Free Minecraft server hosting

Aternos is by far the most popular free Minecraft host. Millions of players around the world use it. Signing up takes a minute, and then you get a panel where you can run a Java Edition server, a Bedrock Edition server, or even a modded server (Forge, Fabric, NeoForge).

How Aternos works

You create an account, configure the server (version, mods, plugins) and click "Start". The server goes into a queue: depending on the time of day you wait from 2 to 30 minutes. Once it's running, it works normally as long as players are online. When the last person disconnects, the server goes to sleep after a few minutes of inactivity. Next time you have to start it again.

Mod and plugin support

The Aternos panel has a built-in modpack installer. It supports packs from CurseForge, Modrinth and other sources. You can also upload .jar files by hand through the file manager in the panel. Supported platforms: Vanilla, Spigot, Paper, Forge, Fabric, NeoForge, Bedrock and others.

Limitations

• Start queue - 2 to 30 minutes, longer on weekends
• Sleep mode - the server shuts down after a few minutes without players
• RAM - allocated dynamically, about 2-4 GB (you have no say in it)
• CPU - shared with other users, no performance guarantee
• Ads - the panel shows ads (that's how it's funded)
• No custom domain - you get an address like servername.aternos.me

Minehut is the second most popular free option. On the free plan you get a server with 1 GB of RAM and a limit of 10 players at once. Like Aternos, the server goes to sleep when idle, but it starts faster (1-5 minutes, no queue).

What sets Minehut apart

Minehut has its own plugin marketplace built into the panel. Installing a plugin is literally one click. The latest Java Edition versions are supported, on the Paper/Spigot platform. There's no native Bedrock Edition support (you have to use GeyserMC as a plugin). There's no native Forge/Fabric mod support either: it's strictly plugin hosting.

Free plan limitations

• 1 GB RAM - enough for 5-10 players with a few plugins
• Max 10 players - a hard limit on the free plan
• Plugins only - no Forge/Fabric support on the free version
• Sleep mode - the server shuts down after 5 minutes without players
• US servers - ping from Poland is about 100-150 ms (noticeable in PvP)
• 12 plugins per server - a limit on the free plan

Oracle Cloud offers a free "Always Free" tier that includes an ARM virtual machine (Ampere A1) with up to 4 CPU cores and 24 GB of RAM. Yes, you read that right: 24 GB of RAM for free, forever. That's enough for a Minecraft server for 30-50 players with plugins.

There's one serious catch: this isn't hosting with a control panel. You get a bare Linux server and have to set everything up yourself, from installing Java to the firewall. If you have no command-line experience, this option isn't for you.

How to get a free VPS from Oracle

1. Create an account at cloud.oracle.com - you need a credit card for verification (Oracle doesn't charge for the free tier; the card is used to confirm your identity).
2. Pick the Frankfurt or Amsterdam region - the closest to Poland, ping 20-35 ms.
3. Create a VM.Standard.A1.Flex instance - choose ARM (Ampere) and assign 4 OCPUs and 24 GB of RAM. Operating system: Ubuntu 22.04 or Oracle Linux 9.
4. Configure the Security List - open port 25565 (Minecraft) and 22 (SSH) in the VCN network settings.
5. Install Java and the server - you'll find the setup details in our VPS guide.

Limitations

• ARM processors - most mods and plugins run without a problem, but some older mods may have compatibility problems
• Requires technical knowledge - configuring Linux, the firewall and Java is not "click and play"
• Availability - free ARM instances are often unavailable (Oracle limits the number). You may have to try several times at different times of day
• No Minecraft support - Oracle will help with the infrastructure, but not with configuring the game server
• Credit card required - for verification, no charges