For a small group that plays at scheduled times, free Pixelmon hosting can work well. Choose Aternos if you want a no-cost server that sleeps between sessions, Minehut if its 1GB/10-player allowance fits your group, or self-hosting if you already have a suitable computer and want control over files and settings. None of these options is a free, guaranteed 24/7 solution.
The deciding factors are more than price: server sleep behavior, memory, player capacity, Pixelmon and Java compatibility, remote-access setup, backups, and what happens when your free allowance is too small. The comparison below puts those trade-offs in practical terms.
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- Aternos: best for friends who start a server when they are ready to play and accept that it stops after the last player leaves. Aternos says it does not provide free 24/7 hosting and prohibits bots or scripts intended to keep a server online.
- Minehut: best for a small group that can stay within one online free server, 1GB of RAM and 10 maximum players. Minehut removed its former four-hour daily limit in August 2026, but its current account and server-retention rules still matter.
- Self-hosting: best when you have a capable computer, a dependable connection and the confidence to manage Java, ports, backups and updates. Pixelmon’s server guide calls for at least 3GB of allocated memory, with higher needs as players and additional mods are added.
- Paid hosting: the practical next step when free memory, player limits, uptime or safety requirements become a problem. Pixelmon explicitly recommends paid hosting for larger servers.
There is no universal winner. Aternos and Minehut remove most server-maintenance work but impose free-tier limits; self-hosting removes a hosting bill while making the hardware and administration your responsibility.
Free Pixelmon hosting compared
| Option | How it stays free | Memory and player information | Uptime behavior | Best use | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aternos | Provider-operated free server | Not stated in the cited Aternos material | Automatically stops when the last player leaves; no fixed playtime limit while players are actively using it | Scheduled sessions with friends | Not always-on; bots or scripts to keep it online are prohibited |
| Minehut | Free account and server allowance | 1GB RAM and 10 maximum players per free server; up to five free servers per user | Only one free server can be online at a time under the current policy | A small group wanting a simple hosted panel | 1GB can be restrictive for a modded Pixelmon server; account limits and deletion scheduling apply |
| Self-hosting | Your own computer and internet connection | Pixelmon’s guide calls for at least 3GB allocated memory; more may be needed for additional players or mods | Depends on your computer, network and operating schedule | Owners who want file and configuration control | You handle hardware, bandwidth, configuration, backups, security and uptime |
| Paid hosting | Subscription capacity | Plan-dependent; select capacity above your measured requirement | Designed for more consistent availability than free session hosting | Larger or persistent communities | Recurring cost |
“Not stated” means the cited material does not establish a comparable figure; it is not a promise that the value is unlimited. Free-tier specifications can also change, so check the provider’s current rules before moving an established world.
#1 Best Overall
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Aternos: the session-based choice
What happens when nobody is playing
Aternos automatically stops a free server when the last player leaves. It does not impose a fixed playtime limit while players are actively using the server, but the server is not continuously available between sessions. Aternos describes this policy in its Help Center explanation that it does not provide 24/7 hosting.
This is usually manageable for a private group: agree on a play session, start the server, let everyone join, and expect it to sleep when the session ends. It is a poor fit for a world that friends should be able to enter at any hour without coordinating a start.
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What you must not do
Aternos prohibits bots or scripts designed to keep a server online. Do not automate fake connections, idle players or keep-alive behavior to defeat the stop rule. Treat the sleep behavior as part of the free service rather than a technical obstacle to bypass.
When Aternos is the sensible pick
Choose Aternos when zero cost and straightforward, scheduled play matter more than persistent uptime, and when the group can tolerate starting the server for each session. The cited Aternos information does not establish a RAM or player figure comparable to Minehut’s published free allowance, so evaluate actual performance with your Pixelmon version and mod list rather than assuming the capacities are equivalent.
Rank #2
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Minehut: a simple panel with a tight free allowance
Published free limits
Minehut documents 1GB of RAM and a maximum of 10 players for each free server. A user can have up to five free servers, but only one free server can be online at a time under the current policy. These are separate limits: owning several server slots does not give the account several simultaneously running free instances.
The August 2026 policy change
Minehut’s August 2026 policy removed the former four-hour daily limit. That means the old “four hours per day” advice is stale. It does not turn the free tier into unlimited capacity: the 1GB memory ceiling, 10-player maximum, one-online-server rule and account limits still apply.
Deletion scheduling and the 30-day recovery window
Minehut can schedule extra servers for deletion. The documented remedy is a 30-day window in which you can download the server, upgrade it or swap it before the deletion takes effect. Keep an independent copy of important worlds and configuration rather than treating the hosted instance as your only backup.
Who should use Minehut
Minehut is a reasonable starting point for a small, coordinated group that wants a hosted control panel and will remain within 10 players. Pixelmon is a modded workload, so 1GB may become the limiting factor before the player cap does. Watch for slow loading, crashes or memory-related shutdowns; if the server cannot remain stable with your exact Pixelmon release and add-ons, reducing the workload or moving to more memory is more reliable than repeatedly restarting it.
Rank #3
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Self-hosting: no hosting subscription, more responsibility
Memory and hardware
Pixelmon’s official server-installation documentation calls for at least 3GB of allocated memory, with higher requirements depending on player count and additional mods. This is a server-installation guideline, not a guarantee that every configuration will run smoothly at exactly 3GB. Leave headroom for the operating system and other processes, and increase allocation when the world, player count or mod list grows.
Network access
A locally hosted server generally limits access to people on the same local network unless you configure remote access. Friends outside your home network therefore need a deliberate, secure network arrangement; simply running the server program is not the same as making it reachable from the internet. If you do expose a service, protect the machine, restrict access to trusted players and keep the server software and operating system updated.
The work hidden by the word “free”
Self-hosting avoids a hosting subscription, but you supply the computer, electricity, bandwidth, configuration, backups, monitoring and uptime. You also become the person who diagnoses Java errors, version mismatches, performance problems and lost-world risks. If the computer sleeps, reboots or loses its connection, the server goes offline.
When to stop self-hosting
For a larger or persistent community, Pixelmon recommends paid hosting for performance, stability and safety. That recommendation is especially relevant when the machine cannot provide enough memory, when players are distributed across networks, or when nobody is available to maintain the server.
Rank #4
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Pixelmon and Java compatibility: check this before anyone joins
Every player must use the same Pixelmon version as the server. A mismatch can prevent connection or produce errors that look like a hosting failure. Match the Java runtime to the Pixelmon release as documented by Pixelmon:
| Pixelmon release | Java version |
|---|---|
| Before Pixelmon 9.2.0 | Java 8 |
| Pixelmon 9.2.0 through 9.2.10 | Java 17 |
| Pixelmon 9.3.0 or later | Java 21 |
Do not choose Java solely because it is the newest installation on your computer. Choose the version required by the Pixelmon release, then make sure the server and every client use the same Pixelmon build. If you change Pixelmon versions, treat it as a coordinated migration: back up the world, test the server and distribute the matching client files before inviting the group.
A practical setup and launch checklist
- Agree on the exact release. Record the Minecraft version, Pixelmon version and any additional mods before creating the server. This prevents friends from installing incompatible combinations.
- Choose the hosting path against the real group size. Use Aternos for session-based play, Minehut for a group that fits 1GB and 10 players, or self-hosting when you can provide at least 3GB and manage the machine. Do not count a free server slot as usable capacity until the workload is tested.
- Install or select the matching Java runtime. Use Java 8 for releases before 9.2.0, Java 17 for 9.2.0–9.2.10, and Java 21 for 9.3.0 or later.
- Install the same Pixelmon build on the server and clients. Include every required dependency and additional mod on both sides. Keep a written version list so a returning player can repair an outdated installation.
- Allocate memory within the option’s limits. For self-hosting, begin from Pixelmon’s 3GB minimum guidance and increase it when the player count or mod list demands more. On Minehut, the free server is capped at 1GB, so reduce the workload or plan an upgrade if that ceiling causes instability.
- Prepare access and permissions. For a hosted service, use its server controls to start the instance and manage the player list. For a local server, test access from another device and remember that remote friends need remote-access configuration, not merely the local server address.
- Back up before public play. Download or copy the world and important configuration. For Minehut servers that are scheduled for deletion, use the documented 30-day period to download, upgrade or swap the server rather than waiting for the deadline.
- Run a short test session. Have several players connect, travel, load chunks and use the main Pixelmon features. Note memory pressure, crashes, lag and disconnects before building a long-term world.
Common failure modes and the correct response
“The server vanished when the last person logged out.”
That is expected Aternos behavior, not necessarily data loss. Start it again for the next scheduled session. Do not use a bot or script to defeat the stop rule.
“Minehut will not let another server start.”
Only one free Minehut server can be online at a time under the current policy. Stop the running instance before starting another, or use a different hosting arrangement if simultaneous worlds are essential.
Best Value
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“The server is full or unstable before 10 players.”
Minehut’s 10-player figure is a maximum, not a performance guarantee for every Pixelmon setup. The 1GB memory cap can be reached by the modded workload first. Remove unnecessary add-ons, lower the simultaneous player count, or move to a plan and host with more memory.
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A self-hosted server is generally local-network-only until remote access is configured. Verify the network design and security settings rather than changing Pixelmon versions at random. A managed host can be simpler for a group that does not want to administer internet access.
“Players receive a version or Java error.”
Check the release mapping and compare the server’s Pixelmon build with every client’s build. Before changing anything else, confirm Java 8, 17 or 21 is being used for the corresponding Pixelmon release.
“A Minehut server is marked for deletion.”
Use the 30-day download, upgrade or swap window. Download the world immediately, then decide whether to remain within the free allowance or move to more capacity. Do not assume an unbacked-up hosted world will remain available indefinitely.
When free hosting is no longer enough
Move beyond a free tier when any of these conditions is true:
- The group needs a world to remain available while nobody is online.
- The server needs more memory than Minehut’s 1GB free allowance or more players than its 10-player maximum.
- Self-hosting cannot provide Pixelmon’s 3GB minimum guidance plus headroom, or the host computer is unreliable.
- You need dependable remote access, scheduled backups, monitoring or a clear recovery process.
- Additional mods and a growing world make restarts, lag or memory failures routine.
At that point, compare paid plans by allocated memory, processor performance, storage, backup policy, location, mod-loader support and support response—not by player-count marketing alone. Pixelmon’s own documentation identifies paid hosting as the recommended path for larger servers because performance, stability and safety become more important than avoiding a monthly fee.
Final recommendation
Start with Aternos if your group plays in planned sessions and can accept automatic shutdown. Pick Minehut if a simple hosted panel, one online server, 1GB of RAM and up to 10 players match your needs. Self-host when you already control a suitable computer and are willing to manage networking and backups. The moment memory, uptime, player count or safety becomes the dominant concern, preserve the world and move to a properly sized paid host rather than trying to force a free tier beyond its design.
Quick Recap
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