How to Create a Server for Minecraft Multiplayer? 9 Best Minecraft Servers

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:

• Changing characteristics of the vanilla Minecraft world — the creatures inhabiting it, the materials it contains, etc.

• Providing individual collections of accessible materials that players can use for crafting.

• Choosing the most convenient way to create and maintain a virtual Minecraft realm as an administrator or game master.

• Having the opportunity to make money from your Minecraft server.

• Playing exclusively with your closest friends without being disturbed by strangers.

• 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:

• You have to use a licensed version of Minecraft and pay to play.

• 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:

• 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.

• 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.

1. Download and install Java

2. Open the command prompt of your operating system

   • 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

   • Linux: press Ctrl+Alt+t keys at the same time

3. 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:

1. Download your chosen Minecraft server onto it

2. Start the server via the Java command java -Xmx1024M -Xms1024M -jar minecraftserver.1.17.1.jar nogui

3. 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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?

• 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.

1. Visit the Hostman Marketplace

2. Choose Minecraft server

3. 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:

1. Open the game.

2. Go to the Multiplayer menu.

3. Choose the Direct Connect option.

4. 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.