How to Make a Minecraft Server (Step by Step)

Sure, you can host a server on your own PC. But then you're forwarding router ports, leaving the computer on all night and wrestling with Java.

With a hosting service, the server lives online and you run it from your browser. Here we use Picoserver: servers in Querétaro, Mexico, billed by the hour you actually play. Still, everything you learn here applies to any server.

All you need

Minecraft Java Edition on your PC and your friends' PCs. Everyone launches the same version you pick for the world.
Someone plays on phone or console? No problem: check out the Bedrock and crossplay guide.
An email address for your panel account.
Balance: top-ups start at $100 MXN. To create a server you need about $43 MXN (one month of storage plus one hour of play).

Prices in Mexican pesos (MXN).

Step 1: Create your free account

Head to create account and enter your email and a password. It's free and no card is required.

From there you can jump into the panel and look around.

Step 2: Top up and pay only for what you play

In Balance, top up with a card or with cash at OXXO. It's prepaid: no monthly fee and no surprise charges.

Your balance only goes down while the server is on, plus your world's storage. All the details are on the pricing page.

Step 3: Pick your server size

In Servers you choose the size. That sets how much RAM it gets:

Server sizes
Size	Best for
Small · 4 GB	Vanilla or a few mods, 2 to 4 players.
Medium · 8 GB	Mid-size modpacks, up to about 8 people.
Large · 16 GB	Heavy modpacks or lots of players at once.

Not sure? Start small. You can switch sizes anytime without losing your world. From $1.77 MXN per hour.

Step 4: Choose a version and, if you want, mods

Every world has its own Minecraft version, from old classics to the latest. And its own loader:

Vanilla: plain Minecraft, no mods, any version.
Fabric: from 1.14.
Forge: from 1.12.2.
NeoForge: from 1.20.2.

Going for a specific modpack or mod? Pick the loader and version it asks for.

Later you can upgrade the world to a newer version (the panel saves a backup first). Downgrading isn't possible: Minecraft can't open worlds saved in a newer version.

For mods, the panel has a search box with the Modrinth catalog, already filtered for your world. Type a name, pick the mod and the panel installs the right version along with everything it needs.

Your players download a .mrpack modpack from the panel with the exact same mods. The full rundown is in the Minecraft server with mods guide.

Step 5: Make it yours

Before inviting anyone, take a quick spin through these panel options:

Server settings (the famous server.properties) in an easy form: difficulty, game mode, PvP, view distance, seed and more.
MOTD: the message shown in the server list, with colors and a live preview.
Whitelist and OPs: you decide who gets in and who has admin powers in-game.
Multiple worlds: each with its own version, loader, mods and settings. Start a fresh one or upload your single-player world as a .zip.

Some friends don't own an official Minecraft account? Offline mode exists, but it comes with serious risks. Read the offline mode server guide first.

Step 6: Start it up and share the address

Hit Start. Once it says it's ready, the panel shows you the address.

By default it's an IP that changes every time you start the server. Want one that never changes? Turn on a fixed address with your own subdomain (yourname.mc.ericksilva.com.mx) for $135.05 MXN per month.

To join, your friends do this in Minecraft:

Go to Multiplayer → Add Server.
Paste the address.
Play! If there are mods, install the modpack first.

Step 7: Share control with your crew

The panel has roles: owner, admin and player, with access per world. That way someone else can start the server or add mods without asking for your password.

Plus, with in-game sign-up, every player who joins gets a link with a code in chat to create their own panel account.

It shuts itself off, so you save

Once the server is ready there's a 1-minute grace period. If 6 minutes pass with nobody online, it shuts down on its own.

No need to remember to turn it off, and you never pay for a whole night of empty server. Your world stays saved and you start it whenever you want. On top of that, there are automatic backups every day.

Friends can't join? Check this

"Incompatible version": the player needs to launch the same Minecraft version as the world (shown in the panel) or, if there are mods, the modpack's profile.
Missing or mismatched mods: have them download the .mrpack from the panel again after any mod change.
"You are not white-listed": add their exact username to the whitelist.
Can't connect at all: make sure the server is still on (it may have shut down from inactivity) and that the IP is the current one if you don't have a fixed address.

Coming from a free server with a queue? Our Aternos alternative page compares both models honestly.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to know how to code or use Linux to make a Minecraft server?

Not at all. Everything happens in the web panel: you pick a size, install mods with a search box and change settings in simple forms. There's a console if you want to send commands, but it's totally optional.

How long does it take to be ready?

Creating your account and server takes a few minutes. Every time you start it, the server boots and Minecraft loads your world. With lots of mods, the first start takes a bit longer because they get downloaded and installed.

Can I use my single-player world?

Yes. In the Worlds section, upload a .zip with your save folder (the one that contains level.dat). The panel backs up the current world, swaps in yours and starts the server. You can also download a .zip copy whenever you want.

Does it work with Minecraft Bedrock, phones or consoles?

Yes. A Java world running Fabric or NeoForge can let Bedrock players in (phone, console and Minecraft for Windows) with the "Allow Bedrock players (phone, console, Windows)" toggle. You can also create a native Bedrock server, without mods. Bedrock players join with the same address and port 19132.

Which Minecraft version does the server run?

Whichever you pick when you create each world, from old classics to the latest release. With mods it depends on the loader: Fabric from 1.14, Forge from 1.12.2 and NeoForge from 1.20.2. Later you can upgrade a world to a newer version (with a backup first), but you can't downgrade it.

Do my friends have to pay anything?

No. Only the server owner tops up balance. Your friends just need Minecraft Java and, if there are mods, the modpack they download from the panel.

Create your server

Create your account, top up from $100 MXN and follow these steps on your very own server.

Create your free account See pricing

How to make a Minecraft server, step by step