Minecraft Java vs Bedrock Server: Which One Should You Choose?

Quick steps

• Java is best for PC players, plugins, Paper, Spigot, Purpur, Forge, and Fabric.
• Bedrock is best for Bedrock Edition players and cross-play communities.
• If your friends play on mobile or console, Bedrock is usually easier.
• If your community wants plugin control and modpacks, Java is usually better.

Before you start

Make sure you know which edition your players use, how many players you expect, and whether your server needs plugins, mods, worlds, databases or bot files.

Recommended plan

For small Minecraft Java servers, start with Java Start or Java Boost. For Bedrock communities, start with Bedrock Plus or Bedrock Pro. For Discord bots, Bot Plus is a good default when the bot is active.