How much RAM do I need for a Minecraft Server?
How Much RAM Do I Need for a Minecraft Server?
Section titled “How Much RAM Do I Need for a Minecraft Server?”If you’re looking to set up your own Minecraft server, one of the most important things to decide is how much RAM you need to keep gameplay smooth for you and your friends.
If you want a quick and easy estimate, you can use our configurator tool to get up and running fast.
The amount of RAM you give your server has a big impact on its performance, including how many players it can support and how smooth the experience feels. In this guide, we’ll look at the factors that decide how much RAM you need and help you make an informed choice.
What Affects How Much RAM You Need?
Section titled “What Affects How Much RAM You Need?”With thousands of ways to build a Minecraft server, with mods, plugins, modpacks, and worlds, every server’s RAM need is different. These are the main factors:
- Server software: vanilla, Paper, Forge, and Fabric all use memory differently.
- Number of players: more active players means more memory use.
- Mods and plugins: each one adds to memory use, and large content mods add the most.
- World size and activity: big, heavily explored worlds and large builds need more.
Still, we can generalize and give guidelines for how much RAM to allocate.
Common RAM Recommendations
Section titled “Common RAM Recommendations”This is a great starting point if you plan to run a vanilla server, or a Paper server with a couple of plugins and a few players.
This amount can run most modpacks with around 34-40 mods, or a server with a similar number of plugins.
5-10 GB
Section titled “5-10 GB”This amount is needed for larger modpacks, such as those with 40 or more mods, or for a larger public or community server with 40 or more players.
RAM Recommendation Table
Section titled “RAM Recommendation Table”| RAM | Player Count | World Size (on disk) | Plugins/Mods |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 GB | Up to 5-10 | Up to 6-8 GB | ~10 |
| 3 GB | Up to 10-15 | Up to 8-10 GB | ~25 |
| 4 GB | Up to 15-20 | Up to 10-15 GB | ~40 |
| 5 GB | Up to 20-30 | Up to 15-20 GB | ~45 |
| 6 GB | Up to 30-40 | Up to 25-30 GB | ~50 |
| 8 GB | Up to 70-90 | Up to ~60 GB | ~70 |
| 10 GB | More than 150 | Up to ~100 GB | 80+ |
| 16 GB | More than 150 | More than 150 GB | 80+ |
Note: These are guidelines, not guarantees. The right amount depends on your server software, plugins, mods, and how active your players are.
Upgrade or Downgrade
Section titled “Upgrade or Downgrade”Your needs can change as your server grows or shrinks, so you aren’t locked into the amount of RAM you start with.
When to Upgrade
Section titled “When to Upgrade”- The server lags or stutters as more players join
- The server crashes when it gets busy
- The console shows out-of-memory errors
- You are adding more mods, plugins, or a larger modpack
When to Downgrade
Section titled “When to Downgrade”- Your player count has dropped and the server runs smoothly with plenty of memory to spare
- You removed mods or plugins and no longer need as much RAM
Not Sure What You Need?
Section titled “Not Sure What You Need?”Use our configurator tool to get an estimate, or contact AleForge support and we can help you choose a plan that fits your server.