How to Choose the Optimal VPS for Your Your VPS/VDS in 2025 (Valebyte)" class="internal-post-link">Minecraft Server?

Hey there! Setting up a Minecraft server and overwhelmed by VPS choices? I understand, I’ve been there. This guide is the result of my countless hours battling configurations, bugs, and other administrative delights. Here you’ll find everything you need to choose the perfect VPS for your server – from hardware to settings. Get ready to dive into the world of virtual machines and Minecraft magic!

Defining Server Requirements

Okay, so the first step is to determine what you actually need. How many players are you planning for? What mods will you be using? This directly impacts resources. For a small server with 5-10 players and no mods, a modest VPS will suffice. But for a large project with lots of plugins… you’ll need to spend more. Remember: saving on hardware can result in terrible lag and crashes.

For example, for 20 players with Optifine, I would recommend a minimum of 4 CPU cores, 8GB of RAM, and a 50GB SSD. But if you’re planning a server with large mods like Technic or FTB, you’ll need 8 cores, 16GB of RAM, and a 100+ GB SSD. Don’t forget about network bandwidth – the more players, the more important it is.

# Example resource calculation (rough)
players=20
mods=True

if mods == True:
    cpu_cores = 8
    ram_gb = 16
    disk_gb = 100
else:
    cpu_cores = 4
    ram_gb = 8
    disk_gb = 50

print(f"Recommended resources: {cpu_cores} cores, {ram_gb} GB RAM, {disk_gb} GB SSD")

Choosing a VPS Provider

Here’s the thing… choosing a provider is a story in itself. I’ve tried a bunch: DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, Hetzner… Each has its pros and cons. DigitalOcean – simple and clear interface, but prices can be a bit higher. Vultr – very flexible configuration, but the documentation is sometimes complex. Linode – a good balance of price and quality. Hetzner – good for Europe, low ping.

Pay attention to the server location – choose a data center closer to your players to minimize ping. It’s also important that the provider offers SSD drives – they are significantly faster than HDDs, which is critical for Minecraft. Check the availability of technical support – believe me, you’ll need it. And don’t forget to read reviews!

• DigitalOcean: https://www.digitalocean.com/
• Vultr: https://www.vultr.com/

Feel free to use monitoring tools, like ping, to check the connection speed to different data centers.

ping 8.8.8.8 # Google DNS, to check internet speed
ping 192.168.1.1 # Your router's address

Choosing an Operating System

Honestly… for a Minecraft server, Ubuntu Server is best. It’s easy to install and configure, and the large community provides a wealth of tutorials and solutions to problems. CentOS is also good, but it’s more complicated for beginners. And Windows Server is not an option at all, too expensive and impractical for Minecraft.

I personally prefer Ubuntu 20.04 LTS – long-term support is important. Installation is simple: download the image, upload it to the VPS, and use the provider’s tools to boot it. Then, standard installation from the console. Go through a few steps – and you’re done!

# After loading the image, you usually need to run the command:
sudo passwd # Set the root password

If something goes wrong, don’t panic! You’ll find answers to all your questions on Google. After all, Ubuntu has very good documentation.

Installing and Configuring Java

Ugh, this part always trips people up… Minecraft is written in Java, so you’ll need the Java Runtime Environment (JRE). Important! Minecraft is demanding on the Java version – check compatibility before installing. Don’t use OpenJDK, sometimes problems arise. It’s better to download Oracle JRE. Installation usually looks like this:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install default-jre

Check the installation:

java -version

The Java version should be displayed. Don’t forget to configure environment variables so that Java is accessible from any directory. This might involve adding lines to the ~/.bashrc or ~/.profile file. It depends on your operating system.

# Example for the ~/.bashrc file
export JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/jvm/java-11-openjdk-amd64 # Replace with your Java path
export PATH=$PATH:$JAVA_HOME/bin
source ~/.bashrc

Installing and Configuring the Minecraft Server

Real talk… after installing Java, download the latest version of the Minecraft server from the official Mojang website. Unzip it to the desired directory (for example, /opt/minecraft-server). Start the server:

cd /opt/minecraft-server
java -Xms1024M -Xmx4096M -jar server.jar nogui

-Xms1024M – minimum memory, -Xmx4096M – maximum. Adjust these values to your needs. nogui runs the server without a graphical interface. Look in the server.properties file – you can configure the server name, difficulty, and much more there. Set a strong password!

The server is ready to work. Add the port to the firewall:

sudo ufw allow 25565/tcp
sudo ufw enable

Check if the server is running:

systemctl status minecraft-server #If you are using systemd
ps aux | grep java

Optimization and Security

Here’s where it gets interesting… Optimization is key to a good Minecraft server. Start by installing plugins that improve performance and security. For example, PluginsMetrics helps track performance, and there are many plugins for managing players and preventing griefing.

Configuring the server.properties file is also very important. Experiment with different settings to find the optimal balance between performance and gameplay. For example, reducing the chunk rendering radius can improve performance on weaker machines. Don’t forget to regularly back up the world.

Pro tip: use Screen or tmux to manage the server from the terminal. This will allow you to connect to the server even after disconnecting the SSH session. This will save you from many problems. Don’t forget to set up automatic backups so you don’t lose hours of work.

sudo apt install screen
screen -S minecraft-server java -Xms1024M -Xmx4096M -jar server.jar nogui

And once again about security! Regularly update Java and the server itself! Use a firewall, configure SSH access rules. Don’t forget about strong passwords!

I hope this guide was helpful! Good luck with your Minecraft server! If anything is unclear – write in the comments, it’s always easier to figure things out together!