Guides Introduction
There are four ways to play Minecraft with friends: over your local network (LAN) when everyone is in the same house, split screen on a console, with a Realm (Mojang's subscription), or on a hosted server that stays online even when you log off. For two or three players under the same roof, LAN is enough and costs nothing. As soon as your friends play from their own homes, you need a Realm or a server.
This guide compares the four options with their prices as of October 26, 2026, explains how to mix PC, phone and console players, and answers the most common questions (Switch, PS5, free play, "multiplayer disabled").
The four ways to play together
| Option | Price | Remote friends | World online without you | Java + Bedrock together |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local network (LAN) | Free | No | No | No |
| Split screen (console) | Free | No | No | No (Bedrock only) |
| Realms Bedrock | €3.99/month, you + 2 friends | Yes | Yes | No |
| Realms Plus / Realms Java | €7.99/month (Plus), $7.99/month (Java), you + 10 friends | Yes | Yes | No |
| serv-minecraft hosted server | From €1.99/month (2 GB), Start €3.99/month (6 GB) | Yes | Yes | Yes (Geyser) |
Realms prices come from our Realms pricing guide. serv-minecraft plans have no commitment.
Playing over a local network (LAN)
LAN is the simplest option when your friends are connected to the same router as you.
On Minecraft Java (PC, Mac, Linux)
- One player starts a single player world.
- They press Esc, choose Open to LAN, set the game mode and commands, and confirm.
- The others go to Multiplayer: the game shows up in the list on its own after a few seconds.
Everyone needs the same game version. If the game does not show up, the host's Windows firewall is almost always blocking Java: allow it on private networks.
On Minecraft Bedrock (Windows, mobile, console)
In the world settings, Visible to LAN Players is on by default. Friends on the same network see the game in the Friends tab.
The limit of LAN: the world only exists while the host is playing. When they quit, everyone is disconnected.
Split screen on console
On Xbox, PlayStation and Switch, Minecraft Bedrock supports up to four players on the same TV, each with their own controller. Plug in a second controller, press a button, and the screen splits. This mode does not exist on PC, in Java or Bedrock.
Playing remotely with a Realm
A Realm is a small server run by Mojang: you pay the subscription, invite your friends, and the world stays online day and night. Guests pay nothing. It is convenient, with some limits:
- Realms Bedrock: €3.99/month for you and 2 friends; Realms Plus: €7.99/month for you and 10 friends, with the Marketplace catalog.
- Realms Java: $7.99/month for you and 10 friends, with no mods and no plugins.
- A Java Realm does not accept Bedrock players, and the other way round.
- The 30 day trial is only offered to new subscribers.
Playing remotely on a hosted server
A hosted server runs in a datacenter, always on, and you are its admin: any version, plugins, mods, modpacks, backups. Your friends join with a simple address.
At serv-minecraft, the Start plan (6 GB RAM, 4 vCPU, €3.99/month) is enough for a group of friends on vanilla or with a few plugins. For a modpack, go up to Modded (24 GB, €18.99/month) or Modpack (32 GB, €24.99/month). Details are on our Minecraft server for friends page, and our guide how much RAM for a Minecraft server helps you choose.
To set up the server step by step, follow how to create a Minecraft server. Already have a world on LAN or with another host? It moves over as is: see moving your Minecraft server.
Why not host the server at home?
You can, but you have to open port 25565 on your router, leave the PC on all the time and give your public IP address to your friends. The server stops as soon as the PC shuts down or the connection drops.
PC, phone and console in the same world
Minecraft comes in two editions that do not talk to each other out of the box: Java (PC, Mac, Linux) and Bedrock (Windows, Android, iOS, Xbox, PlayStation, Switch).
- Between Bedrock players, crossplay is native: a friend on Switch joins a friend on a phone through the Realm or the Bedrock server.
- To bring Java and Bedrock together, you need a Java server with Geyser (and Floodgate so Bedrock players do not need a Java account). Bedrock players connect on port 19132. Our guide Geyser: Java and Bedrock on the same server covers the setup.
- On consoles, adding a server by address sometimes takes a trick; the Geyser guide explains it too.
Keeping the server for friends only
An online server can be reached by anyone who knows its address. Turn on the whitelist in the console:
/whitelist onto only accept allowed players;/whitelist add Namefor each friend;/op Nameonly for friends you trust with commands.
To go further (build protection, rolling back griefing), see our pick of must-have plugins.
Frequently asked questions
How can I play Minecraft with a friend for free?
Over LAN if you share the same router, or in split screen on a console. For remote play there is no stable free option: you need a Realm, a hosted server, or your own PC left on with the port open.
Does each friend need to buy Minecraft?
Yes, each player needs their own copy of the game, in the edition that matches the server (Java or Bedrock). On a Realm, only the owner pays the subscription.
How do I play Minecraft with a friend on Switch?
On the same console, in split screen. Remotely, the Switch runs Bedrock: join a friend from the Friends tab, a Realm or a server. Online play on Switch requires a Nintendo Switch Online subscription.
Can PS5 and PC players play together?
Yes, if the PC player uses Minecraft Bedrock for Windows. With Minecraft Java on PC, you need a Java server with Geyser to let the PS5 player in.
Why can't my friend see my LAN game?
Check that you are on the same network (not a guest Wi‑Fi), on the same game version, and that the host's firewall allows Minecraft or Java.
What does "multiplayer disabled" mean?
The player's Microsoft account blocks online play, often a child account in Microsoft Family. The parent has to allow multiplayer in the account's Xbox privacy settings.
How many friends can play on one server?
A Realm takes 3 players (Bedrock) or 11 (Plus and Java) at the same time. A hosted server has no fixed limit: RAM decides. 6 GB comfortably hosts a group of friends on vanilla.
Realm or server, which one?
A Realm for a vanilla world with no tweaking, in a single edition. A server as soon as you want plugins, mods, mixed Java and Bedrock, or more RAM for less money. The full comparison is in how much a Minecraft server costs.
Does the world stay online when I log off?
On LAN and split screen, no. On a Realm or a hosted server, yes: your friends keep playing without you.
