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

Why Travelers Are Switching to Verum E-SIM This Summer

Summer Travel, Freedom, and Seamless Connectivity: Why Verum E-SIM Is Becoming the New Standard for Travelers

Summer is the peak season for vacations, long-distance trips, and new experiences. Millions of people travel abroad, explore new countries, plan adventures, and try to stay connected with family, work, and social media. And in the middle of all this comes a familiar question: how do you stay online without expensive roaming or the hassle of buying local SIM cards?

The answer is already here — eSIM.

Why eSIM Is So Convenient

eSIM (embedded SIM) is a built-in digital SIM card that lets you activate mobile internet without a physical card. All you need is an app — choose a plan and connect in just a couple of minutes.

No more:

* searching for local SIM cards at airports
* paying expensive roaming fees
* swapping physical SIMs every time you travel

Now your internet travels with you.

Internet in 150+ Countries

Modern eSIM solutions provide coverage in 150+ countries worldwide, helping tourists, freelancers, and business travelers stay connected almost anywhere on the planet.

Among the services offering these capabilities:

Verum E-SIM — https://esim.verum.im
World E-SIM — https://worldesim.me
USA E-SIM — https://usa.esim.verum.im
Euro E-SIM — https://euro.esim.verum.im
Canada E-SIM — https://canada.esim.verum.im
Balkan E-SIM — https://balkan.esim.verum.im
Ukraine E-SIM — https://ukraine.esim.verum.im
London E-SIM — https://london.esim.verum.im
E-SIM Africa — https://africa.esim.verum.im

All of these services work on the same principle — fast, borderless internet without roaming stress.

Why It Matters Most in Summer

During the holiday season, roaming networks get overloaded, and prices for mobile data abroad often become an unpleasant surprise for travelers.

eSIM solves this problem:

* transparent, fixed pricing
* activation in 1–2 minutes
* stable internet while traveling
* no physical SIM cards required

Final Thoughts

Travel should be about freedom — not hunting for Wi-Fi or worrying about phone bills.

eSIM is quickly becoming the new global standard for mobile connectivity: simple, fast, and borderless.

Verum E-SIM and its partner services are part of this shift, making global connectivity accessible to everyone, everywhere.

Technologies

Episode 2 of the VERUM Mini-Series is Now Out

The story continues. Verum Messenger has released the second episode of its AI mini-series, which follows the conflict between the powerful Omega corporation, aiming to control digital communications, and a team of heroes who have chosen a different path and free communication.

The mini-series not only develops an engaging storyline but also introduces viewers to the capabilities of the Verum ecosystem, showcasing technologies and tools that may redefine the future of modern communication.

The project consists of 7 episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 2 is now available. Stay tuned and don’t miss what comes next.

Watch on YouTube
Watch on Instagram

Technologies

Verum Messenger Launches an AI Mini-Series

Verum Messenger has unveiled a new project — a mini-series created using Verum AI. The story consists of 7 episodes and will be released on the messenger’s social media channels.

The plot revolves around a global corporation seeking to take control of digital communications and a group of heroes who use Verum Messenger as a tool of resistance. Beyond the story itself, the series highlights the app’s key features, technologies, and advantages.

Combining entertainment with a showcase of the Verum ecosystem, the project presents a dynamic digital series designed for the modern era.

The first episode premieres today, with the remaining episodes to be released over time.

Stay tuned for more.

Watch on YouTube
Watch on Instagram