Best Minecraft server software: which one fits your server?
Updated · MCJarHub
There is no single best server jar — it depends on what you run. Plugins: Paper. Mods: the loader your mods need (Fabric, NeoForge or Forge). Untouched game: vanilla. Several servers in one network: Velocity in front.
Decide in four questions
- Do players need to install anything? If they should join with an unmodified game, you want vanilla or a plugin server. If you want new blocks, items or mobs from mods, everyone installs the same mod loader and mods.
- Plugins or mods? Plugins (permissions, economy, minigames, protection) run on Paper and its forks. Mods run on Fabric, NeoForge or Forge — whichever your mods are built for.
- One server or a network? Several servers behind one address need a proxy: Velocity.
- Java or Bedrock players? Phone and console players use Bedrock Edition, which needs a Bedrock server (official BDS, PocketMine-MP or PowerNukkitX).
Not sure? The "which server jar?" picker asks these questions for you.
Untouched game
Plugins
| Software | Latest release | Java | File size | Versions on MCJarHub | Download source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper | 26.3 (build 227) | Java 25 | 52.7 MB | 55 (1.7.10–26.3) | Official (PaperMC build server) |
| Purpur | 26.3 (build 2654) | Java 25 | 55.4 MB | 41 (1.14.1–26.3) | Official (PurpurMC) |
| Folia | 26.3 (build 5) | Java 25 | 53 MB | 13 (1.19.4–26.3) | Official (PaperMC build server) |
| Pufferfish | 1.21.10 (build 39) | Java 21 | 55.1 MB | 18 (1.17.1–1.21.10) | Community mirror |
| Leaf | 26.3 (build 13) | Java 25 | 79 MB | 28 (1.19.1-v1–26.3) | Official (GitHub releases (Winds-Studio/Leaf)) |
| Leaves | 1.21.11 (build 157) | Java 21 | 61.4 MB | 18 (1.19–1.21.11) | Community mirror |
| Spigot | 26.3 (build 4664) | Java 25 | 77.5 MB | 68 (1.8–26.3) | Community mirror |
Mods
| Software | Latest release | Java | File size | Versions on MCJarHub | Download source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fabric | 26.3 | Java 25 | — | 70 (1.14_combat-0–26.3) | Official (FabricMC) |
| NeoForge | 26.3 | Java 25 | 3.5 MB | 22 (1.20.2–26.3) | Official (NeoForged) |
| Forge | 26.3 | Java 25 | 7.6 MB | 61 (1.5.2–26.3) | Official (MinecraftForge) |
| Quilt | 26.3 | Java 25 | 8.3 MB | 44 (1.14.4–26.3) | Official (QuiltMC) |
Mods + plugins (hybrids)
Networks (proxies)
| Software | Latest release | Java | File size | Versions on MCJarHub | Download source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Velocity | 4.3.1 (build 45) | Java 25 | 40.4 MB | 12 | Official (PaperMC build server) |
| BungeeCord | 26.1 (build 2107) | — | 24.8 MB | 22 | Community mirror |
Bedrock players
| Software | Latest release | Java | File size | Versions on MCJarHub | Download source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PocketMine-MP | 5.44.3 | — | 3.2 MB | 349 | Official (GitHub releases (pmmp/PocketMine-MP)) |
| PowerNukkitX | 3.0.5 | — | 82.1 MB | 7 | Official (GitHub releases (PowerNukkitX/PowerNukkitX)) |
Our recommendation by use case
| You want… | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A private world for friends, no extras | Vanilla or Paper | Vanilla is exactly the game; Paper plays the same for almost everyone and is faster. |
| A public survival/SMP server with plugins | Paper | The most widely used plugin server, official checksummed builds, runs Spigot plugins. |
| Lots of gameplay tweaks without writing plugins | Purpur | A drop-in Paper replacement with many extra options. |
| A very large server with players spread out | Folia (advanced) | Regions tick in parallel; needs Folia-supported plugins. |
| Technical/redstone play with exact vanilla mechanics | Vanilla or Leaves | Paper changes some mechanics for performance; Leaves restores many of them. |
| A modpack | Whatever the pack says | Mods only run on the loader and version they were built for. |
| Performance mods, vanilla clients | Fabric | Server-side-only Fabric mods need nothing on the client. |
| Mods and plugins together | A hybrid | Works, but test carefully — the least stable option. |
| A lobby + game servers network | Velocity in front of Paper | Modern forwarding and active development. |
What "faster" really means
Paper and its forks improve how the server spends its CPU time (chunk loading, entity ticking, redstone and hopper handling) compared with vanilla and Spigot. How much that helps depends on your world, player count and plugins — there is no honest single percentage. For a real comparison on your own setup, measure with a profiler such as spark under your normal load.
More detail: Paper vs Spigot vs Purpur · Fabric vs Forge vs NeoForge · Velocity vs BungeeCord vs Waterfall.
FAQ
What is the fastest Minecraft server software?
For plugin servers, Paper and its forks (Purpur, Pufferfish, Leaf) are much faster than vanilla or Spigot. Folia is only faster for very large servers with players spread out, and needs Folia-supported plugins.
Can I have mods and plugins on one server?
Only with a hybrid such as Mohist, Arclight or Magma. They work, but plugins that touch server internals can break — test first.
Which server software do Bedrock players need?
A Bedrock server: Mojang's Bedrock Dedicated Server, PocketMine-MP or PowerNukkitX. Java server jars cannot accept Bedrock clients on their own.