How to Make a Minecraft SMP Server 2026: Complete Setup Guide

Quick answer: Create a Minecraft SMP server in 5 steps: (1) Choose hosting (2GB RAM minimum, Paper recommended), (2) install essential plugins (CoreProtect, EssentialsX, GriefPrevention), (3) configure world settings and spawn, (4) set up permissions with LuckPerms, and (5) establish server rules and community guidelines. Total setup time: 2-4 hours for beginners. Monthly cost: €2-8 for 5-20 players.

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What is an SMP Server?

SMP = Survival Multiplayer. Players gather resources, build bases, collaborate, and survive together in a shared world. Think of popular series like Hermitcraft, Dream SMP, or Empires SMP.

SMP vs Other Server Types

| Feature | SMP | Vanilla | Anarchy | Creative | Minigames | |---------|-----|---------|---------|----------|-----------| | Survival gameplay | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | Varies | | Plugins/modifications | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | | Rules & moderation | ✅ | Varies | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | | Player protection | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | N/A | | Community focus | ✅ | Varies | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | | PvP | Optional | Optional | ✅ | ❌ | Varies |

SMP = Vanilla survival + quality-of-life plugins + community management.

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Step 1: Choose Your Hosting

RAM Requirements

| Player Count | RAM Needed | Storage | Monthly Cost* | |-------------|------------|---------|---------------| | 1-5 (friends) | 2GB | 10GB | €1.80-3 | | 5-10 (small) | 3-4GB | 20GB | €2.70-5 | | 10-20 (medium) | 4-6GB | 30GB | €3.60-8 | | 20-50 (large) | 6-8GB | 50GB | €5.40-12 | | 50-100 (huge) | 8-12GB | 80GB | €7.20-18 |

*Based on quality European hosting like Space-Node

Hosting Options

Shared Minecraft Hosting (Recommended for beginners):

✅ Pre-configured, easy control panel
✅ Automatic backups included
✅ DDoS protection
✅ 24/7 support
❌ Slightly more expensive than VPS

Best for: First-time server owners, non-technical users

VPS (Virtual Private Server):

✅ Full control, root access
✅ Cheaper per GB
✅ Can run multiple servers
❌ Requires Linux knowledge
❌ You manage everything

Best for: Experienced admins, large servers

Self-Hosting (Home PC):

✅ Free (except electricity)
✅ Full hardware control
❌ Your home IP exposed
❌ Relies on your internet
❌ No DDoS protection

Best for: Testing only, not production

Recommended Providers

| Provider | Location | 4GB Price | 8GB Price | Highlights | |----------|----------|-----------|-----------|------------| | Space-Node | Netherlands | €3.60 | €7.20 | NVMe, DDoS, Europe-focused | | Sparked Host | Global | $4 | $8 | Good support, USA-based | | Bloom.host | USA/EU | $5 | $10 | Free subdomain | | BisectHosting | USA/EU | $6 | $12 | Premium hardware | For Europe: Space-Node. For USA: Sparked or BisectHosting.

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Step 2: Install Server Software

Use Paper, Not Vanilla

Why Paper?

• 40-60% better performance than vanilla
• Full plugin support
• Bug fixes (500+ vanilla bugs patched)
• Active development
• Free

See our Paper vs Spigot comparison for details.

Installation (Shared Hosting)

Most hosts have one-click installers:

1. Log into control panel (Multicraft, Pterodactyl, etc.)
2. Select "Paper" or "Spigot" from dropdown
3. Choose Minecraft version (1.21.4 recommended)
4. Click "Install"
5. Wait 2-5 minutes
6. Start server

Installation (VPS/Dedicated)

# Create server directory
mkdir ~/minecraft-smp && cd ~/minecraft-smp

# Download Paper (check for latest version)
wget https://api.papermc.io/v2/projects/paper/versions/1.21.4/builds/latest/downloads/paper-1.21.4-latest.jar -O paper.jar

# Install Java 21
sudo apt update && sudo apt install openjdk-21-jdk -y

# Create startup script
cat > start.sh << 'EOF'
#!/bin/bash
java -Xms3G -Xmx3G -XX:+UseG1GC -XX:+ParallelRefProcEnabled \
  -XX:MaxGCPauseMillis=200 -XX:+UnlockExperimentalVMOptions \
  -XX:+DisableExplicitGC -XX:G1NewSizePercent=30 \
  -XX:G1MaxNewSizePercent=40 -XX:G1HeapRegionSize=8M \
  -XX:G1ReservePercent=20 -XX:InitiatingHeapOccupancyPercent=15 \
  -XX:G1MixedGCLiveThresholdPercent=90 \
  -Dusing.aikars.flags=https://mcflags.emc.gs \
  -jar paper.jar nogui
EOF

chmod +x start.sh

# Accept EULA
echo "eula=true" > eula.txt

# Start server (first launch generates world)
./start.sh

Wait 3-10 minutes for the world to generate.

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Step 3: Essential SMP Plugins

Install these before inviting players:

CoreProtect (Block Logging)

Purpose: Log every block break/place. Essential for rollbacks after grief.

# Download
cd plugins
wget https://github.com/PlayPro/CoreProtect/releases/latest/download/CoreProtect.jar

# Restart server

Commands:

• /co inspect - Click blocks to see history
• /co rollback user:PlayerName time:24h - Undo grief
• /co restore user:PlayerName time:1h - Undo rollback

EssentialsX (Core Commands)

Purpose: /spawn, /tpa, /home, /warp, /back, and more.

cd plugins
wget https://github.com/EssentialsX/Essentials/releases/download/2.21.0/EssentialsX-2.21.0.jar
wget https://github.com/EssentialsX/Essentials/releases/download/2.21.0/EssentialsXChat-2.21.0.jar
wget https://github.com/EssentialsX/Essentials/releases/download/2.21.0/EssentialsXSpawn-2.21.0.jar

Configuration (plugins/Essentials/config.yml):

# Teleport settings
teleport-delay: 3  # Seconds before teleport
teleport-cooldown: 60  # Seconds between uses

# Home settings
max-homes: 3  # Homes per player (increase for VIP ranks)

# Spawn settings
spawn-on-join: true
newbies:
  spawn-on-join: true
  announce-format: '&dWelcome &6{DISPLAYNAME} &dto the server!'

# Economy (optional)
starting-balance: 100
currency-symbol: '$'

LuckPerms (Permissions)

Purpose: Manage ranks, permissions, and prefixes.

cd plugins
wget https://download.luckperms.net/1543/bukkit/loader/LuckPerms-Bukkit-5.4.141.jar -O LuckPerms.jar

Basic Setup:

# In-game or console:

# Create ranks
/lp creategroup owner
/lp creategroup admin
/lp creategroup mod
/lp creategroup vip
/lp creategroup default

# Set inheritance (owner has all lower perms)
/lp group owner parent set admin
/lp group admin parent set mod
/lp group mod parent set vip
/lp group vip parent set default

# Give permissions
/lp group owner permission set * true
/lp group admin permission set essentials.* true
/lp group mod permission set essentials.kick true
/lp group mod permission set essentials.ban true
/lp group vip permission set essentials.sethome.multiple.5 true
/lp group default permission set essentials.sethome.multiple.1 true

# Set chat prefixes (requires EssentialsXChat)
/lp group owner meta setprefix "&c[Owner] &r"
/lp group admin meta setprefix "&4[Admin] &r"
/lp group mod meta setprefix "&e[Mod] &r"
/lp group vip meta setprefix "&b[VIP] &r"

# Add user to rank
/lp user YourName parent set owner

GriefPrevention (Land Claims)

Purpose: Let players protect their builds from grief.

cd plugins
wget https://github.com/TechFortress/GriefPrevention/releases/latest/download/GriefPrevention.jar

Configuration (plugins/GriefPrevention/config.yml):

# Initial claim blocks per player
Claims:
  InitialBlocks: 100
  BlocksAccruedPerHour: 100
  MaxAccruedBlocks: 50000
  
  # Minimum claim size
  MinimumArea: 64  # 8x8 blocks
  
  # Allow claiming in all worlds
  Claims.PreventTheft: true
  Claims.ProtectCreatures: true
  Claims.ProtectFires: true

Player Commands:

• /claim - Create claim (hold golden shovel, right-click corners)
• /trust PlayerName - Give build access
• /containertrust PlayerName - Access chests only
• /abandonclaim - Delete claim

Vault (Economy API)

Purpose: Required by many plugins for economy features.

cd plugins
wget https://github.com/MilkBowl/Vault/releases/download/1.7.3/Vault.jar

No configuration needed—provides API for other plugins.

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Optional But Recommended Plugins

DiscordSRV (Discord Integration)

Link Minecraft chat with Discord:

cd plugins
wget https://github.com/DiscordSRV/DiscordSRV/releases/latest/download/DiscordSRV-Build-1.28.0.jar -O DiscordSRV.jar

Setup:

1. Create Discord bot at Discord Developer Portal
2. Invite bot to your server
3. Add bot token to plugins/DiscordSRV/config.yml
4. Link chat channels

Dynmap (Live Web Map)

Real-time map viewable in browser:

cd plugins
wget https://github.com/webbukkit/dynmap/releases/latest/download/Dynmap-3.7-beta-6-spigot.jar -O Dynmap.jar

Access at http://your-server-ip:8123

ViaVersion (Multi-Version Support)

Let players on 1.19, 1.20, 1.21+ all join:

cd plugins
wget https://github.com/ViaVersion/ViaVersion/releases/latest/download/ViaVersion.jar

TAB (Advanced Tablist)

Customize player list with ranks, pings, etc:

cd plugins
wget https://github.com/NEZNAMY/TAB/releases/latest/download/TAB.jar

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Step 4: Configure Server Settings

server.properties

# Server basics
server-name=My SMP Server
motd=§6Welcome to Our SMP! §r\n§bSurvival | Claims | Community
server-port=25565

# Gamemode
gamemode=survival
force-gamemode=true
difficulty=normal
hardcore=false

# World settings
level-name=world
level-type=minecraft\:normal  # or amplified, large_biomes
spawn-protection=0  # Disable (GriefPrevention handles this)
max-world-size=29999984

# View distance (lower = better performance)
view-distance=10
simulation-distance=8

# Players
max-players=50
online-mode=true
pvp=true  # or false for PvE-only SMP
allow-flight=false  # Enable if you add elytras

# Performance
network-compression-threshold=256
sync-chunk-writes=false  # Better performance

bukkit.yml

settings:
  allow-end: true
  spawn-limits:
    monsters: 50
    animals: 10
    water-animals: 5
    water-ambient: 20
    ambient: 15

Paper Configuration

config/paper-world-defaults.yml:

# Optimizations
entities:
  spawning:
    alt-item-despawn-rate:
      enabled: true
    count-all-mobs-for-spawning: false
  behavior:
    disable-chest-cat-detection: true
    
# Anti-X-Ray (hide ores from cheaters)
anticheat:
  anti-xray:
    enabled: true
    engine-mode: 2
    
# Gameplay
gameplay-mechanics:
  disable-player-crits: false
  shield-blocking-delay: 5

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Step 5: Build Your Spawn Area

Spawn Design Tips

Functional Spawn Checklist:

| Feature | Purpose | Size | |---------|---------|------| | Welcome board | Rules, IP, Discord | 5x5 blocks | | Starter chest room | Free tools, food | 10x10 | | Portal hub | Nether, End, farms | 15x15 | | Shop area | Player economy | 20x30 | | Community builds | Showcase | Varies | Example Spawn Layout:

       [Nether Portal]
             |
    [Shop Area] --- [Spawn Point] --- [Rules Board]
             |
      [Starter Chests]

Set Spawn Point

# Teleport to desired location
/tp 0 100 0

# Set world spawn
/setworldspawn

# Set default spawn (with EssentialsX)
/setspawn

Starter Chest Setup

Place chests at spawn with:

• 1x Wooden Pickaxe
• 1x Wooden Axe
• 16x Bread
• 1x Written Book (rules)

Lock chests with LWC:

cd plugins
wget https://github.com/pop4959/LWCX/releases/latest/download/LWCX.jar

# In-game: place chest, then:
/lwc create public

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Step 6: Establish Server Rules

Essential SMP Rules

Example ruleset:

1. No griefing - Don't destroy others' builds
2. No stealing - Don't take from unlocked chests
3. No hacking/cheating - X-ray, fly hacks = ban
4. Respect claims - Don't build too close to others
5. No spam - Keep chat friendly
6. PvP consent - Ask before attacking (unless in designated areas)
7. Report issues - Use /report or Discord
8. Have fun! - Be nice, help newcomers

Create Rules Book

# In-game with a Book & Quill:
# Page 1:
Welcome to [Server Name]!

Rules:
1. No griefing or stealing
2. No hacking/cheating
3. Respect land claims
4. Ask before PvP

# Page 2:
Commands:
/spawn - Return to spawn
/sethome - Set home point
/home - Teleport home
/tpa [player] - Request teleport

# Sign book and place in starter chest

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Step 7: Community Building

Launching Your SMP

Week 1: Soft Launch

• Invite 5-10 trusted friends
• Test plugins and performance
• Gather feedback
• Fix any issues

Week 2: Public Launch

• Post on r/mcservers
• Create Discord server
• Set up social media
• Create trailer video (optional)

Discord Setup

Essential Channels:

📢 Announcements
📋 Rules
💬 General Chat
🎮 Minecraft Chat (linked via DiscordSRV)
🎫 Support Tickets
📸 Screenshots
💡 Suggestions
📊 Polls

Bot Recommendations:

• MEE6 - Auto-moderation, leveling
• Dyno - Moderation, custom commands
• ProBot - Welcome messages, verification

Keeping Players Engaged

Weekly Events:

• Building competitions
• PvP tournaments (if enabled)
• Treasure hunts
• Community projects

Monthly Resets:

• Resource world (reset monthly for fresh mining)
• End dimension (reset for more Elytras)

Seasons:

• Reset main world every 6-12 months
• Archive old world for download
• Fresh start keeps interest high

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Performance Optimization

View Distance Tuning

| Player Count | View Distance | Simulation Distance | |-------------|---------------|---------------------| | 1-10 | 10-12 | 8 | | 10-30 | 8-10 | 6-8 | | 30-50 | 6-8 | 6 | | 50-100 | 6 | 4-6 | Lower = better performance. Modern clients render farther than what server sends.

Entity Limits

# bukkit.yml
spawn-limits:
  monsters: 50  # Vanilla: 70
  animals: 8    # Vanilla: 10
  water-animals: 3  # Vanilla: 5
  ambient: 10   # Vanilla: 15

Pre-Generate World

Prevent lag during exploration:

# Install Chunky
cd plugins
wget https://github.com/pop4959/Chunky/releases/latest/download/Chunky.jar

# In-game:
/chunky radius 5000  # 10,000 block diameter
/chunky start

# Let it run overnight

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Monetization (Optional)

Donation Ranks

Legal under Mojang EULA:

| Rank | Price | Perks (EULA-compliant) | |------|-------|------------------------| | VIP | €5/month | Colored name, 5 homes, /hat command | | VIP+ | €10/month | All VIP + prefix, particle effects | | MVP | €15/month | All VIP+ + custom join message | NOT allowed:

• Pay-to-win advantages (better tools, armor, etc.)
• Gameplay affecting items
• Faster progression

Allowed:

• Cosmetics (colored names, particles, pets)
• Extra commands (/hat, /nick)
• More homes/warps

Store Plugins

BuycraftX (Tebex):

• Most popular
• Integrated with PayPal, Stripe
• Automatic rank assignment

cd plugins
# Sign up at tebex.io and download plugin

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Troubleshooting Common Issues

Players Can't Connect

Check:

1. Server running? (/list in console)
2. Port 25565 open in firewall?
3. Correct IP/domain?
4. Server at max capacity?
5. Whitelist enabled accidentally?

# Check if port is open
netstat -tuln | grep 25565

# Open firewall
sudo ufw allow 25565/tcp

Lag/Low TPS

Diagnose:

# Check TPS
/tps

# Timings report (Paper)
/timings on
# Wait 5 minutes
/timings paste
# Share link with staff

Common causes:

• Too many entities (use /minecraft:kill @e[type=!player])
• Redstone farms (limit with GriefPrevention)
• Not enough RAM (upgrade server)
• View distance too high

Grief Despite Protection

Common mistakes:

• Player forgot to /claim their build
• Trusted wrong person (/untrust PlayerName)
• Build in someone else's claim

Fix:

# Rollback with CoreProtect
/co rollback user:Griefer time:24h radius:100

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Backup Strategy

Automate backups or lose everything eventually.

Using cron (Linux)

# Create backup script
cat > /opt/minecraft-backup.sh << 'EOF'
#!/bin/bash
BACKUP_DIR="/backups/minecraft"
SERVER_DIR="/home/minecraft/smp"
DATE=$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S)

mkdir -p $BACKUP_DIR

# Backup worlds
tar -czf $BACKUP_DIR/worlds-$DATE.tar.gz -C $SERVER_DIR world world_nether world_the_end

# Backup plugins folder
tar -czf $BACKUP_DIR/plugins-$DATE.tar.gz -C $SERVER_DIR plugins

# Delete backups older than 7 days
find $BACKUP_DIR -name "*.tar.gz" -mtime +7 -delete
EOF

chmod +x /opt/minecraft-backup.sh

# Run every 6 hours
crontab -e
# Add:
0 */6 * * * /opt/minecraft-backup.sh

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Growing Your SMP

Marketing Your Server

Free Promotion:

• r/mcservers (free, weekly)
• Planet Minecraft
• Minecraft-Server-List.com
• NameMC
• TikTok/YouTube shorts showcasing builds

Paid Promotion:

• Sponsored YouTuber videos (€50-500)
• Discord server ads (€20-100)
• Banner ads on server lists (€10-50/month)

Best growth strategy: Word of mouth. Happy players invite friends.

Scaling Up

| Phase | Players | RAM | Plugins to Add | |-------|---------|-----|----------------| | Launch | 1-10 | 2-3GB | Core plugins only | | Growing | 10-30 | 4-6GB | Economy, shops, minigames | | Established | 30-50 | 6-8GB | Custom content, events | | Large | 50-100+ | 8-16GB | Dedicated staff, networks |

Example SMP Configs

Casual Friends SMP (5-10 players)

Plugins: CoreProtect, EssentialsX, LuckPerms
Settings: 10 view distance, PvP off, claims optional
Cost: €2-4/month
Time: 2 hours setup

Semi-Vanilla SMP (10-30 players)

Plugins: CoreProtect, EssentialsX, LuckPerms, GriefPrevention, Dynmap
Settings: 8-10 view distance, PvP optional, quality-of-life only
Cost: €4-8/month
Time: 3 hours setup

Enhanced SMP (30-50 players)

Plugins: All above + DiscordSRV, Shops, McMMO, custom quests
Settings: 8 view distance, economy, ranks, events
Cost: €8-15/month
Time: 6+ hours setup

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much does running an SMP cost?

€2-15/month depending on player count. For 10-20 players, expect €4-8/month from quality hosts.

Do I need coding skills?

No. Basic plugin installation and config editing is copy-paste. Our guides include exact commands.

Can I run an SMP on 1GB RAM?

Barely. It'll work for 1-3 players but lag badly. Minimum 2GB recommended, 3-4GB for comfortable 5-10 players.

What's the best free SMP host?

None. Free hosts are slow, ad-riddled, and shut down randomly. Budget €2-4/month for quality hosting.

Should I allow cracked (non-premium) players?

For private friend groups: Sure, use AuthMe for passwords.
For public servers: Not recommended—attracts hackers and ban evaders.

How do I get players to join?

Post on server lists, create social media, make a Discord, and most importantly: create a welcoming community. Players stay for friends, not features.

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Final Recommendations

Minimum Viable SMP (2 hours, €3/month):

1. 3GB Paper server
2. CoreProtect, EssentialsX, LuckPerms
3. Basic spawn with rules
4. Discord server

Recommended SMP (4 hours, €5/month):

• Everything above
• GriefPrevention claims
• DiscordSRV integration
• Dynmap web map
• Custom spawn build

Premium SMP (8+ hours, €8-15/month):

• Everything above
• Economy + shops
• Custom plugins/quests
• Professional spawn
• Active events and staff

Start small, grow organically. Don't over-invest before you have a player base.

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Ready to launch your SMP? Space-Node's Minecraft hosting includes Paper pre-installed, automatic backups, and DDoS protection. Perfect for European SMPs. Starting at €1.80/month (2GB) in the Netherlands.

Check out these related guides:

• Paper vs Spigot Server Software
• Minecraft Server Security Guide
• Best Minecraft Server Plugins 2026
• Minecraft Server Requirements