- A vote site lists servers, ranks them by player votes, and sends each vote to your server through Votifier or NuVotifier so a plugin can reward the player.
- Before listing, check how the site measures player counts, limits votes, labels paid spots and handles fake counts.
- The official list is findmcserver.com, run by GamerSafer with Mojang. Listing on several sites is normal.
Minecraft server vote sites are server lists that let players vote for a server once a day. The votes decide the ranking, and a small plugin on your server (NuVotifier) receives each vote so you can reward the player in game. For an owner, a list is a free shop window plus a daily reason for your players to come back.
Not all lists work the same way, though. Some show whatever player count a server reports, some let money move the ranking, and some make fake votes easy. This guide explains the machinery, what to check before you list, and how to get your server onto one. We run one of these lists, so we'll also say how ours handles each point; hold us to it.
What a server list actually does
A searchable catalog of servers, sorted by game mode, edition, version and region, each with a page and a copyable address.
The list pings each server the same way the Minecraft client does, to show whether it's online and how many players it reports.
Usually by votes over a period (often a month), sometimes with other signals. The period resets so new servers can compete.
Each valid vote is sent to the server's Votifier listener, so a rewards plugin can hand out items, currency or keys.
Right now we track 2,559 servers online, each checked by our own pinger every few minutes.
How a vote travels from a website to your server
- The player votes. They open your server's vote page, type their Minecraft username and pass a bot check. On our list, voting needs no account.
- The list checks its rules. On ours: one vote per username per server per day (the day resets at midnight UTC), and up to three names per internet connection. We keep only a scrambled fingerprint of the IP address, never the address itself.
- The list connects to your Votifier port. NuVotifier listens on port 8192 by default. With protocol v2 the list signs the vote with a shared token; with the older v1 protocol it encrypts the vote with your RSA public key.
- Your rewards plugin runs. NuVotifier fires a vote event, and a plugin such as VotingPlugin gives the reward, announces it, and can hold it until an offline player next logs in.
- The vote counts toward the ranking. On our list, counts reset on the 1st of each month (UTC).
What to look for in a Minecraft server list
Listing is usually free, so the question isn't cost; it's whether the list sends you real players and treats your server fairly. Check these before you spend time on a listing:
| Check | Why it matters to you | How we handle it |
|---|---|---|
| Where player counts come from | Self-reported numbers reward servers that inflate them, pushing honest servers down | Our pinger checks every server itself, at least every 5 minutes, and keeps the history |
| Fake-count policy | Tells you whether inflated servers get an edge over you | Counts that exceed the maximum, never move, or sit exactly full get a visible "Player count looks unusual" flag and lose the players-sort and spotlight advantage |
| Vote limits | Loose limits let vote farms beat real communities | One vote per username per day (resets at midnight UTC), up to three names per connection, with a bot check |
| Votifier support | No Votifier means no in-game rewards, so fewer players vote | NuVotifier v2 (token) and Votifier v1 (public key), plus a "Send a test vote" button |
| Paid spots | If money quietly changes the rank, players stop trusting the list | Ads are labeled "Ad" or "Sponsored", never take a rank number and never change votes |
| Cracked vs premium | Players want to know if they need an official account | We test-log-in and label servers as premium or cracked |
| Offline servers | Dead listings above you waste players' clicks | Online servers rank first; servers offline for 30 days drop off |
| Rule-breaking servers | A list full of blocked or scam servers drives players away | We never list servers on Mojang's blocked-server list |
The full ranking rules are on How we rank.
Is there an official Minecraft server list?
Yes. findmcserver.com is the Official Minecraft Server List, launched on November 7, 2023 by GamerSafer in partnership with Mojang. It checks servers against Mojang's usage guidelines and has no paid placement. If your server follows those guidelines, it's worth listing there as well as on community lists like ours. Servers list on several sites at once all the time, and each one reaches different players.
How to add your server to a vote site
Here's the process on our list. Most lists follow a similar path, though not all of them verify ownership.
- Go to Add your server. Pick Java or Bedrock. For a crossplay server, add the Java address first; you can add the Bedrock one after.
- Enter the address and port. Leave the port empty for the defaults (25565 for Java, 19132 for Bedrock). We ping it right away and show what we found: players online, version and your MOTD.
- Describe it. Name, a short summary, a real description, gameplay notes or highlights, game modes, region, Discord and website. Our description guide shows what to write.
- Verify you own it. We give you a code like
9MC-XXXXXX. Put it anywhere in your MOTD, restart or reload, and press Check now. We also check every 5 minutes, and you can remove the code once verified. - Connect NuVotifier in your listing settings: address, port, and the token (from NuVotifier's
config.yml, undertokens,default) or your v1 public key. Press "Send a test vote" with your username. - Add your images. The list banner is 468x60 PNG or GIF (animated is fine), up to 1 MB. By default we show your server's own
server-icon.png(64x64 pixels); you can replace it with a square logo and add a wide cover image for the top of your page.
When your players ask how to add a Minecraft server
Once you're listed, your Discord will fill with the same question: "how do I add the server?" It depends on the device, and the console answer surprises people. Pin something like this:
| Device | How to add a server |
|---|---|
| Java (Windows, Mac, Linux) | Multiplayer > Add Server > type a name and the server address > Done. For a quick test, use Direct Connection. |
| Bedrock on Windows, iOS, Android | Play > Servers > Add Server, then enter the name, address and port (19132 unless you say otherwise). |
| Xbox, PlayStation (PS4, PS5), Switch | There's no Add Server option. Players can join the featured servers in the Servers tab and Realms. Custom servers are only reachable through third-party community workarounds like BedrockConnect, BedrockTogether or Phantom. |
minecraft.wiki says the Add Server feature "is unavailable for console versions of Bedrock Edition." Some articles claim an Add Server button on Xbox or Switch; don't repeat that to your players. Console players also need their platform's online subscription. Send them to our step-by-step guides for Xbox, PS5 and Switch, which explain the workarounds and how to undo them. Minecraft for Nintendo Switch 2 launches on October 27, 2026; we'll update this after launch if anything changes.
Red flags on a vote site
- You can buy votes, or the site sells "vote packages". The ranking then measures money, not players.
- Paid servers sit in the ranking without a label. Players can't tell an ad from a recommendation.
- Player counts are obviously impossible (more online than the maximum, identical numbers for days) and nothing is flagged.
- Voting has no limits you can see, or votes arrive from usernames that never join.
- No way to remove or correct your listing. You should always be able to claim your page or ask for removal.
Quick questions
Do I have to connect Votifier to be ranked?
Not on our list; votes count either way. But without it, voters get no reward in game, so fewer of them bother.
Can I list the same server on many vote sites?
Yes, that's normal. NuVotifier accepts votes from several lists at once, and a rewards plugin like VotingPlugin can treat each list as its own vote site.
Why does a list show a different player count than my server?
Lists that ping servers see what the server reports at that moment, and pings happen every few minutes, so a count can lag slightly. If a list shows a very different number, check whether it pings at all or just displays a figure you typed.
Someone else listed my server. What do I do?
Claim it. On our list, open your server's page and use the claim link; the MOTD code proves you run it, and after that nobody else can change your text.