Minecraft Realms vs a Rented Server: Which Is Better?

When Realms is enough

If you're a small group of friends (Mojang says up to 10 players per world), you play plain, unmodded Minecraft and you don't want to hear the word “files”, Realms is the most convenient option: you turn it on from the game menu, it's always available and there's nothing to maintain. Check the current price on your platform, because it varies by region and by edition (Java or Bedrock), and note that the free trial month is only for people who have never had Realms.

Where it falls short

Realms doesn't support mods or plugins: it's unmodified Minecraft. You also can't touch server.properties, choose between Paper, Fabric, Forge or NeoForge, or give your friends your own address. And the player cap is whatever Mojang sets.

If what you want is a community with plugins (land claiming, an economy, a whitelist your way), a modpack or more than ten people, you need your own server.

What a rented server gives you

You choose the server type and the version, install mods, plugins and modpacks from the panel, join through an address of your own and play Java and Bedrock together with Geyser. On NapNodes the RAM is also reserved, there are two backups you create and restore yourself plus an automatic daily one, and you can download your world whenever you like.

In exchange, you're the one running it: giving your friends op, keeping an eye on RAM and updating versions. The panel makes it simpler, but it's still a server.

How much the server costs

On NapNodes you pay for RAM, per GB per month, with no commitment and a 72-hour refund the first time; each plan's price is on the pricing page. A group of friends with plugins runs well on 4 GB (Stone plan), and split between four people it works out cheap per head.

How to move from Realms to a server

1. Download the Realm's world

   In the Realms menu of Minecraft Java, configure the Realm and choose to download the world. It's saved as a singleplayer world in your saves folder.

2. Compress the folder

   Find the world folder in .minecraft/saves and compress it into a .zip. If the new server runs a different version, make sure it's the same or newer.

3. Upload it to a link

   Dropbox or Google Drive, with a share link.

4. Paste it into “Bring my server”

   In the NapNodes panel, “Mods & plugins” → “Bring my server”. The server downloads the file and puts the world in place; whatever was there is moved to a separate folder, not deleted. More detail in moving your world to a server.

Try it without risk

NapNodes has a free Minecraft server, with no card and no end date (it stops when nobody's on and you start it yourself): it's a way to try it with your friends before paying. And if you buy a plan and it doesn't convince you, you have 72 hours to get a full refund.

Frequently asked questions