Guides Introduction
Minecraft Realms costs €3.99 a month on Bedrock for you and 2 friends, and €7.99 a month with Realms Plus for you and 10 friends. On Java, minecraft.net lists the subscription at $7.99 a month, for you and 10 friends. Your guests pay nothing.
Realms is Mojang's official server: an always-online world with nothing to install. This guide covers what the subscription includes, what it does not allow, and when a hosted server does more for the same price.
How much does Minecraft Realms cost in 2026
There are three plans, one per edition of the game, all billed monthly and renewed automatically:
| Plan | Price per month | Players at the same time | Edition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Realms | €3.99 | You + 2 friends | Bedrock (mobile, console, Windows) |
| Realms Plus | €7.99 | You + 10 friends | Bedrock, with the Marketplace Pass catalogue |
| Realms for Java | $7.99 (price shown on minecraft.net) | You + 10 friends | Java (Windows, Mac, Linux) |
Prices checked on 12 October 2026 on minecraft.net and the Microsoft Store France. Two details matter before you subscribe:
- The 30-day free trial is for new subscribers only. Unless you cancel, it becomes a paid subscription at the current price.
- On console, online play also requires the console's own subscription (Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo), sold separately.
The player count is a simultaneous maximum. You can invite as many members as you like: only 2 or 10 play at the same time as you.
What Realms does well
Realms has real strengths, and for some groups it is the right choice:
- No technical skills. You create the Realm from the game menu, invite friends by gamertag or link, and that's it.
- Consoles. On Xbox, PlayStation and Switch, Minecraft does not let you add an external server. A Realm can be joined straight from the game.
- Always online. The world stays available even when the owner is not playing, with automatic backups.
- Three world slots. You keep three worlds in the Realm and switch between them, with one playable at a time.
The limits of Realms
Realms is a closed version of Minecraft, set up by Mojang. These are the reasons players most often move to a real server:
- A player cap. 3 players in total on Realms Bedrock, 11 on Realms Plus and on Java. Beyond that, you need a server.
- No mods or plugins on Java. Java Realms runs the game as it is: no Forge, NeoForge or Fabric, no Paper or plugins such as EssentialsX or LuckPerms. Only the minigames and maps offered in Realms are available.
- Few settings. Game mode, difficulty, cheats: the basics, but not the full server.properties file or the server console.
- No Java and Bedrock crossplay. A Java Realm only takes Java players, a Bedrock Realm only Bedrock players.
- No version choice. The Realm follows the latest version of the game. You cannot stay on 1.20.1 for a modpack or play an older version.
Realms or hosted server: which one to choose?
A hosted server runs Minecraft's server software on a rented machine: you hold the keys. At Serv-Minecraft, the Start plan costs €3.99 a month for 6 GB of RAM, the price of the small Bedrock Realm, without the 3-player cap.
| Criteria | Minecraft Realms | Hosted server |
|---|---|---|
| Price | €3.99 to €7.99 a month | From €3.99 a month (Start, 6 GB) |
| Players at the same time | 3 or 11 in total | No fixed cap: the RAM you choose sets the comfort |
| Mods and plugins | None on Java, add-ons on Bedrock | Paper and plugins, Forge, NeoForge, Fabric, modpacks |
| Game version | Latest only | The one you choose |
| Java and Bedrock together | No | Yes, with Geyser |
| Consoles | Yes, directly | No server add on Xbox, PlayStation or Switch |
| Settings | World options | server.properties, console, files |
The right pick. Stick with Realms if your group plays mostly on console, or if there are three of you at most and you don't want to manage anything. Go for a server as soon as you want plugins, mods, a specific version, Java and Bedrock friends together, or more than 11 players.
To size the RAM for your project, read how much RAM a Minecraft server needs. To mix Java and Bedrock, see the crossplay Java server with Geyser.
Moving from Realms to a server without losing your world
Your world belongs to you: Microsoft keeps it for 18 months after the subscription ends, giving you time to get it back.
- Get the world. On Java, open the Realm configuration, then backups, and download the latest one: the world lands in your singleplayer worlds. On Bedrock, download the world from the Realm settings, then export it as a .mcworld file (a zip archive).
- Upload it to the server. With the server stopped, upload the world folder over SFTP, or as a .zip to unpack from the Expert Mode file manager (Advanced tab). On Java it goes at the server root, on Bedrock in the worlds folder.
- Declare it. Put the folder name in
level-namein server.properties, then start the server.
The server must run the same version as the world, or a newer one. Since a Realm follows the latest version, keep the server on the latest version for the first start.
Frequently asked questions
Is Minecraft Realms free?
No. Only the 30-day trial is, for a first subscription. Invited friends play on your Realm for free.
How many players can join a Realm?
You and 2 friends at the same time on Realms Bedrock, you and 10 friends on Realms Plus and Realms for Java. The number of invited members is unlimited.
Can you add mods to Minecraft Realms?
Not on Java: Realms accepts neither mods nor plugins. On Bedrock, a Realm accepts add-ons and Marketplace content, but no modified server software.
Can a Java player join a Bedrock Realm?
No, Realms does not mix editions. Only a Java server with Geyser welcomes both.
In short
Realms costs €3.99 or €7.99 a month and remains the simplest option, especially on console. As soon as you want plugins, mods, a specific version or more than 11 players, a hosted server does better, for the same starting price.
