Minecraft Realms: what it is and how much it costs

What is Minecraft Realms?

Minecraft Realms is an official subscription service from Mojang Studios that gives you a private Minecraft server available 24/7. You pay a monthly fee, Mojang maintains the infrastructure, and you invite your friends and just play. No configuration, no port forwarding, no messing with Java and a console.

Realms was created as an answer to a problem everyone who wants to play multiplayer with friends runs into: setting up your own server is a lot of work, and public servers aren't always friendly. Realms was meant to be a simple alternative, and to a large extent it is one.

How does Realms work?

After you buy a subscription, you get a server hosted on Mojang's infrastructure (Microsoft Azure). The server runs non-stop, so your friends can join even when you're offline. All configuration happens from the game menu, without touching any config files.

The process is simple:

1. You buy a subscription - directly from the Minecraft Launcher (Java) or from your platform's store (Bedrock). The first 30 days are free.
2. You create a world - a new one, or you upload an existing one. You can also pick a ready-made map from the Realms gallery.
3. You invite players - you send invitations to your friends by username. Invited players don't have to pay for Realms.
4. You play - the server is up 24/7, with automatic backups.

Realms Java vs Realms Bedrock

There are two separate versions of Realms, one for each edition of Minecraft. They aren't compatible with each other: Java Edition players can't join Realms Bedrock, and the other way around.

When to choose Realms Java

You play only on PC and you care about data packs, resource packs and full control over world settings. Java Edition gives you more game configuration options, and the community makes plenty of free maps and data packs that you can load onto Realms without any trouble.

When to choose Realms Bedrock or Plus

You play with friends on different platforms: someone on PC, someone on PlayStation, someone on a phone. Cross-play works smoothly, and Realms Plus also gives you access to over 150 Marketplace items (maps, skins, texture packs). If there are only two or three of you, the cheaper Bedrock version at $3.99 is enough.

Minecraft Realms prices

Prices on this page are in US dollars. The amount charged to your card can vary slightly depending on the exchange rate on the day of the charge.

Is that expensive?

It depends on your perspective. $7.99 a month for a server for 10 people works out to about $0.80 per person if you split the cost. For comparison, the cheapest Minecraft hosting with similar specs is usually cheaper, but it needs setup. At this price Realms gives you zero setup and automatic backups. If your group is 3-4 people and nobody wants to play admin, Realms is a sensible choice.

What can you do on Minecraft Realms?

Realms is a full Minecraft server with a few bonuses:

• Survival and Creative - the standard game modes, which you can switch in the settings.
• Multiple worlds - you get 3 world slots (Java) and can switch between them. Handy when you want one world for building in Creative and another for survival.
• Minigames - Realms Java offers built-in minigames (for example parkour and PvP arenas) that you load with one click from the gallery.
• Custom maps - upload any map from the internet. It works great for playing adventure maps with friends.
• Data packs and resource packs - on Realms Java you can upload data packs (they change game mechanics) and resource packs (they change textures). They aren't mods in the full sense of the word, but they allow quite a lot of customization.
• Automatic backups - Realms makes backup copies automatically. You can roll the world back to any backup if something goes wrong.
• World configuration - difficulty, PvP and game mode. You'll find the details in our Realms setup guide.

Minecraft Realms limitations

Realms is convenient, but it has its limits. Before you spend any money, check that these limitations aren't a deal-breaker for you:

• No mods - you can't install Forge, Fabric or any other mod. The only modifications are data packs and resource packs. If you want to play with mods, you need your own server or hosting with mod support.
• No plugins - no EssentialsX, WorldGuard, LuckPerms or Dynmap. Realms doesn't support server plugins.
• 10-player limit - you won't fit 50 people on Realms. If you're planning a bigger server, your only option is dedicated hosting or a VPS.
• No console access - you don't get SSH, a terminal or access to the server files the way you do on your own server.
• No custom server versions - Realms runs on Mojang's official server. You can't run Paper, Spigot, Purpur or Fabric Server.
• Performance - Realms isn't optimized the way Paper is. With 10 players and a lot of exploring you may see lag, especially on Java Edition.
• No custom domain or IP - players join through an invitation in the client, not through an IP address. You can't run a server with your own branding on Realms.

Frequently asked questions

How much does Minecraft Realms cost?

Realms Java Edition costs $7.99 per month. Realms Bedrock Edition is $3.99 per month for the basic version, or $7.99 per month for Realms Plus with Marketplace access.

How many people can play on Realms?

Realms Java Edition supports up to 10 players at a time plus the owner. Realms Bedrock Edition supports up to 10 players on the Plus version, or up to 2 players on the cheaper basic version.

Does Realms work when the owner is offline?

Yes. Realms runs 24/7 on Mojang's servers. Invited players can join at any time, even when the owner is offline.

Can you install mods on Realms?

No. Realms doesn't support Forge or Fabric mods. On Realms Java you can only use data packs and resource packs. On Bedrock, add-ons from the Marketplace are available.

Do invited players have to pay?

No. Only the owner pays for the subscription. Invited players join for free, and all they need is a copy of Minecraft.