Minecraft servers will require different amounts of RAM based on each one’s purpose and configuration. RAM is the server’s memory and will determine how many tasks the server can handle at once.
Not giving a Minecraft server as much RAM as it needs will cause performance issues, so it’s important to understand what affects RAM usage and how much is necessary.
As a general rule of thumb, the more addons (mods/plugins) and players a server supports, the more RAM it will need.
We have a video guide for how much RAM is needed:
Vanilla / Spigot / Paper
Vanilla servers typically require a lower RAM amount than other server types, however, there are a few variables that may affect the required amount.
| Metric | Recommended RAM |
| Minecraft 1.16.5 and previous | 2GB |
| Minecraft 1.17+ | 3GB |
| For every additional 5 players | +1GB |
| For every 10 plugins | +1GB |
BungeeCord
BungeeCord servers have an extremely low RAM requirement. We would recommend 1GB of RAM for any BungeeCord server. However, if you have plugins on your BungeeCord server you may want to increase this.
| Amount of Plugins | Recommended RAM |
| 0-5 BungeeCord Plugins | 1GB |
| 6-15 BungeeCord Plugins | 2GB |
| 16+ BungeeCord Plugins | 3GB |
Forge / Fabric
Modded Minecraft will significantly increase your average RAM usage. This can significantly vary based on the number of mods, version of Minecraft, amount of players online, and progress throughout the server.
| Metric | Recommended RAM |
| Minecraft 1.12.2 and previous modpacks | 4GB |
| Minecraft 1.13-1.16.5 Modpacks | 5GB |
| Minecraft 1.17+ Modpacks | 6GB |
It's important to know that many modpacks may have recommended RAM usage on their official web page, please ensure you read through these to learn more.
Bedrock Edition / Pocket Edition (MCPE)
Our Vanilla / Spigot / Paper plan above is most relevant for Bedrock servers. However, you may be able to support a few extra players per GB of RAM.
Additional
It’s worth noting that there are several settings that will impact the amount of RAM that the server needs, most notably the server’s View Distance. As the View Distance increases, so does the number of chunks being loaded at once, adding exponential strain to the server. You can learn more about configuring your server to reduce lag here.
We allow you to upgrade or downgrade your server at any time, so if you find you don't have enough RAM or have too much RAM you can make the changes instantaneously! Information on how to do this can be found in our Knowledgebase article here.
If you require any further assistance, please contact our support at: https://shockbyte.com/billing/submitticket.php