Your own Minecraft SMP server, online in 2 minutes.
One world, your group of friends, your rules. Whitelist, plugins, voice chat and players on PC, phone and console: everything is ready in a Dutch data centre, 24/7, even when nobody is online.
- From $5.94 a month for 10 friends, easy to split
- Java and Bedrock: friends on phone or console can join too
- Dutch data centre (Hengelo), NVMe, DDoS protection
What is an SMP in Minecraft?
Vanilla SMP
Pure Minecraft with a whitelist and a few helper plugins (voice chat, anti-grief). The classic choice for a group of friends.
How to start an SMP →Hardcore SMP
One life, no respawn. Whoever dies watches as a spectator; whoever is left wins the season. Tense and over quickly.
Start a hardcore SMP →Lifesteal SMP
Every kill steals a heart; hit zero and you are out. PvP rules and a heart plugin run the game.
Set up lifesteal →Modded SMP
Create, Cobblemon or your own modpack. More RAM, more possibilities; everyone installs the same mods.
Choose a modpack →SMP server hosting: plans by group size
One person orders and manages the server; the rest join in. Split across your group, an SMP costs just cents per player per month. Pay monthly, upgrade when your group grows, stop whenever you like.
- 75 GB NVMe SSD storage
- Minecraft DDoS protection
- Paper, Purpur, Fabric or Forge
- Your own panel with console and files
- Online right after payment
- 75 GB NVMe SSD storage
- Minecraft DDoS protection
- Paper, Purpur, Fabric or Forge
- Your own panel with console and files
- Online right after payment
- 75 GB NVMe SSD storage
- Minecraft DDoS protection
- Paper, Purpur, Fabric or Forge
- Your own panel with console and files
- Online right after payment
- 75 GB NVMe SSD storage
- Minecraft DDoS protection
- Paper, Purpur, Fabric or Forge
- Your own panel with console and files
- Online right after payment
More than 40 players, or a heavy modpack? Check the Minecraft store for bigger plans. Not sure about RAM? How much RAM does an SMP need?
Making an SMP server: online tonight.
No technical knowledge needed. Your panel does the heavy lifting; you pick the rules.
Pick your plan
Up to 10 friends: 5 GB. Up to 20: 8 GB. More players or lots of plugins: 10 or 15 GB. After payment the server is in your panel right away.
Choose Paper and your plugins
Paper is the default; install Simple Voice Chat, CoreProtect and a claim plugin in one click. Prefer mods? Choose Fabric or Forge.
Whitelist your friends
Set white-list=true and add everyone with /whitelist add name. Players on phone or console? Install Geyser and Floodgate.
Share your address and agree on rules
Send out the server address from your panel. Agree beforehand: how long the season lasts, what happens after a death and which plugins are in or out.
server.properties. Make a backup first.Realms, a free host or your own server?
For one evening together anything works. For an SMP that has to keep running for weeks, what matters is whether the server stays on, whether plugins are allowed and whether everyone can join.
| Realms | Free host | Your own server at MC-Node | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stays on 24/7 | yes | no, switches off when nobody plays, with a queue | yes |
| Plugins and mods | no (Java), limited | limited list | everything: Paper, Fabric, Forge, your own files |
| Number of players | 10 at a time | limited | you choose: 10, 20, 25 or 40 |
| Java + Bedrock together | no | sometimes | yes, with Geyser |
| Upload your own world | limited | limited | yes, via panel or SFTP |
| Price | fixed subscription | free | from $5.94 a month, easy to split |
Full comparison: Minecraft Realms vs your own server
Three agreements that keep an SMP fun for months.
The tech is the easy part. What keeps an SMP fun are the rules you set with your group beforehand. Our guides help you with that.
How long does the season last?
Three to six weeks with a clear ending works better than "forever". A finale or a shrinking world border gives direction.
Running a season →What is allowed and what is not?
Griefing, stealing, PvP, base raiding: agree on it before things go wrong. CoreProtect logs everything, so you can always roll back.
Starting an SMP and keeping it fun →Which plugins?
Voice chat, anti-grief and a claim plugin are enough. Anything that makes the game easier takes the tension out.
The best plugins for an SMP →Frequently asked questions about an SMP server
What is an SMP in Minecraft?
SMP stands for survival multiplayer: a private server where you survive, build and trade in the same world with a fixed group of friends, usually with a whitelist and your own rules. Hardcore and lifesteal are variants.
Do my friends chip in too?
That is up to you. One person orders and manages the server; the rest play for free or chip in a little. With 20 players on Dirt ($9.50) that is $0.48 per player per month.
How much RAM do I need?
Up to 10 players 5 GB is enough, up to 20 players 8 GB, up to 25 players with plugins 10 GB, and for 40 players or big modpacks 15 GB. You can always upgrade from your client area without losing your world.
Does the server stay on when nobody is online?
Yes. Your server runs 24/7 in our data centre in Hengelo. No PC has to stay on at home and there is no queue like at free hosts.
Can friends on phone or console join?
Yes. With Geyser and Floodgate, Java and Bedrock players (phone, Xbox, PlayStation, Switch) play together on the same server, without a Java account.
Can we bring our existing world?
Yes. Upload your world folder via the panel or SFTP, put the world name in server.properties and start the server. Make a backup first.
How does the discount code HARDCORE15 work?
Click a plan on this page or enter the code at checkout. You get 15% off your first invoice, once per customer, valid until 31 December 2026.
Would I rather play hardcore?
Then the hardcore SMP page is for you: one life, spectator after death and a season with a winner. Same plans, same code.
Ready to start?
Pick your plan, whitelist your friends and share the address. Online tonight.