Minecraft is the best-selling game of all time, beating legendary games such as Tetris and Super Mario Bros. for its well-deserved title. As with most things, Minecraft can be even better when enjoyed with other people. To this end, there are a number of dedicated servers you may rent in order to play with your friends, or set up a server for other people to play on. The only issue is that there are so many options. Luckily, we’ve compiled this list to make your selection easier.

Top 4 Best Dedicated Minecraft Server Hosting

  1. Shockbyte– Best Dedicated Minecraft Server Hosting for Cheap and Quick Upstart
  2. Apex Hosting– Best Dedicated Minecraft Server Hosting for Modded Servers
  3. GameTeam – Best Dedicated Minecraft Server Hosting for Speed
  4. Sparked Host – Best Dedicated Minecraft Server Hosting for Price Value

1. Shockbyte– Best Dedicated Minecraft Server Hosting for Cheap and Quick Upstart

PRICING: Starting at $2.50 per month

If you are looking for a cheap server to set up quickly and easily, Shockbyte may be your best option. Founded in 2013, Shockbyte focuses on offering quick service for a variety of budgets. Their thirteen available plans offer a variety of RAM sizes, increasing with their price. Shockbyte also offers dedicated servers for other games, such as Terraria and Garry’s Mod, all of which also offer instant activation and uptime guarantees.

KEY FEATURES:

  • Thirteen tiers of plans to best support your needs
  • Your server will instantly activate upon payment
  • 100% server uptime, guaranteed
  • Free subdomain
  • Guaranteed DDoS protection

REASONS TO BUY:

  • Incredibly low base price
  • 24/7 customer support is available
  • Supports Minecraft PC and Pocket Edition crossplay
  • Money-back guarantee program if unsatisfied with the performance
  • Allows installation of custom scripts and programs

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • Users often report hidden fees
  • Users in the Asian Pacific may have to pay an additional $5 per month
  • Customer support may be poor
  • Server customization is lacking in comparison to competitors
  • The money-back guarantee program is notoriously limited
  • The uptime guarantee does not cover third-party programs and scripts, so modded servers may see issues

2. Apex Hosting– Best Dedicated Minecraft Server Hosting for Modded Servers

PRICING: Starting at $7.49 for your first month

Apex may not be the cheapest option out there, but its stellar reputation should prove exactly why they are a great option to host your server, especially if you are looking to host a modded game. Many of Apex Hosting’s features are tailored specifically to people who are looking to add mods to their game. Like Shockbyte, Apex Hosting was founded in 2013 and boasts over 300,000 users since. Out of almost 500 reviews of Apex Hosting, over 90% are positive- it seems that Apex has its good reputation for a reason.

KEY FEATURES:

  • Over two hundred mod packs can be installed with a single click
  • Supports any and all Minecraft mods and plugins
  • Supports a wide host of premade minigames
  • Your server will instantly activate upon payment
  • Guaranteed low latency
  • Free subdomain
  • Guaranteed DDoS protection

REASONS TO BUY:

  • 24/7 customer support is available
  • Automatically backs up your server
  • A web-based control panel allows for in-depth customization from any internet-connected device
  • Allows installation of custom scripts and programs

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • Higher base price than other options
  • Certain languages may not be available
  • Apex only hosts Minecraft, so if you like their services and want more, you have no options
  • While Apex boasts ‘unlimited player slots,’ player numbers are actually limited

3. GameTeam – Best Dedicated Minecraft Server Hosting for Speed

PRICING: Starting at $3.00 per month

GameTeam is extremely new to the hosting field, with all signs pointing to the company being founded in January 2022. As such, GameTeam can be considered a bit of an underdog, and they focus on providing great speed for cheap prices- or amazing speeds for higher prices. With only one less tier available than Shockbyte, GameTeam has the versatility and speed you may want from your Minecraft server. While GameTeam may be relatively new, they are proving to be a solid competitor in the market. Before their first year of operation ended, GameTeam added both ARK: Survival Evolved and Valheim to its roster of supported games.

KEY FEATURES:

  • Twelve available tiers to choose from, with RAM size increasing with price
  • Unlimited player slots
  • Supports many mod packs and plugins via one-click installation
  • SSD memory in GameTeam’s servers guarantee uniquely high speeds, even at low prices

REASONS TO BUY:

  • GameTeam offers an affiliate referral program, meaning you can earn a commission if somebody purchases a server through your link
  • RAM size is the only thing that changes with price- all features are available from even the cheapest tier.
  • Backs up your server daily
  • ‘Powerful’ DDoS protection
  • In-brower file manager and editor allows for quick and easy modification of your server
  • Server control panel allows for one-click management of players (ban, kick, whitelist, etc.)

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • Cheaper, lower-tier servers slow down notably as more players join
  • Customer service may be slower than competitors, and may not be available 24/7
  • Gameteam is extremely new, and does not have many online reviews or much of a reputation

4.Sparked Host – Best Dedicated Minecraft Server Hosting for Price Value

PRICING: ‘Budget Minecraft Hosting’ starting at $1.00 every quarter

Another newcomer to the hosting industry, Sparked Host offers a wide variety of options to best fit your budget and needs. Founded in 2017, Sparked Host has quickly become a name to know in terms of hosting, offering not only Minecraft server hosting but also hosting in six other games, including Rust and Terraria. Sparked Host also goes the extra mile and offers web hosting and Discord bot hosting. While their list of cons may be extensive depending on your needs, their incredibly low starting price may be worth it.

KEY FEATURES:

  • Unlimited player slots
  • Subdomain creator
  • Industry-leading to beyond-standard hardware, depending on the tier
  • Free trials are offered for 24 hours
  • 24/7 customer support
  • Servers available immediately after payment
  • Full mod and plugin support
  • Offers similar SSD storage to GameTeam
  • Servers can be quickly and easily transferred to Sparked Host

REASONS TO BUY:

  • Three tiers of offered servers, with thirteen subtiers under each, offer an unprecedented thirty-nine options
  • Sparked Host offers a questionnaire designed to take your needs and recommend the best server option for you

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • Unless you pay for premium tiers, Sparked Host does not allow your server to run the newest versions of Minecraft
  • Only five server locations worldwide for budget tiers
  • Only seven-to-eight server locations worldwide for premium tiers
  • Servers in Asia must pay an extra $3.00 per gigabyte of RAM in Asia, where available
  • Server hardware may be ineffectual for Minecraft
  • Free trials are approved manually, and may take more time
  • Sparked Host does not offer one-click mod or plugin installation
  • DDoS protection is only offered in Dallas, TX and Sydney, AU, depending on server type

References & Links

  • https://findstack.com/the-best-minecraft-server-hosting/
  • https://upgradedreviews.com/shockbyte-reviews/
  • https://hostingvictory.com/reviews/shockbyte/
  • https://shockbyte.com/
  • https://apexminecrafthosting.com/
  • https://hostingvictory.com/reviews/apex-hosting/
  • https://www.trustpilot.com/review/apexminecrafthosting.com
  • https://gameteam.io/minecraft-hosting
  • https://sparkedhost.com/enterprise-minecraft-hosting
  • https://sparkedhost.com/budget-minecraft-hosting
  • https://sparkedhost.com/free-trials