) already exist.
How to make a server in Minecraft using Realms
The developers of Minecraft — Mojang in conjunction with Microsoft — created Project Realms. A Realm is an individual Minecraft server. It can be as unique or normal as you want it, and it’s a great way to play Minecraft officially.
All you have to do to get started, is to subscribe to Realms Plus. This is Microsoft’s service that allows you to create your personal realm on its servers, where you can play with up to ten friends.
The Realms service guarantees safe and reliable resources to play Minecraft online, without worrying about software settings, updating game clients, creating data backups, etc.
However, it comes with two major drawbacks:
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You have to use a licensed version of Minecraft and pay to play.
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You have to deal with Microsoft’s restrictions. No cheats, no mods, no custom rules or plugins.
If you really want to have your own unique experience, free from all restrictions, then Realms is not for you. But don’t worry. There are many other solutions for you to check out below.
How to create your own Minecraft server
The first thing you have to do is download the Minecraft server that suits your needs. There are two server types:
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Vanilla. That is the classic implementation of the Minecraft server as offered by the developers of the game. Just like Realms, it has restrictions on modes and plugins, but it still allows you to create a more personal and unique experience, and save all the data on your PC or dedicated server.
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Bukkit. This is a project created by enthusiasts who wanted to break free of Microsoft’s restrictions, and explore Minecraft’s unlimited possibilities with modifications created by third-party developers and fans of the game.
Both of these servers are available online and can be downloaded for free.
Vanilla is available on the official Minecraft website. To work with it, you must download Minecraft Server and launch it via the Java command-line interface.
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Download and install Java
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Open the command prompt of your operating system
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For Windows: select the Start button and type
cmd, you’ll see Command Prompt in the list -
For MacOS: press Command - spacebar to launch Spotlight and type Terminal, then double-click the search result
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Linux: press Ctrl+Alt+t keys at the same time
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java -Xmx1024M -Xms1024M -jar minecraftserver.1.17.1.jar nogui
Your server is now up.
Next, you’ll need to configure your server and find a way to connect to it. The method for doing this depends on what kind of hosting you’ve chosen.
To create a Bukkit server, you’ll need to download Forge and install it. Once it has downloaded, you’ll need to launch it and set up the parameters of the server.
Where to host your server
For your server to be accessible, it needs a place to live.
If you’ve downloaded a server and launched it on your computer, your server will only be online for as long as your computer is running it. Turn the computer off (or even close the command line while running Minecraft server), and bye-bye custom Minecraft world.
So you need a computer that will remain online and accessible for the players 24/7.
For this, you can use a generic hosting provider and rent a dedicated server to host your game world.
Once you have remote access to your rented server:
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Download your chosen Minecraft server onto it
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Start the server via the Java command
java -Xmx1024M -Xms1024M -jar minecraftserver.1.17.1.jar nogui -
Set up your connection parameters, find the IP address and ports to connect, etc.
While this is a very popular method for setting up your own Minecraft Multiplayer server, we agree that it involves a bit of work.
So let’s look at some other solutions.
How to host a Minecraft server for free
The process of creating and setting up a free Minecraft server is almost the same as for the paid version.
First, you have to find a free hosting provider that will allow you to host your data on its hardware. This isn’t exactly easy, as not many people like sharing their property with others for free.
Moreover, you’ll be forced to use a non-official Minecraft server application created by a third party. The same goes for the game client, since the original game isn’t free and there’s no way to override this.
If you’re ok with all of the above, you just need to download the Bukkit server and launch it via the Forge Minecraft server app on your free hosting. The method is identical to the one we explained above for the non-free options.
Why you shouldn't host your server for free
Yes, you can host your Minecraft server for free. But we would strongly advise against doing so.
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Free hosting providers are typically slow and unreliable. Don’t you want your virtual world to be alive and well at all times? Free hosting would definitely spoil the whole experience with its poor performance.
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If you’re not paying money, the provider has no obligation towards you. So, if at any point they decide to shut down your virtual world, they can do so without asking and there’s nothing you can do about it.
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Free hosting providers still need to pay the bills. This means they might display advertisements on your site or even in your gaming chat. This can be very annoying to say the least. And if you have minors playing on your server, some of the ads being displayed might not be appropriate for their age, which could get you in trouble.
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One other way that free hosting providers will make money is by selling your personal data. Not all of them do it, but do you really want to take that risk?
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The hardware restrictions of free hosting will limit you dramatically. You won’t be able to invite as many friends to play as you wish, and you’ll have severe limitations on how many materials, constructions, and NPCs you can add.
If you wanted to start your own Minecraft server to have unlimited creative freedom and a reliable platform, a free server will only lead to disappointment.
Luckily, there’s another option you can use.
The best way to host your Minecraft server
Instead of dealing with troublesome and confusing dedicated servers, you can use a hosting platform like Hostman.
Hostman features a marketplace with loads of software products that you can deploy with just one click. This includes Minecraft servers. With just a few clicks, you can create your very own private server, avoiding part of the limitations imposed by Microsoft.
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Visit the Hostman Marketplace
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Choose Minecraft server
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Click on the Deploy button
Done!
You’re now ready to enjoy your own unique instance of Minecraft virtual world, supported by a reliable and swift hardware platform.
If you’re looking for a high-performance Minecraft server installation that offers a certain degree of freedom and that won’t break the bank, you have it all here.
How to connect to your Minecraft server
Connection to your virtual Minecraft worlds is usually established via the game client:
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Open the game.
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Go to the Multiplayer menu.
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Choose the Direct Connect option.
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Type the IP address of the server.
Within a few seconds, you should be connected to the server hosted on the address you specified.
But what’s the Minecraft server’s address?
If the server is up and running on your local machine, then the IP address of the server is the same as the IP address of the PC itself. To discover your IP address, you can use a site like Speedtest. If you’re using remote hosting, you can find the IP address in the control panel of the service provider.
Popular ready-made Minecraft servers
Unfortunately, if you use a third-party client of the game, you won’t be able to see the server list in Minecraft. However you can find many ready-made maps and servers for Minecraft, each with their specific set of rules and unique gameplay features.
Here’s a list of some popular ready-made Minecraft servers for you to try out. We’ve added a little description for each one, but there’s a lot more information out there if you want to dig deeper.
Brawl
One of the best Minecraft servers. Great map for those of you who want to bring a bit of Call of Duty into the classic building and survival game. Brawl transforms Minecraft into a shooter with a variety of gameplay styles.
Minescape
This is a great setup for fans of classic online RPGs like Runescape. These kinds of servers imitate that game and do it quite well. Explore dungeons, kill monsters, find artifacts, etc.
Among US Performium
This map imitates the game called “Among Us”. Among Us Performium is pretty popular and allows players to experience the unique gameplay of Among Us in a new and interesting way.
Best Minecraft survival servers
At its core, Minecraft is a survival game. But if you’re a hardcore survivalist, you’ll love the added challenge and realism provided by these servers.
Grand Theft Minecart
An interesting alternative to classic GTA games. It won’t be as pretty as the original game, but the atmosphere and features are there. You can buy your own house, acquire weapons and get into firefights with the police. A true GTA experience.
Minewind
This one is perfect for people looking for an extra dose of adrenaline. Tons of griefers and different monsters on this map. Your only task is to survive as long as possible.
Best Minecraft parkour servers
With the rise in popularity of parkour, it’s only natural that this sport has found its way into Minecraft. Here, you’ll find a collection of challenging Minecraft worlds where you need to hop over cubes to get from point A to point B. These servers are called parkour servers and they are incredibly fun to play on.
ZERO.MINR
This is a Minecraft world based on the children’s game “the floor is lava”. Concrete platforms floating over a tremendous amount of lava. Your task is to get through this hell as fast as possible (without being burned up by a volcano of course).
MANACUBE
Great server and map with different modes. One of the best features of MANACUBE is SkyBlocks. An impressive amount of blocks hovers in midair, and you need to use them to get from point A to point B. If you’re wondering “What’s the best Minecraft server with skyblocks?” this is the one.
Best Minecraft prison servers
Jail in real life isn’t fun. But in Minecraft it can be a real blast! Here are some prison-themed servers to appease your inner escape artist.
The Archon
One of the most popular servers on the internet, and one of the largest offering prison mode. It is set in the past, with a bit of a pirate theme. So, get ready to board your enemy’s ship and plunder to your pirate heart’s content.
Purple Prison
One of the oldest prison servers. This one is all about life in prison. You’ll need to learn all of the little details about surviving in a prison, participating in massive gang fights, etc.
Summary
Minecraft servers are very popular gaming platforms, bringing together thousands of players for a ton of fun. You can create a private server to play exclusively with your friends, or create a public one to invite players from around the world and make money offering unique features not available anywhere else.
Whatever your path, the best way to host your server is at Hostman.
Just click on the Deploy button and you’re almost set up and ready to go. You can try out Hostman for free for the first 7 days. And if you like it (we hope you will), it only costs 19 dollars a month.
Shared between friends, $19/month is a small price to pay for complete freedom and unlimited fun :-)
Set up your Minecraft server with Hostman today.
Infrastructure
10.08.2021
12 min read
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Infrastructure
Best Midjourney Alternatives in 2025
Midjourney is one of the most popular AI networks for image generation. The service has established itself as a leader in the field of generative AI. However, the existence of a paid subscription and access limitations (for example, the requirement to use Discord or lack of support in certain regions) increasingly prompts users to consider alternatives. We have compiled the best services that can replace Midjourney, from simple tools to professional solutions.
Why Are Users Looking for a Midjourney Alternative?
Midjourney is a powerful tool, but it has its drawbacks:
Paid Access: Since March 2023, Midjourney has fully switched to a paid model, with a minimum subscription of $10 per month, which may be expensive for beginner users.
Usage Limitations: A Discord account is required, and for users in some countries, access is restricted due to regional limitations.
Complex Interface: Beginners may find it difficult to navigate working through the Discord bot.
Fortunately, there are many apps like Midjourney that offer similar functionality and more user-friendly interfaces.
We will review seven of the best Midjourney alternatives. For all the AI networks considered, we will generate an image using the following prompt: “Generate an image of the Swiss Alps.”
Free Alternatives
First, let’s look at Midjourney alternatives that can be used for free.
Playground AI
Playground AI is an AI network that works on modern generative models, including Stable Diffusion XL, and allows generating images from text prompts or editing existing images.
A unique feature of Playground AI is the ability not only to generate an image from scratch but also to refine it within the same interface. Users can correct individual details, replace elements (for example, hands), perform upscaling to increase detail, or draw additional parts of the image on a special working field (canvas) with a seamless continuation of the image.
Using the free plan, users can generate up to 5 images every 3 hours.
Advantages:
Work with a library of ready-made images and prompts, and the ability to copy and refine other users’ creations.
Built-in canvas tool for extending and editing images while maintaining stylistic consistency.
Support for multiple models.
Image generated by Playground AI using the prompt “Generate an image of the Swiss Alps”
Bing Image Creator
Bing Image Creator is an image generation tool from Microsoft, based on the latest version of OpenAI’s DALL·E model.
The service works using a diffusion architecture: the AI network analyzes the text prompt and synthesizes a unique image considering specified styles, details, emotions, backgrounds, and objects. Users can describe the desired image in any language, and the AI interprets the prompt to generate multiple options for selection.
Advantages:
Completely free.
Multiple image generation models to choose from.
Integration with Microsoft ecosystem: Microsoft Copilot, Bing, Bing Chat, Microsoft Edge.
Built-in content filtering and internal security algorithms to prevent illegal or inappropriate image generation.
Image generated by Bing Image Creator using the prompt “Generate an image of the Swiss Alps”
Paid Alternatives
Among the paid Midjourney alternatives, the following stand out.
Leonardo AI
Leonardo AI functions as a cloud platform for AI-based image generation. Its main function is creating high-quality visual materials from text descriptions.
Leonardo AI uses modern image generation algorithms similar to diffusion models, with additional innovative tools to improve quality and flexibility. Users can select from multiple artistic styles and genres, and also use the Image2Image feature to upload a reference image for more precise control. Users can adjust the “weight” of the generated image to balance between strict adherence to the reference and creative interpretation of the text.
Advantages:
Free access with a limit (up to 150 tokens per day).
Ability to train custom AI models.
Wide choice of styles and customization tools.
Support for generating textures and 3D objects.
Convenient prompt handling: a built-in prompt generator helps beginners formulate queries, while experienced users can optimize prompts for better results.
Image generated by Leonardo AI using the prompt “Generate an image of the Swiss Alps”
Stable Diffusion
Stable Diffusion is a modern text-to-image generation model that uses diffusion model technology.
Developed by Stability AI in collaboration with researchers from LMU Munich and other organizations, the model was released in 2022 and quickly gained popularity due to its openness and high efficiency.
Stable Diffusion can be accessed through many services, including DreamStudio, Stable Diffusion Online, Tensor.Art, and InvokeAI.
Advantages:
Multiple interfaces available.
Flexible settings (Negative Prompt, aspect ratio, generation steps, fine-tuning, service integration, inpainting for parts of an image, outpainting for backgrounds).
Numerous custom models (anime, realism, fantasy).
Possibility of local deployment on powerful PCs.
Open-source code. Unlike many proprietary models (DALL-E, Midjourney), Stable Diffusion can be run, trained, and modified locally.
Image generated by Stable Diffusion using the prompt “Generate an image of the Swiss Alps”
NightCafe
NightCafe is an online platform for generating images from text prompts and images. It uses multiple advanced algorithms and generation models, such as VQGAN+CLIP, DALL·E 2, Stable Diffusion, Neural Style Transfer, and Clip-Guided Diffusion. Users input a text prompt or upload an image, and the AI transforms it into a unique artistic work. Various styles, effects, resolution and detail settings, as well as editing and upscaling options, are available.
Advantages:
Numerous options for customizing generated images, suitable for digital art, NFTs, and other purposes.
Built-in functionality for modifying existing images via text prompts, scaling without quality loss, and object removal.
Free access with limited generations.
Support for multiple styles and algorithms.
User-friendly interface.
Image generated by NightCafe using the prompt “Generate an image of the Swiss Alps”
Artbreeder
Artbreeder operates using generative adversarial networks (GANs). The main principle is creating new images by “crossing” or blending two or more images (“parents”), with fine control over parameters (“genes”) that determine various image traits. Users can interactively control the resulting image with sliders, adjusting characteristics like age, facial expression, body type, hair color, level of detail, and other visual elements.
Advantages:
Interactive blending allows combining different images to create unique compositions, such as portraits, landscapes, or anime styles.
Detailed manual adjustments of each image parameter (brightness, contrast, facial features, accessories, etc.) allow for highly refined results.
Image generated by Artbreeder using the prompt “Generate an image of the Swiss Alps”
Ideogram
Ideogram is a generative AI model specialized in creating images containing text. It uses advanced deep learning and diffusion algorithms.
Unlike many other AI visualization tools, Ideogram can generate clear, readable text within images, making it especially useful for designing logos, posters, advertisements, and other tasks where combining graphics and text is important.
Advantages:
Free generations with selectable styles.
Support for integrating readable and harmonious text into images—convenient for designers, marketing teams, and social media specialists.
Built-in social platform with user profiles, sharing capabilities, and community interaction.
Image generated by Ideogram using the prompt “Generate an image of the Swiss Alps”
Conclusion
The choice of a Midjourney alternative depends on your goals and preferences: if you need the highest-quality image generation, consider Ideogram or Stable Diffusion 3. For free solutions, Leonardo AI and Playground AI are suitable, and if speed and simplicity are priorities, Bing Image Creator from Microsoft is a good option.
Each service has its own advantages, whether it is accessibility, detail quality, or flexibility of settings. It’s worth trying several options to find the best tool for your needs.
11 September 2025 · 7 min to read
Infrastructure
Google AI Studio: Full Guide to Google’s AI Tools
Google AI Studio is a web platform from Google for working with neural networks. At the core of the service is the family of advanced multimodal generative models, Gemini, which can handle text, images, video, and other types of data simultaneously. The platform allows you to prototype applications, answer questions, generate code, and create images and video content. Everything runs directly in the browser—no installation is required.
The main feature of Google AI Studio is versatility. Everything you need is in one place and works in the browser: you visit the site, write a query, and within seconds get results. The service allows users to efficiently leverage the power of Google Gemini for rapid idea testing, working with code or text.
Additionally, Google AI Studio can be used not only for answering questions but also as a starting point for future projects. The platform provides all the necessary tools, and Google does not claim ownership of the generated content.
You have access not only to a standard chat with generative AI but also to specialized models for generating media content, music, and applications. Let’s go through each in detail.
Chat
This is the primary workspace in Google AI Studio, where you work with prompts and configure the logic and behavior of your model.
Chat Options
At the top, there are tools for working with the chat itself.
System Instruction
The main configuration block, which defines the “personality,” role, goal, and limitations for the model. It is processed first and serves as a permanent context for the entire dialogue. The system instruction is the foundation of your chatbot.
The field accepts text input. For maximum effectiveness, follow these principles:
define the role (clearly state what the model is),
define the task (explain exactly what the model should do),
set the output format,
establish constraints (prevent the model from going beyond its role).
Example instruction: "You are a Senior developer who helps other developers understand project code. You provide advice and explain the logic of the code. I am a Junior who will ask for your help. Respond in a way I can understand, point out mistakes and gaps in the code with comments. Do not fully rewrite the code I send you—give advice instead."
Show conversation with/without markdown formatting
Displays text with or without markdown formatting.
Get SDK
Provides quick access to API code by copying chat settings into code. All model parameters from the site are automatically included.
Share prompt
Used to send a link to your dialogue with the AI. You must save the prompt before sharing.
Save prompt
Saves the prompt to your Google Drive.
Compare mode
A special interface that allows you to run the same prompt on different language models (or different versions of the same model) simultaneously and instantly see their responses side by side. It’s like parallel execution with a visual comparison.
Clear chat
Deletes all messages in the chat.
Model Parameters
In this window, you select the neural network and configure its behavior.
Model
Select the base language model. AI Studio provides the following options:
Gemini 2.5 Pro: a “thinking” model capable of reasoning about complex coding, math, and STEM problems, analyzing large datasets, codebases, and documents using long context.
Gemini 2.5 Flash: the best model in terms of price-to-performance, suitable for large-scale processing, low-latency tasks, high-volume reasoning, and agentic scenarios.
Gemini 2.5 Flash-Lite: optimized for cost-efficiency and high throughput.
Other available models include Gemini 2.0, Gemma 3, and LearnLM 2.0. More details about Gemini Pro, Flash, Flash-Lite, and others can be found in the official guide.
Temperature: Controls the degree of randomness and creativity in the model’s responses. Higher values produce more diverse and unexpected answers, usually less precise. Lower values make responses more conservative and predictable.
Media resolution: Refers to the level of detail in input media (images and video) that the model processes. Higher resolution allows Gemini to “see” and analyze more details, but requires more tokens for analysis.
Thinking mode: Switches the model into a reasoning mode. The AI decomposes tasks and formulates instructions rather than outputting a result immediately.
Set thinking budget: Limits the maximum number of tokens for the reasoning mode.
Structured output: Allows developers and users to receive AI responses in predefined formats like JSON. You can specify the desired output format manually or via a visual editor.
Grounding with Google Search: Enables Gemini to access Google Search in real-time for the most relevant and up-to-date information. Responses are based on search results rather than internal knowledge, reducing “hallucinations.”
URL Context: Enhances grounding by allowing users to direct Gemini to specific URLs for context, rather than relying on general search.
Stop sequences: Allows up to 5 sequences where the model will immediately stop generating text.
Stream
The Stream mode is an interactive interface for continuous dialogue with Gemini models. Supports microphone, webcam, and screen sharing. The AI can “see” and “hear” what you provide.
Turn coverage: Configures whether the AI continuously considers all input or only during speech, simulating natural conversation including interruptions and interjections.
Affective dialog: Enables AI to recognize emotions in your speech and respond accordingly.
Proactive audio: When enabled, AI filters out background noise and irrelevant conversations, responding only when appropriate.
Generate Media
This section on the left panel provides interfaces for generating media: speech, images, music, and video.
Gemini Speech Generator
Converts text into audio with flexible settings. Use for video voice-overs, audio guides, podcasts, or virtual character dialogues. Tools include Raw Structure (scenario definition), Script Builder, Style Instructions, Add Dialog, Mode (monologue/dialogue), Model Settings, and Voice Settings.
Main tools on the control panel:
Raw Structure: Defines the scenario—how the request to the model for speech generation will be constructed.
Script Builder: Instruction for dialogue with the ability to write lines and pronunciation style for each speaker.
Style Instructions: Set the emotional tone and speech pace (for example: friendly, formal, energetic).
Add Dialog: Add new lines and speakers.
Mode: Choice between monologue and dialogue (up to 2 participants).
Model Settings: Adjust model parameters, for example, temperature, which affects the creativity and unpredictability of speech.
Voice Settings: Select a voice, adjust speed, pauses, pitch, and other parameters for each speaker.
Image Generation
A tool for generating images from a text description (prompt).
Three models are available:
Imagen 4
Imagen 4 Ultra
Imagen 3
Imagen 4 and Imagen 4 Ultra can generate only one image at a time, while Imagen 3 can generate up to four images at once.
To generate, enter a prompt for the image and specify the aspect ratio.
Music Generation
A tool for interactive real-time music creation based on the Lyria RealTime model.
The main feature is that you define the sound you want to hear and adjust its proportion. The more you turn up the regulator, the more intense the sound will be in the final track. You can specify the musical instrument, genre, and mood. The music updates in real time.
Video Generation
A tool for video generation based on Veo 2 and Veo 3 models (API only). Video length up to 8 seconds, 720p quality, 24 frames per second. Supports two resolutions—16:9 and 9:16.
Video generation from an image: Upload a file and write a prompt. The resulting video will start from your image.
Negative prompt support: Allows specifying what should not appear in the frame. This helps fine-tune the neural network’s output.
App Generation
Google AI Studio instantly transforms high-level concepts into working prototypes. To do this, go to the Build section. Describe the desired application in the prompt field and click Run.
AI Studio will analyze this request and suggest a basic architecture, including necessary API calls, data structures, and interaction logic. This saves the developer from routine setup work on the initial project and allows focusing on unique functionality.
The app generation feature relies on an extensive template library.
Conclusion
Google AI Studio has proven itself as a versatile platform for generative AI. It combines Gemini chat, multimodal text, image, audio, video generation, and app prototyping tools in one interface. The platform is invaluable for both developers and general users. Even the free tier of Google AI Studio covers most tasks—from content generation to MVP prototyping. Recent additions include Thinking Mode, Proactive Audio, and Gemini 2.5 Flash, signaling impressive future prospects.
10 September 2025 · 8 min to read
Infrastructure
Cloud vs Dedicated Server for E-commerce
If your online store is growing, sooner or later a key infrastructure question arises: cloud or dedicated server? Which one can be launched faster, which will survive peak loads without “crashes,” and how much will it cost with backups and administration?
In this article, we will examine the key differences between the cloud and a dedicated server, ways of calculating the total cost of ownership (TCO), and typical bottlenecks in e-commerce: the database, cache, and static files.
Cloud and Dedicated Server: Main Differences
Let’s draw a simple analogy.
The cloud is like a room in a hotel: you can move in quickly, request another room if necessary, cleaning and maintenance are included.
A dedicated server is like owning a house: it is completely yours, no one shares resources, but you need to take care of it yourself.
How the Cloud Works
You create a cloud server with the necessary configuration and can quickly change its parameters: increase memory, disk space, or add another server for web applications. Usually, this is accompanied by a flexible payment system—for example, in Hostman it is hourly.
The advantages are quick launch, scalability, convenient backups and snapshots. The disadvantages are that with excessive resources it is easy to overpay, and with round-the-clock high load, the cost may be higher than that of a dedicated server.
How a Dedicated Server Works
This is renting a physical server in a data center. The resources are entirely yours: CPU, memory, disks—without any “neighbors.”
The advantages are stable performance and a favorable price with constant heavy traffic. The disadvantages are slower scaling (waiting for an upgrade or migration), service downtime during failures may last longer, and administration of the server and organization of backups are entirely the responsibility of the client.
What’s More Important for a Small Store
You can launch an online store in the cloud today, in mere hours. When renting a dedicated server, allow time for its preparation: engineers need to assemble and test the configuration, especially if you ordered a custom one. Usually this takes a couple of days.
In the cloud, resources can be increased in a few clicks. On a dedicated server, the scaling process takes longer: you need to coordinate changes with engineers, wait for components, and install them in the data center. In some cases, it may require migration to a new server.
Cloud offers many ready-made tools and automation. A dedicated server, as a rule, will require more manual configuration and regular involvement of an engineer.
Money: if you have 20–300 orders per day and traffic “jumps,” the cloud is usually more profitable and quite suitable for solving such tasks. If orders are consistently high, 24/7, without sharp spikes, a dedicated server will be more reliable.
In short: if you are just starting out, choose the cloud. When the load becomes consistently high, you can consider a dedicated server.
Key Criteria When Choosing Infrastructure for an Online Store
Let’s look at the key criteria to pay attention to when choosing between a cloud and a dedicated server.
Speed of launch
It is important for a business to launch in hours, not days. A cloud server and database are ready in just minutes. A dedicated server takes longer to prepare: on average, about an hour, and when ordering a custom configuration, it may take several days.
Expenses
Expenses in a small project can be calculated as the sum of these items:
Infrastructure: server, disks, traffic, IP, domains, CDN.
Reliability: backups and storing copies separately.
Administration: updates, monitoring, on-call duty.
Downtime: how much one hour of downtime costs (lost revenue + reputation).
Peak loads
Sometimes stores run sales, order promotions from bloggers, or it is simply the business season.
In the cloud, you can scale horizontally, setting up another VM, and vertically, by adding more vCPU and RAM.
To speed up images and static files loading, you can connect a CDN—this is equally available in the cloud and on a dedicated server.
With a dedicated server, you either have to pay for all the reserve capacity year-round, or request installation of additional modules—which, again, can take some time (hours or days, depending on component availability).
Reliability and recovery
There are two main parameters to consider when planning recovery time.
RTO: how much time the project can take to recover after downtime (goal: up to an hour).
RPO: how much data you are ready to lose during recovery (goal: up to 15 minutes, meaning that after the system is restored, you may lose only the data created in the last 15 minutes before the failure).
Check: are backups scheduled, are copies stored outside the production server, will the system be able to recover automatically if production goes down.
Security
At a minimum, configure the site to work through an SSL certificate, set up multi-factor authentication in the control panel for administrators, and create a private network between the web server and the database.
Performance
Usually the bottlenecks of e-commerce are the database, cache, and images. To avoid problems when scaling, put images and videos in object storage, keep the database as a separate service, preferably with data replication. Monitor the response times of the cart and checkout pages—this is where sales most often fail if pages respond slowly.
Growth and flexibility
We recommend starting with a simple and reliable scheme: one cloud server + one separate database (DBaaS) + object storage for media. If you plan a sale, add another cloud server and a load balancer to distribute user traffic. Afterwards, return to the original scheme. Flexibility in this case may be more important than the “perfect” architecture at the start.
Team competencies
If there is no system administrator or developer in the team who can perform sysadmin functions, choose simple solutions: ready CMS images, managed DBs, automatic backups, built-in monitoring. The less manual work, the fewer risks.
Building Reliable Infrastructure
For a small store, a simple logic works: start with minimal but healthy architecture, and quickly increase capacity during sales. And just as quickly return to normal mode.
Start with a clean cloud server on Ubuntu LTS, connect access via SSH keys, and disable password login. At the firewall level, leave only ports 80/443, the others are better disabled.
An alternative option is to use control panels (cPanel, FastPanel, etc.), where the stack is deployed “out of the box” and administration is available through a convenient graphical interface.
Place the database separately and connect it to the application through a private network. This way it will not be accessible from the internet, and delays will be reduced. Create a separate DB user with minimal rights for the site, enable daily backups and store them outside the production environment. For sessions and cache use Redis: it will reduce load on the database and speed up product cards, search, and order processing.
Transfer media files to object storage: CMS can easily be configured so that new uploads go to S3. On top of this, connect a CDN for images, JS, and CSS—this will provide a stable response speed for users from any region and relieve a significant load from web servers. Do not forget about Cache-Control and ETag headers: they will allow users’ browsers to keep static files longer in local cache, which speeds up site loading and reduces server load.
Backups are part of the daily routine. For the database, make a daily full backup and several incremental points during the day, store copies for at least 30 days, and place them in another project or storage. Protect files and media with versioning in S3 and weekly server snapshots. Once a quarter perform a recovery “from scratch” on a clean machine to check your RTO and RPO.
Monitoring allows you to reduce risks and prevent losses before failures occur. Monitor the response time for the cart and checkout, CPU load, and free disk space. Threshold values should be tied to your traffic: if response time goes down and CPU stays high, get ready to scale.
A sales campaign should be prepared as carefully as a separate release. A day or two before launch make a snapshot and bring up a second machine, enable the load balancer, and check that sessions are in Redis so carts are not lost. Prepare the CDN in advance: open the most visited pages, product cards, and search results. Increase database resources in advance and check indexes on fields used for filtering and sorting. After the campaign ends, disable additional servers.
Approach security issues without excessive measures, but consistently and systematically. In the store’s admin panel, enable multi-factor authentication and roles, on servers, prohibit SSH passwords, limit by IP, and use fail2ban against password brute force.
To avoid overpaying, calculate infrastructure by roles: server, DB, S3 storage, CDN, snapshots and admin hours. Launch additional capacity only during peak days, and under normal load, plan infrastructure based on basic needs. Evaluate the cost of downtime: if it is higher than the cost of an additional server for a week, reserving resources for a promotion will be economically justified.
Migration from a dedicated server to cloud hosting is safe if done in two phases. Prepare a copy of the infrastructure, place media files in S3 storage, and run the site on a test domain with regular DB synchronization. On migration day, freeze changes, make the final dump, lower TTL, and switch DNS. After switching, monitor metrics and logs, and keep the previous production environment in “read-only” mode for a day for emergency access.
If you need size guidelines, think in terms of load.
Up to one hundred orders per day is usually enough with a server of 2 vCPU and 4–8 GB of memory, a separate DB of 1–2 vCPU and 2–4 GB, SSD of 60–120 GB, and a combination of S3+CDN with Redis.
With a load of 100–500 orders per day it is reasonable to use two cloud servers and a load balancer, a database with 2–4 vCPU and 8–16 GB, and if necessary, add a read replica.
With stable peak loads, the infrastructure is scaled to 2–3 cloud servers with 4–8 vCPU and 16 GB, a database with 4–8 vCPU and 32 GB, replication, and mandatory CDN.
These are starting points; further decisions are dictated by metrics.
Conclusion
There is no single correct answer in this subject. The choice between cloud and dedicated server depends on traffic, frequency of peaks, team competencies, and how much one hour of downtime costs you. It is important not to guess, but to rely on numbers and understand how quickly you can increase capacity and recover after a failure.
If the store is small or growing, it is reasonable to start with the cloud: one server for the application, a separate DB, and object storage for media. Such a scheme can be launched in an evening, handles sales without long downtime, and does not force you to pay for “reserve” all year. The main thing is to immediately enable backups, configure a private network between the server and the DB, and have a scaling plan ready for sales days.
When traffic becomes steady and high 24/7, and requirements for performance and integrations tighten, it makes sense to consider a dedicated server or hybrid. Often a combination works where the frontend application and static files remain in the cloud for flexibility, while the heavy DB or specific services move to “hardware.” The decision should be made not by preference, but by TCO, RTO/RPO, and load metrics.
09 September 2025 · 10 min to read
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