Minecraft Server Resource Calculator
Calculate the exact RAM, CPU, and storage requirements for your Minecraft server based on player count, plugins, and server type. Get accurate estimates to ensure smooth gameplay for you and your friends.
✓ Accurate RAM calculations for Minecraft servers
✓ CPU core recommendations based on server load
✓ Storage and bandwidth estimates
✓ Paper vs Spigot performance comparison
About Minecraft Server Requirements
Running a Minecraft server requires careful consideration of hardware resources. The requirements vary significantly based on player count, server type, plugins, and world size. This calculator provides estimates to help you choose the right hosting plan or hardware configuration.
Paper vs Spigot Performance
Paper is a fork of Spigot that offers significant performance improvements. It includes optimizations for chunk loading, entity handling, and redstone mechanics. For most servers, especially those with many players or plugins, Paper is the recommended choice as it can reduce RAM usage by up to 20% and CPU load by up to 30% compared to Spigot.
Impact of Plugins on Server Performance
Each plugin adds overhead to your server. Some plugins like WorldEdit, Dynmap, and large economy plugins can significantly increase resource usage. As a general rule, each plugin adds approximately 50-100MB of RAM usage, but this varies widely based on the plugin's complexity and configuration.
World Size Considerations for Minecraft Servers
Larger worlds with more explored chunks require more RAM to keep loaded. Additionally, complex redstone contraptions, large numbers of entities (like animals, monsters, or item frames), and automated farms can all increase the resource requirements of your server.
Optimizing Minecraft Server Performance
Beyond choosing the right hardware, you can optimize your Minecraft server by:
- Setting an appropriate view distance (8-10 is recommended)
- Limiting entity spawns and item despawn times
- Using pre-generated worlds to reduce chunk generation load
- Regularly pruning unused chunks to keep world sizes manageable
- Using performance-focused plugins like Clearlag or Paper's built-in optimizations
Frequently Asked Questions
How much RAM does a Minecraft server need in 2026?
RAM requirements for Minecraft servers in 2026 depend on player count and server type:
- 1-10 players: 2-4GB RAM (Paper), 3-6GB RAM (Spigot)
- 20-50 players: 6-12GB RAM (Paper), 8-16GB RAM (Spigot)
- 50+ players: 16GB+ RAM (Paper), 20GB+ RAM (Spigot)
- Modded servers: Add 2-4GB extra RAM to base requirements
Paper servers typically use 15-25% less RAM than Spigot servers due to performance optimizations.
What's the difference between Paper, Spigot, Forge, and Fabric?
Each server type serves different purposes:
- Paper: High-performance fork of Spigot, best for plugin servers (recommended)
- Spigot: Base server software with plugin support
- Forge: Mod loader for running Forge mods, requires more resources
- Fabric: Lightweight mod loader, good performance with mods
- Vanilla: No modifications, lowest resource requirements
Choose Paper for plugins, Forge/Fabric for mods, vanilla for no modifications.
How much does Minecraft server hosting cost in 2026?
Minecraft server hosting costs in 2026 vary by provider and specifications:
- Small servers (1-10 players): $3-10/month
- Medium servers (20-50 players): $15-40/month
- Large servers (50+ players): $50-150+/month
- Modded servers: 20-50% more expensive due to higher resource needs
Popular providers include Shockbyte, Apex Hosting, BisectHosting, and MCProHosting. Our calculator includes cost estimates based on typical hosting plans.
Can I run a Minecraft server on my home computer in 2026?
Yes, you can run a Minecraft server on your home computer for small servers if you meet these requirements:
- Upload speed: 25+ Mbps (essential for good performance)
- RAM: 16GB+ total system RAM
- CPU: Modern quad-core processor (i5/i7 or Ryzen 5/7)
- Dedicated machine that stays on 24/7
- Stable power and cooling
For larger servers or better reliability, dedicated hosting is strongly recommended.
How much bandwidth does a Minecraft server use monthly?
Minecraft server bandwidth usage depends on player count and activity:
- Per player per hour: 50-100MB
- 10-player server (24/7): 360-720GB/month
- 50-player server (24/7): 1.8-3.6TB/month
- 100-player server (24/7): 3.6-7.2TB/month
Ensure your hosting plan includes sufficient bandwidth allocation. Some providers offer unlimited bandwidth, while others charge overage fees.
Do modded servers require more resources?
Yes, modded servers (Forge/Fabric) require significantly more resources:
- RAM: Add 2-4GB to base requirements (some modpacks need 8GB+ even for small servers)
- CPU: More critical than for plugin servers - need 4+ cores at 3.5+ GHz
- Storage: Larger worlds due to mod-added content
- Performance: More complex calculations and rendering
Always check modpack requirements and test on a staging server before going live.
How do plugins affect Minecraft server performance?
Plugin impact varies significantly by complexity:
- Light plugins: EssentialsX, LuckPerms (minimal impact)
- Medium plugins: WorldGuard, ChestShop (moderate impact)
- Heavy plugins: Dynmap, WorldEdit, CoreProtect (significant impact)
- Economy plugins: Jobs Reborn, AuctionHouse (high impact)
Our calculator accounts for average plugin resource usage, but specific plugins may require more or less resources. Always test plugins on a staging server and monitor performance with tools like Spark.
What CPU specifications do I need for a Minecraft server?
CPU requirements scale with player count and server complexity:
- Small servers (1-10 players): 2-4 vCPU cores, 3.0+ GHz
- Medium servers (20-50 players): 4-8 vCPU cores, 3.5+ GHz
- Large servers (50+ players): 8+ vCPU cores, 3.5+ GHz
- Modded servers: Higher core count more important than clock speed
Modern CPUs like AMD Ryzen 5/7 or Intel Core i5/i7 series work well. Avoid CPUs with very high core counts but low clock speeds for Minecraft servers.
How much storage space does a Minecraft server need?
Storage requirements depend on world size and usage patterns:
- Base server: 5-10GB for software and basic world
- Per player: ~50MB for player data and inventory
- Small worlds: 5-15GB total
- Medium worlds: 15-50GB total
- Large worlds: 50GB-200GB+ total
- Backups: 2-3x world size for regular backups
SSD storage is highly recommended for better chunk loading performance. Consider automated backup solutions for large servers.
How can I optimize my Minecraft server performance?
Optimize your server performance with these best practices:
- Server software: Use Paper instead of Spigot for better performance
- View distance: Set to 8-12 chunks (balance between performance and gameplay)
- Entity limits: Limit mob spawns and item despawn times
- World management: Use pre-generated worlds and regular chunk pruning
- Performance plugins: Clearlag, Spark, and optimization plugins
- Monitoring: Use /timings and Spark to identify bottlenecks
- Hardware: SSD storage and sufficient RAM are critical
Monitor TPS (ticks per second) and aim for 19-20 TPS for smooth gameplay. Use tools like Spark for detailed performance profiling.
Related Minecraft Tools
Optimize your Minecraft server with these helpful tools:
This calculator provides estimates based on typical Minecraft server configurations. Actual resource requirements may vary. Last updated: March 2026. Compatible with Minecraft Java Edition 1.21.x and Bedrock Edition.