Minecraft server guides

Find a server The best Minecraft servers right now Live top Minecraft servers by game mode, ranked on measured players and votes, not paid spots. Players6 min read Find a server Cracked Minecraft servers, explained What offline mode means, why anyone can steal your name, launcher risks, and how we test servers. Players6 min read Find a server How to spot a fake Minecraft player count Why the number in your server list can lie, the four giveaways, and how we flag unusual counts. Players6 min read Find a server How to find a good Minecraft server A five-minute checklist: real players, uptime, the store, the community and safety. Players5 min read Find a server How to find a Minecraft server IP Where server addresses live, what the colon and port mean, and how to find your own server's IP. Players8 min read Find a server Minecraft servers for beginners The best modes for new players, a first-hour checklist, and the unwritten rules of multiplayer. Players5 min read Find a server How to play Minecraft with friends Public server, Realm, your own server or a shared world: which way to play with friends fits you. Players6 min read Find a server How to find Minecraft servers with no pay to win What counts as pay-to-win, what Mojang allows servers to sell, and a 2-minute store check. Players5 min read Find a server Minecraft servers with voice chat Live servers with proximity voice chat, plus how to install Simple Voice Chat and get your mic working. Players6 min read Find a server New Minecraft servers Live newest-server lists, fresh seasons and resets, and how to judge a server with no history. Players6 min read Find a server Small Minecraft servers worth joining Why small servers are great for making friends, and how to find active ones, not dead ones. Players6 min read

Join & fix problems How to join a Minecraft server Join any server on Java, Bedrock, phones or over LAN, plus fixes for the usual errors. Players8 min read Join & fix problems Can't connect to a Minecraft server? An error-by-error decoder: find out if it's you, the server or Mojang, then fix it. Players7 min read Join & fix problems How to join a modded Minecraft server Match the modpack, loader and version with CurseForge, Modrinth or Prism, then join. Players6 min read Join & fix problems How to join a whitelisted Minecraft server Find the application, write one that gets accepted, and the commands owners use. Players6 min read Join & fix problems Fixing "Connection timed out: getsockopt" What getsockopt and io.netty errors mean, and the fixes that work, in order. Players6 min read Join & fix problems Banned from a Minecraft server? Here's what it means Decode the ban message, know which ban you got, and write an appeal staff actually read. Players9 min read Join & fix problems Fixing "outdated client" on a Minecraft server Outdated client errors, 2026's new version numbers, and switching versions in the launcher. Players6 min read

Consoles, phones & crossplay How to join a Minecraft server on your phone Add any server by IP on Android or iPhone, join Java servers via Geyser, and save battery. Players6 min read Consoles, phones & crossplay How to join a Minecraft server on PS5 (and PS4) Featured servers, Realms and the DNS workaround on PS5 and PS4, with exact PlayStation menu paths. Players6 min read Consoles, phones & crossplay How to join a Minecraft server on Nintendo Switch Featured servers, Realms, DNS steps and what Switch 2 changes for joining servers. Players6 min read Consoles, phones & crossplay How to join a Minecraft server on Xbox Featured servers, Realms, and the DNS and LAN workarounds for joining any server IP on Xbox. Players7 min read Consoles, phones & crossplay Minecraft for Nintendo Switch 2: what's confirmed for October 27 The October 27 release, Vibrant Visuals, the upgrade path, crossplay, and joining servers on Switch 2. Players4 min read Consoles, phones & crossplay Minecraft servers for Java and Bedrock players How Java and Bedrock crossplay works, the two addresses, what breaks, and live crossplay servers. Players6 min read

Game modes explained The best Minecraft servers to practice PvP Pick your combat era, find duels, crystal and mace servers, and follow a 4-week plan. Players6 min read Game modes explained Cobblemon vs Pixelmon servers Cobblemon or Pixelmon? How they differ, how to join each server, and what Bedrock can do. Players5 min read Game modes explained Minecraft anarchy servers, explained No rules, hacks allowed, nothing is safe. What anarchy servers are and how to survive one. Players5 min read Game modes explained Minecraft factions servers How power, claims and raiding work, HCF vs classic factions, and live servers to join. Players8 min read Game modes explained Minecraft prison servers Mine, sell, rank up, prestige. How prison servers work and how to spend your first hour. Players5 min read Game modes explained Minecraft servers for Bedwars Where to play Bedwars on Java and Bedrock, the rules, bed defense and a first-game plan. Players5 min read Game modes explained Skyblock and OneBlock servers Skyblock vs OneBlock: how progress works, your first hour, and live servers for both. Players6 min read Game modes explained What is a Minecraft SMP? SMP means survival multiplayer. Public vs private SMPs and how to pick one that lasts. Players7 min read Game modes explained What is Lifesteal in Minecraft? Kill to steal a heart, die and lose one. How Lifesteal rules work and how to survive them. Players6 min read

Safety & parents Are Minecraft servers illegal? What the 2026 ESA comments meant, what they walked back, and the rules servers follow. Parents6 min read Safety & parents Is it safe to join Minecraft servers? What a server can see, the scams to watch for, parental controls, Discord, and how to report. Parents7 min read Safety & parents Minecraft servers for kids: a parent's guide Family Settings steps, safer options from Realms to whitelists, and how to size up a server. Parents7 min read

Get more players How to get players on your Minecraft server An honest, step-by-step plan to get your first real players and stop them leaving in minute one. Server owners9 min read Get more players The best way to promote a Minecraft server: a 30-day, day-by-day plan A day-by-day 30-day promotion calendar with a 20-minute daily routine and what to measure each week. Server owners8 min read Get more players How to advertise a Minecraft server Every free and paid channel for promoting a server, with ad templates, trailer tips and channel rules. Server owners8 min read Get more players How to build a Minecraft server community, starting with your first 20 regulars Community mechanics for a small server: regulars, rituals, player-led projects, real roles, feedback loops, moderation tone, and avoiding cliques. Server owners8 min read Get more players How to get your server featured: Bedrock's program, paid spots, and the free ways What featured means on Bedrock, on server lists and here, what it costs, and how to earn the free spots. Server owners8 min read Get more players How to grow a Minecraft server Retention first: onboarding, seasons, events, staff and the numbers that show where players leak. Server owners7 min read Get more players How to make a Minecraft server popular, according to 2,500 live servers What busy servers on our list have in common, the loop that makes players attract players, why Hypixel clones fail, and a 12-month plan. Server owners8 min read Get more players How to make a Minecraft server trailer with free tools, in one afternoon Free tools, a shot list, a 30 to 60 second structure, music and logo rules, export settings, Fiverr prices and adding it to your listing. Server owners8 min read Get more players How to promote a Minecraft server on TikTok: the clips that get views and the rules that limit you Clip formats, hooks, cadence, TikTok's link limits, the Bedrock angle for a mobile audience, tracking joins and what to avoid. Server owners7 min read Get more players The Minecraft first join message, kit, spawn and quest: designing the first five minutes Set up first-join messages, kits and spawn in EssentialsX, add direction and a first quest, measure day-1 and day-7 retention, and remove what drives new players off. Server owners7 min read Get more players Minecraft server advertising on Discord: how ad servers, bump bots and the rules really work Ad servers, bump bots, Discord's spam rules, a copyable ad, repost cadence and how to count the joins each Discord sends. Server owners8 min read Get more players Minecraft server advertising on Reddit: how r/mcservers actually works r/mcservers rules and title format, removal reasons, other subreddits, reply templates, timing and realistic joins. Server owners7 min read Get more players Minecraft server advertising services: what Fiverr gigs, agencies and player boosting really deliver What advertising sellers really deliver, why bots and fake votes backfire, the legitimate paid options, and how to test any channel with a cap. Server owners8 min read Get more players Minecraft server banners and icons that get clicked Exact sizes for server-icon.png and 468x60 banners, how to make them, and why most get ignored. Server owners8 min read Get more players How to write a Minecraft server description players act on The first line, the facts players scan for, hype to cut, and three templates you can adapt. Server owners8 min read Get more players Build a Discord for your Minecraft server A channel template, role ladder, DiscordSRV linking, invite tips and where to promote it. Server owners7 min read Get more players How to revive a dying Minecraft server (and how to tell if it is only a dip) Triage a dying server honestly, win back former players, decide between relaunch, merge and cutting scope, handle burnout, and shut down gracefully if it comes to that. Server owners8 min read Get more players Minecraft server events ideas: 30+ events that bring players back 30+ event ideas by game mode with setup effort, plugins, EULA-safe rewards, a weekly rhythm and how to announce them. Server owners8 min read Get more players Minecraft server for small YouTubers: run one they want to record on, or get them to feature yours Creator ranks and recording-friendly rules, a whitelisted creator SMP, outreach to 1k to 50k creators, offers, FTC disclosure and realistic results. Server owners8 min read Get more players How to run a Minecraft server giveaway that grows the server What to give away, the Discord, YouTube and TikTok rules, the legal basics, vote-to-enter done right, and how to measure who stayed. Server owners8 min read Get more players Minecraft server help: where owners actually get answers Where server owners get real help, which place fits which problem, how to ask so you get an answer, and the scams that pose as help. Server owners7 min read Get more players Minecraft server ideas that can actually grow: 20 concepts ranked by demand versus supply 20 server concepts scored by players per server on our list, what each takes to build, which are for friends versus public, and how to test one first. Server owners7 min read Get more players Minecraft server list ranking: the levers you can actually pull The eight levers in our Server Score, what vote-ranked lists reward, the playbook that works on both, and a 30-minute checklist. Server owners8 min read Get more players Minecraft server MOTD: how to set it and what to write Exact MOTD syntax, every color code, two-line and gradient examples, and ideas that get clicks. Server owners6 min read Get more players Minecraft server name ideas 150+ server names by mode and vibe, a DIY generator, and how to check a name is free. Server owners8 min read Get more players Planning a new season for your Minecraft server What to wipe, what to carry over, season length by mode, a four-week countdown, a launch-day checklist and how not to lose your veterans. Server owners8 min read Get more players 25 Minecraft server owner tips from watching 2,500 live servers 25 short, data-backed tips: slot counts, the MOTD, modes, staying online, peak hours, staff, backups, budgets, burnout and when to say no to players. Server owners8 min read Get more players Minecraft server partnership: how to team up with other servers without wasting a month Picking partners, why #partners channels are ignored, shared events and lobby cross-promo, a proposal message, terms, and how to measure it. Server owners7 min read Get more players Minecraft server player count tracker: how to track your own numbers over time Track your player count over time: our charts and API, self-hosted Plan and Prometheus, what to read in the data, and why the list number can differ. Server owners8 min read Get more players Minecraft server spawn ideas: spawns, hubs and lobbies built for retention Spawn, hub and lobby design for retention: size, sightlines, signs, warps and NPCs, free schematics and their terms, spawn protection, and listing photos. Server owners8 min read Get more players Minecraft server sponsorship: getting sponsored, sponsoring others, and when a paid placement beats both Real hosting sponsorship thresholds, sponsoring creators and events, what to ask for, an agreement checklist, disclosure, and when a placement wins. Server owners8 min read Get more players Minecraft server statistics 2026: what 2,456 live servers look like Median players, empty-server rates, edition and mode splits, and the listing details that go with more players, all from our own pings. Server owners7 min read Get more players Minecraft server Twitch playbook: getting streamers on your server, streaming it yourself, and the rules that apply Finding and pitching small streamers, community-night streams, stream-safe settings, stream sniping, Twitch's giveaway and link rules, and realistic conversion. Server owners8 min read Get more players Minecraft server lists and vote sites, explained How lists rank servers, how votes reach your server, and what to check before you list yours. Server owners7 min read Get more players How to get more votes on your Minecraft server Rewards, reminders, vote parties and monthly-reset timing that turn players into daily voters. Server owners7 min read Get more players Why is my Minecraft server empty? Twelve causes, a one-minute test for each, and the fix A diagnostic for an empty server: twelve causes ranked by frequency, a one-minute test and a fix for each, and the pausing log line explained. Server owners7 min read

Run your server The best Minecraft server anti cheat in 2026, and how to run it without banning honest players Which anti-cheats are maintained and what they cost, what they can and cannot detect, how to tune out false positives, and how to handle Bedrock players. Server owners8 min read Run your server The best Minecraft server plugins, sorted by job The core plugin stack for Paper servers, what each one is for, and which plugins to skip. Server owners6 min read Run your server BungeeCord vs Velocity: a real comparison, and how to move An honest BungeeCord vs Velocity comparison, a step-by-step migration checklist, and the cases where BungeeCord is still the right call. Server owners7 min read Run your server Daily login rewards Minecraft plugin: streaks that bring players back Maintained daily reward plugins, streak design, EULA-safe reward tables and how to pair them with votes and playtime. Server owners7 min read Run your server Dynmap vs BlueMap: which live map should your Minecraft server run? An honest Dynmap vs BlueMap comparison, plus setup, ports, reverse proxy, hiding players and where to show the map link. Server owners8 min read Run your server GriefPrevention setup: claims, trust commands, an SMP config and the alternatives Install and configure GriefPrevention for a survival server: claiming, trust levels, accrual settings, permissions, the questions players ask, and when to pick Lands, Towny or HuskClaims instead. Server owners8 min read Run your server How much RAM does a Minecraft server need? RAM by player count and server type, the -Xmx command, Aikar's flags, and when RAM stops helping. Server owners8 min read Run your server How to make a crossplay Minecraft server GeyserMC and Floodgate on Paper or Velocity, the UDP port, and how console players really join. Server owners8 min read Run your server How to make a Minecraft server public Port forwarding, tunnels, hosting and SRV records: get strangers onto your server safely. Server owners10 min read Run your server LuckPerms setup: groups, tracks, prefixes, the web editor and per-server permissions Install LuckPerms, build a rank ladder with groups and tracks, show prefixes in chat, use the web editor, and run it across a Velocity network. Server owners8 min read Run your server Minecraft crates plugin guide: CrazyCrates, ExcellentCrates and crates that feel fair Pick a maintained crates plugin, build a fair reward table, and keep crates on the right side of loot-box and EULA rules. Server owners8 min read Run your server Minecraft quests plugin guide: Quests, BetonQuest and BeautyQuests compared Maintained quest plugins compared, NPC plugins that pair with them, and how to write quests that onboard and retain players. Server owners7 min read Run your server Minecraft server backup: a plan that survives a bad day Three copies, two media, one off-site: maintained backup plugins and mods, a correct save-off script, real storage prices, and how to test a restore. Server owners9 min read Run your server Minecraft server cosmetics plugin: what to sell and how to set it up Cosmetics plugins compared, the EULA line, resource pack and Bedrock limits, and how to price cosmetics without pay-to-win. Server owners7 min read Run your server Minecraft server Discord bot status: live player counts in your Discord Show live status and player count in Discord: status bots, webhooks, DiscordSRV, and a tiny bot on our API. Server owners7 min read Run your server Minecraft server domain name: buying one, pointing it at your server, and the Bedrock catch Buy a domain, point play.yourdomain at the server with an A record or SRV, avoid the Cloudflare proxy trap, and know what Bedrock players must still type. Server owners7 min read Run your server Minecraft server economy plugin setup: Vault, shops, jobs and the sinks that stop inflation Build a Minecraft economy that holds up: Vault and a provider, the three maintained shop plugins, jobs and sell prices, sinks against inflation, starting balances, and the mistakes that wreck it. Server owners8 min read Run your server The Minecraft server EULA, explained for owners Fix eula.txt, then learn what Mojang lets your server sell: cosmetics yes, capes and pay-to-win no. Server owners10 min read Run your server How to fix Minecraft server lag Tell TPS from ping, profile with spark, and fix the real cause with Paper config and Chunky. Server owners7 min read Run your server Minecraft server proximity chat plugin: Simple Voice Chat setup, proxies, Bedrock and moderation Set up Simple Voice Chat or Plasmo Voice, handle the UDP port and proxies, and moderate voice chat on a public server. Server owners7 min read Run your server Minecraft server ranks ideas: ladders by mode, names, EULA-safe perks and pricing Rank ladders for SMP, prison, skyblock and networks, naming themes, EULA-safe perks, prefix colors, pricing tiers, and free progression versus purchased ranks. Server owners8 min read Run your server Minecraft server resource pack not working? Here is every fix, in order Fix failed and not-loading server resource packs: config keys, hosting that actually works, hash mismatches, the prompt setting, and Bedrock packs. Server owners8 min read Run your server Minecraft server rules that players actually follow A copy-ready rules template, a punishment ladder, fair enforcement, and what no-rules servers are. Server owners7 min read Run your server Minecraft server scoreboard plugin and tab list: TAB, ajLeaderboards and PlaceholderAPI, with restraint Set up a sidebar and tab list with TAB, build leaderboards with ajLeaderboards and PlaceholderAPI, keep them readable and cheap, and handle how Bedrock renders them. Server owners8 min read Run your server Minecraft server SRV record: the exact record, Cloudflare steps, and how to test it The exact SRV fields, the Cloudflare screen, TTL, nslookup and dig tests, why Bedrock ignores it, the mistakes that break it, and how our pinger resolves it. Server owners7 min read Run your server Minecraft server staff: how to hire, and how to get hired Staff roles, a ready-to-use application, trial periods, and what owners look for in applicants. Server owners6 min read Run your server Minecraft server status website: give players a live status page Build a public status page for your server, embed live status on your own site, and get alerted the minute it drops. Server owners8 min read Run your server Minecraft server store: choosing a platform, pricing it, and staying out of trouble Tebex vs CraftingStore vs self-hosted with real fees, a pricing ladder, non-pay-to-win ideas, chargebacks, sales tax basics, and the listing. Server owners8 min read Run your server Minecraft server website: whether you need one, free ways to get one, and the pages that matter Whether a server website is worth it, free ways to build one, the six pages that matter, template sources, basic SEO and linking it on the listing. Server owners7 min read Run your server Minecraft Velocity proxy setup, from one jar to a working network Install Velocity, wire modern forwarding, lock down the backends, set a hub and try order, and pick the plugins that belong on the proxy. Server owners9 min read Run your server Minecraft vote party plugin setup: VotingPlugin parties, cumulative rewards and vote crates Configure VotingPlugin vote parties, cumulative rewards and vote crates, with reward design that does not wreck the economy. Server owners7 min read Run your server NuVotifier setup, start to first reward Install NuVotifier, pick token or RSA key, forward votes on Velocity, and test your first reward. Server owners9 min read Run your server Tebex Minecraft setup, from account to a tested purchase From a Tebex account to a tested purchase: plugin, secret key, packages and commands, proxy networks, templates, fees and the errors that stop commands running. Server owners8 min read