Minecraft Realms vs your own server: which suits you?
Published on 3 October 2026
Minecraft Realms is Mojang’s own server subscription. You start it from inside the game, invite your friends and there’s nothing to configure. Your own server takes a little more know-how, but gives you far more freedom: plugins, mods, more players at once and full access to your files. Which suits you depends mostly on how your group plays. Here’s an honest side-by-side comparison.
What exactly is Realms?
A Realm is a small server that Mojang runs for you. According to minecraft.net there are three options, priced in US dollars:
- Realms for Bedrock: US$3.99 a month, you plus 2 players at once.
- Realms Plus for Bedrock: US$7.99 a month, you plus 10 players at once, with access to the Marketplace Pass catalogue.
- Realms for Java: US$7.99 a month, you plus 10 players at once.
Your local price shows up in your platform’s store. With every option you can invite up to 10,000 friends, the Realm is online all day, friends play for free and you get three world slots, one of which is active at a time.
Where Realms shines
- No hassle. You manage everything inside the game, with no server address or settings to worry about.
- Consoles just work. Players on a Switch, Xbox or PlayStation join a Realm without workarounds. With your own server that’s trickier.
- Invite only. A Realm has no IP address; only the people you invite can join.
Where you hit limits
- A cap on players. Realms for Bedrock allows three people at once; Realms Plus and Realms for Java allow eleven. On your own server, memory and processor decide how many players can join smoothly.
- No plugins or mods on Java. According to the Minecraft Wiki, you can’t install mods or plugins on a Java Realm. So no Paper plugins, no Fabric and no modpacks.
- Limited file access. You don’t choose the server software, there’s no file manager and the settings are limited.
- Backups are temporary. Mojang itself advises against relying on Realms backups, because they aren’t kept forever.
Realms and your own server side by side
| Topic | Realms | Your own server |
|---|---|---|
| Players at once | 3 or 11, depending on the subscription | Depends on your plan |
| Plugins and mods | Java: no. Bedrock: Marketplace content | Yes: Paper plugins, Fabric, NeoForge and modpacks |
| Consoles | Directly, no workaround | Bedrock server or Geyser, with a workaround on consoles |
| Files and backups | Limited | File manager, SFTP and backups you can download |
| Server address | None; invitations only | Your own address, which you can link to your own domain name |
| Price per month | US$3.99 or US$7.99 | Bedrock from €2.95, Java from €4.95 |
More freedom than Realms? A Bedrock server at CakeHosting starts at €2.95 a month and a Java server at €4.95, VAT included. See the Bedrock plans.
Moving from Realms to your own server
Your world comes with you. On Java you download it through Configure Realm and World Backups; on Bedrock through Edit World and Download World. Then you put the world on your server. The step-by-step guide is in How to move your Minecraft world to your own server. Only cancel your Realm once everything works on the new server.
Your own address with your own domain name
A Realm has no address you can share; players only get in with an invitation. Your own server does have an address, and you can link it to your own domain name, such as play.yourname.com. An A record points that name at your server. If your Java server uses a port other than the default, you add an SRV record so players don’t have to type a port number. You register a domain name per year, with us for example; with a domain from us an SRV record isn’t possible yet, so players then type the port after the name.
Three questions to help you choose
- Which devices do you play on? Consoles only: Realms is easiest. Mostly PC, tablet or phone: your own server works fine.
- How many of you play at the same time? If you go over your Realms plan’s limit, your own server gives you more room.
- Do you want plugins or mods? On Java, your own server is then the only option, because a Java Realm doesn’t support them.
Also bear in mind that your own server takes a little time. Setting it up the first time, choosing plugins and keeping them updated is up to you. If you enjoy that, it’s part of the fun. If you just want to play, that’s a good reason to stay with Realms.
Still unsure? According to minecraft.net, new subscribers can try Realms for a month. With your own server you pay monthly and can cancel monthly, so you can try that without commitment too.
When is Realms the better choice?
If your whole group plays on consoles and mainly wants to build together without plugins or mods, Realms is often the easiest choice, and we’re happy to say so. Your own server becomes worthwhile as soon as you want more players at once, plugins or a modpack, or full control over your files and backups.
