How to Host a Minecraft Server for Free (5 Ways, 2026)

You can host a Minecraft server for free by running Mojang's free server software on your own PC, opening a singleplayer world to LAN, sharing it with a mod like e4mc, using a free host with limits, or trying Realms free for 30 days. Each has a catch: your PC stays on, or the server queues, sleeps or caps memory.

What are the free ways to host a Minecraft server?

1. Run the server on your own PC

The most capable free option. Mojang's Java server, Paper and Fabric are all free to download, and so is Bedrock Dedicated Server.

1. Install Java 25. Every Minecraft 26.x version needs it.
2. Download the server (Paper is the best choice for most groups).
3. Run it once, then set eula=true in eula.txt.
4. Start it with enough memory, for example java -Xmx4G -jar paper.jar nogui.
5. Forward TCP port 25565 on your router to your PC so friends outside your house can join.

Full steps are in how to make a Minecraft server.

The catch: the server is only online while your PC is on and running it. Friends connect to your home IP, so they can see it. Port forwarding fails completely if your internet provider uses CGNAT, which is common on mobile, satellite and many fibre connections. Your upload speed limits how many players you can hold, and the electricity is not really free: a PC running all day adds to your bill.

2. Open to LAN

If everyone is on the same network, for example in the same house or at a LAN party, you do not need a server at all. Open your singleplayer world from the pause menu and others on the network see it in their Multiplayer list.

Since 26.3, this lives in the World Options screen in the pause menu, under the Multiplayer section, where you set the LAN scope, the port, command access and forced game mode for guests (Minecraft.net, September 15, 2026).

The catch: LAN only works on the local network. Mojang tested peer to peer play for friends over the internet in 26.2 snapshots, then removed it before release because "the experience wasn't what we wanted it to be for all players" (PCGamesN, May 27, 2026). The new Java Friends List lets you add friends and see when they are online, but it does not let them join your world over the internet.

3. Share your world with e4mc

e4mc is a free mod that takes your Open to LAN world and gives it a public address that anyone can join, with no port forwarding. It is available for Fabric, Forge and NeoForge, with versions up to 26.3 on Modrinth as of October 3, 2026.

1. Install the mod loader and e4mc on your own game.
2. Open your world to LAN.
3. Copy the address e4mc prints in chat and send it to your friends.

The catch: you must be playing for the world to be online, the host's game does the server work on top of rendering, and traffic goes through a relay, which can add ping. It is great for an evening session, not for a 24/7 SMP.

4. Use a tunnel instead of port forwarding

If you run a real server at home but cannot port forward, a tunnel service gives it a public address. A small program on your PC connects out to the service, and friends connect through it. This also hides your home IP. We explain the options and their limits in how to host a game server without port forwarding.

The catch: your PC still has to stay on, and the detour can add ping if the nearest relay is far away.

5. Free Minecraft hosting sites

Several sites host small Minecraft servers for free, paid for by ads or by upselling to paid plans. They are a reasonable way to try a server for a weekend.

The catch: expect some combination of a queue to start the server, the server stopping when nobody is online, low RAM that struggles with modpacks, limited plugin and mod choice, no or limited backups, and ads. Our free vs paid hosting comparison goes through these limits in detail.

What about the Realms free trial?

Realms, Mojang's own hosting, has a 30 day free trial for new subscribers on Java, Bedrock and Realms Plus (Minecraft Realms). It is always online and friends play for free, but after the trial it renews automatically at 3.99 to 7.99 USD a month unless you cancel, it caps you at 11 players, and Java Realms do not run mods or plugins.

Free Bedrock options

Bedrock players have two extra free routes. You can host a world from your own device and let Xbox friends join it while you play, and you can run Bedrock Dedicated Server on a Windows or Linux PC for free, forwarding UDP port 19132. Console players need their platform's online subscription for multiplayer either way. See how to host a Minecraft Bedrock server.

When is it worth paying?

Free hosting works when someone is happy to keep a PC on, or when you only play together in short sessions. Paying makes sense when you want the world online whenever anyone wants to play, without your home IP or PC involved.

On GamezServers a 2 GB Minecraft server is 4.99 USD a month, and new customers get 50% off the first month. Up to 10 friends can each pay a share, so a 4 GB server split 5 ways is about 3 USD each. There is no contract and you can cancel any time. Compare everything in how much a Minecraft server costs, or start on Minecraft server hosting.

FAQ

Can I host a Minecraft server for free?

Yes. Mojang's server software is free and runs on your own PC. You need to keep the PC on and forward port 25565 so friends can join over the internet.

Is there a free Minecraft server that stays online 24/7?

Not really. Free hosts stop servers when they are empty or limit uptime, and home hosting needs your PC on all the time. Always online servers cost money, starting around 4 to 5 USD a month.

Can friends join my singleplayer world for free on Java?

On the same network, yes, with Open to LAN. Over the internet, Java has no built in way, so you need a mod like e4mc, a tunnel or a server.

Do I need to port forward to host a free Minecraft server?

Only when you run the server at home and friends join from outside. Tunnels and e4mc avoid it, and hosted servers have their ports already open.

Is free Minecraft hosting safe for my world?

Free hosts can be fine for testing, but backups are often limited. Download your world regularly so you have your own copy whatever host you use.