Technologies

Best Minecraft Server Hosting Service of 2023

Choose the best Minecraft server host to suit your gaming needs. We’ve broken down pricing, features, performance and support to make the choice easier for you.

With millions of players around the world, Minecraft is one of the most popular games ever. And while outsiders might think it’s a casual game for kids, there’s plenty of depth for hardcore gamers. One of Minecraft’s best aspects is playing with your friends and building a world. And if you want to keep that world living on for as long as you want it to, you’ll need the best Minecraft server hosting service of 2023.

Using a dedicated server hosting provider for Minecraft is like using a web host. You pay a monthly fee to use a vendor’s servers, which can provide you with improved security, performance and the ability to apply modpacks for customized multiplayer experiences.

But with so many Minecraft hosting server options on the market, some better than others, you may want assistance in determining which is the best Minecraft server hosting option for you.

Which Minecraft hosting service will best optimize your Minecraft gameplay? There is Minecraft Realms, Mojang’s official server subscription service (available for Java and Bedrock editions). If you want more back-end control over your server — or modpacks and maps that aren’t available in Realms — you’ll need a modded Minecraft server. In that case, you may opt for a third-party server host that can provide sufficient bandwidth and control over your Minecraft world seed’s configuration and settings.

Below, we’ve reviewed some of the best Minecraft server hosting vendors, including Hostinger, Shockbyte and GGServers. We focused on service providers that offer 24/7 support and a variety of plan options.

CNET is in the process of updating our assessments of the best web hosting services. We periodically update this story to maintain accurate prices, but our overall rankings may change after we’ve been able to re-evaluate these services.

Read more: Best Web Hosting for 2023

How we chose the best third-party Minecraft server hosts

It’s important to note that we didn’t explicitly «test» the Minecraft hosting provider options on this list. Instead, we compiled a competitive overview based on a variety of factors, including third-party ratings and features offered by each hosting company. We’ve also weighted the rankings of these businesses by the Better Business Bureau and TrustPilot. With that data in hand, we split them into two tiers:

Best Minecraft hosting providers (top tier): These Minecraft host vendors all have a rating of A or higher from the nonprofit Better Business Bureau (except in cases when the companies are based outside of North America and not included in the BBB ranking system) and a rating of 4.0 or higher out of 5 from TrustPilot, a Danish consumer review site. All of the TrustPilot rankings are based on at least 1,000 user reviews. All of the vendors listed in our top picks also say they offer 24/7 support and modpack support.

Other Minecraft hosting options to consider (second tier): All of these Minecraft host vendors have TrustPilot ratings of 4.0 or above; however, those ratings are based on fewer than 1,000 user reviews. One — Nodecraft — has a D+ rating from the BBB. The others have either As or higher, or no BBB page due to location.

Important caveats: The Better Business Bureau is not affiliated with any government agency and does not rate companies outside of North America. To be BBB Accredited, companies pay a fee to the organization. TrustPilot, meanwhile, also offers a paid tier that provides companies more interaction with their user ratings. It also removed 2.2 million fake reviews in 2020.

A note on pricing: We’ve made every effort to verify that the prices listed here were accurate at the time of last publication. However, prices in this category are subject to frequent fluctuations and are also consistently subject to special offers and limited deals. Furthermore, many of the prices listed here reflect the monthly rates if you prepay for 12 months of service — or are limited-time introductory prices. Please check the vendors in question to verify pricing at any given time.

Best Minecraft server hosting services

Other unofficial Minecraft hosting options to consider

The following Minecraft server hosts have slightly lower or fewer TrustPilot and/or BBB ratings than the ones above.

Hostwinds

Another of our top web hosting site picks, Hostwinds also offers Minecraft server hosting starting at $5 a month. It has an A+ rating from the BBB and is BBB Accredited, and its TrustPilot rating is 4.2 out of 5, though it has fewer than 1,000 reviews.

See all Hostwinds plans

BisectHosting

BisectHosting offers 20 different plans, each with an option for a budget or premium package. Budget packages start at $3 a month for 1,024MB RAM, unlimited NVMe SSD and up to 12 slots, and go up to $95.68 a month for 32,768MB RAM and 160 slots. Premium plans range from $8 a month to $159.68 a month, with the same amounts of RAM as their budget counterparts but with more locations, and free daily backups, modpack updates, sponge installation, dedicated IP address and unlimited slots. BisectHosting has a F rating from the BBB. However, it also has a TrustPilot rating of 4.5 out of 5 with more than 5,000 reviews.

See all BisectHosting plans

Apex Hosting

Apex Hosting offers Minecraft Java and Bedrock Edition servers starting at $7.49 a month. It also includes a seven-day money-back guarantee. Apex Minecraft Hosting has an A+ rating from the BBB, and its TrustPilot Rating is 4.8 out of 5, though it has fewer than 600 reviews.

See all Apex Hosting plans

Nodecraft

Nodecraft also offers Minecraft Java and Bedrock Edition server hosting, starting at $6.49 a month. Nodecraft has a B- rating from the BBB but a 4.3 out of 5 TrustPilot rating, with more than 1,000 reviews.

See all Nodecraft plans

Sparked Host

Sparked Host offers game and cloud hosting, with 13 different Minecraft server hosting plan options, starting at $1.50 a month. Though it’s based in the US, Sparked Host does not appear to have a BBB page. It does have a TrustPilot rating of 4.8 out of 5 with more than 1,000 reviews.

See all Sparked Host plans

PebbleHost

PebbleHost is home to both Minecraft and other gaming and dedicated servers. It offers budget, premium or extreme plans depending on your needs, starting at $1 per GB a month. PebbleHost is based in the UK and does not have a BBB page, but it has a TrustPilot rating of 4.8 out of 5 with more than 2,000 reviews.

See all PebbleHost plans

RAMShard

RAMShard offers nine Minecraft server hosting plans, starting at $3 a month. It has an A+ BBB rating, and has a TrustPilot rating of 4.2 out of 5, though with fewer than 500 reviews.

See all RAMShard plans

Former CNET editor Dawnthea Price Lisco contributed to this report.

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Technologies

Verum Messenger Introduces Built-In Verum Chess

Verum Messenger has released a new update for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, adding another feature to its growing ecosystem — Verum Chess. Users can now play chess directly inside the messenger without switching between different applications.

The new feature allows users to start a game in just a few taps while reinforcing Verum’s vision of a unified digital environment where communication and everyday services come together in a single platform.

Verum Messenger continues to evolve into a multifunctional ecosystem that combines secure chats and calls, AI tools, a built-in VPN, anonymous email, eSIM, financial services, cryptocurrency features, and offline communication. With the introduction of Verum Chess, the platform now also offers a new way for users to interact and spend time together without leaving the app.

The update is now available for iPhone, iPad, and Mac on the App Store.

Technologies

Episode 3 of the VERUM AI Mini-Series Is Now Available

Verum Messenger has released the third episode of its AI mini-series, SHADOWS, created using Verum AI.

The new episode, titled «Ghost Money,» continues the story of the conflict between a team of heroes and the Omega corporation, which seeks to take control of digital communications. This time, the focus shifts to anonymous payments and financial freedom, revealing how privacy can extend beyond messaging.

Like the previous episodes, the new release not only advances the storyline but also showcases the capabilities of the Verum ecosystem, highlighting technologies designed for secure communication and digital privacy.

The mini-series consists of seven episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 3 is now available. Stay tuned for the next chapter.

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Technologies

Verum Finance Now Available for Mac, Expanding the Verum Ecosystem on Desktop

Verum has officially released Verum Finance for macOS, bringing its financial platform to the Mac and expanding access to the Verum ecosystem across Apple’s devices. The launch allows users to manage their finances from desktop while enjoying the same secure and seamless experience available on iPhone and iPad.

The new Mac version includes the full range of Verum Finance features, including balance management, instant transfers to other Verum users, debit card management, Apple Pay support, asset exchange, and transaction history — all optimized for the macOS experience.

Verum Finance can be used as a standalone application or alongside Verum Messenger. Users who sign in with their Verum Messenger account automatically synchronize their balances, settings, and account data across devices, ensuring a consistent experience throughout the Verum ecosystem.

The macOS release further strengthens Verum’s vision of creating an integrated digital platform where communication and financial services work together. Verum Messenger, which is also available for Mac, complements the ecosystem with encrypted messaging, voice and video calls, VPN, eSIM, anonymous email, AI-powered tools, offline communication capabilities, and cryptocurrency features.

With both Verum Messenger and Verum Finance now available across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, users can access secure communication and financial services wherever they work.

Verum Finance for Mac is available now through the Mac App Store.

Verum Finance for macOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/verum-finance/id6774245148
Verum Finance: https://finance.verum.im
Verum Messenger: https://verum.im