How much RAM / which plan for X players + Y plugins (Paper/Spigot)?

Plugin servers running the Paper/Spigot family are far lighter than modded servers. Modern Minecraft (1.21 and newer) still uses far more memory than the old versions most sizing tips were written for, so here's a practical guide to picking the right plan for your player count and plugin load today.

Rough sizing guide (plugins)

For Paper, Spigot or Vanilla on 1.21+:

• Small SMP (you and a few friends): 4GB.
• 10–30 players: 6–10GB.
• 30–60 players with lots of plugins (economy, protection, minigames): 12GB+, and consider Supreme/Ultimate.
• A network or minigame hub: split it into a proxy and backend servers, and size each backend with this table (see how many servers a network needs).

Start at 4GB and add RAM as your crew grows: you can upgrade later with Change plan. Running 1.12 or older? Those versions need much less RAM, and our Budget plan is aimed at them.

Getting the most from your plan

1. Match your expected player count and plugin load to a band above.
2. For busy or high-player servers, favour the Supreme/Ultimate tiers.
3. Install your server software on the Software page (one-click).
4. Keep an eye on real RAM use in the Console after boot and adjust.

Tip: Paper is much more efficient than Vanilla/Spigot — running Paper effectively "buys" you performance for free. Set it up on the Software page.

Frequently asked questions

Are plugin servers really that much lighter than modded? Yes — plugins add far less overhead than mods, so the same RAM goes much further.

Which software should I run for a plugin server? Paper (or a Paper fork like Purpur) from the Software page, for the best performance with full plugin support.

Does Minecraft 1.21 need more RAM than older versions? Yes. Newer versions use far more memory than old ones, so a size that ran a 1.12 server comfortably can be tight on 1.21. Size by the table above.