Minecraft Java vs Bedrock: which should you get?
Published on 5 October 2026
If you play on a computer and want mods and plugins, go for Java. If you play on a console, phone or tablet, or that’s where your friends are, go for Bedrock. And if you’re buying Minecraft for a Windows PC, you don’t even have to choose: Minecraft: Java & Bedrock Edition for PC includes both.
Below you’ll find the differences side by side, plus which edition suits your group in each situation.
| Topic | Java | Bedrock |
|---|---|---|
| Devices | Windows, macOS and Linux | Windows, consoles, phones and tablets |
| Controls | Mouse and keyboard | Also controller and touch |
| Customising | Mods and plugins | Add-ons and Marketplace |
| Servers | Any server with an address | Only featured servers on consoles |
| Older versions | Pick one in the launcher | Latest version only |
| One screen | No | Split screen on consoles |
What’s the difference between Java and Bedrock?
They’re two versions of the same game, and Mojang releases the big updates for both. Under the hood they differ, though. Java is the original version from 2009. Bedrock started out as Pocket Edition and has been the version for all other devices since 2017.
You notice that in a few places:
- Redstone. Java has quasi-connectivity, Bedrock doesn’t. Complex circuits don’t always work the same way on both.
- Worlds. The two editions save worlds in a different format. So you can’t simply move a world from one edition to the other.
- Test versions. Java has snapshots, Bedrock has previews and betas. In Java you can also pick an older version in the launcher; Bedrock always runs the latest one.
Which devices run which edition?
Java runs on Windows, macOS and Linux. Bedrock runs on Windows, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Android, iPhone and iPad, and on Chromebooks. If you have a Mac, it’s Java. On a console or phone, it’s always Bedrock.
The controls differ too. Java is played with mouse and keyboard. Bedrock also works with a controller or a touchscreen, and on a console several players can share one screen (split screen). Java can’t do that.
Mods, add-ons and servers
Among players, Java is known as the edition you can customise the furthest. You’ll find mods on community sites, and on a server you run plugins (with Paper) or mods (with Fabric or NeoForge). Which server software suits you is explained in Which Minecraft server software should you use?
Bedrock has add-ons, which change how the game looks and behaves, and the Minecraft Marketplace, where you buy worlds, skins and packs. That’s easier to keep track of, and parents can keep an eye on things with the Xbox Family Settings app.
Want to add shaders of your own, which change light, water and shadows? That works in Java: according to Microsoft, creators can use their own GLSL shaders there, but not in Bedrock.
For servers, the biggest difference is on consoles. On an Xbox, PlayStation or Switch you only see the featured servers from Mojang’s partners; adding a server of your own only works with a workaround. On a PC, phone or tablet, Bedrock lets you add a server address just fine. Everything about consoles is in A Minecraft server on PS5, Xbox or Switch.
Playing together across editions
By default, Java and Bedrock don’t play together: they use different servers. Within Bedrock, though, you play across devices. A friend on a Switch and a friend on a phone simply end up in the same world. According to Mojang, online play on a console does usually need a subscription from that platform.
If your group is mixed, there’s a middle way: a Java server with the Geyser plugin. Java players connect as usual, Bedrock players come in through a port of their own. How to set that up is explained step by step in Minecraft server for friends: Java and Bedrock together.
Don’t fancy running a server at all? Mojang offers Realms for both editions: a subscription where Mojang runs the server for you. What you get per edition, and where you run into limits, is explained in Minecraft Realms vs your own server: which suits you?
Know what your group plays? At CakeHosting a Java server starts at €4.95 a month and a Bedrock server at €2.95. See the Java plans or the Bedrock plans.
Which one should you buy?
- You play on a Windows PC. Get Minecraft: Java & Bedrock Edition for PC. You’ll have both and can pick one each evening, depending on who’s joining. If you already had Java and moved your old Mojang account to a Microsoft account, Mojang says you should have Bedrock for PC as well.
- You play on a Mac or on Linux. Then it’s Java.
- You play on a console, phone or tablet. Then it’s Bedrock, which is also the edition for playing with friends on other devices.
- You want modpacks, technical redstone or plugins on your server. Go for Java.
- Your child plays on a tablet. Bedrock, with parental controls through Xbox Family Settings. Tips for a safe server are in A Minecraft server for your kids.
Still not sure? Look at what your friends play. Minecraft is like cake: it’s better shared, and then the flavour matters less than the company. How to get into one world together is explained in How to play Minecraft with friends.
