Minecraft server hosting: where to start
The difference between "the server lags for everyone" and "it handles 30+ players with no drops" is almost never the hardware — it's how it was set up.
Which core to run
A vanilla server from Mojang isn't optimized for load — TPS drops noticeably even with a modest number of players and builds. Paper is a fork with dozens of performance optimizations, fully compatible with vanilla gameplay and most plugins. Purpur is a fork of Paper itself with additional gameplay and performance settings. For most plugin-based servers, that's a sensible default; modpacks (Forge/Fabric) are a separate case with different logic.
Common causes of lag
Most of the time it's not CPU/RAM — it's overloaded redstone farms and a high entity count (mobs, dropped items) in chunks nobody unloads; plugins that poll a database or disk too often; a misconfigured view-distance and tick-distance. Some of this is fixed with core settings and `paper-world-defaults.yml`, some is just being careful in the plugins themselves.
Protecting the server
An open Minecraft port is a target for scanners and amateur IP-based DDoS attacks, especially on a public server known to competing players. Baseline protection: a firewall closed except for the ports actually needed, anti-grief and permissions via plugins (LuckPerms, WorldGuard), and scheduled world backups kept separate from the server's own disk — if the disk fails and the backup lived on it too, there's nothing to restore.
If you just want to hand a friend an IP and play
We pick a server sized for the load you need, install Paper/Purpur, and set up permissions, protection, and baseline optimization for your specific plugin setup.
"Minecraft server setup" serviceAlready a client? Open a ticket.