Choose a Bedrock Realm if you want the least setup and an always-online world. Choose the official Bedrock Dedicated Server if you are comfortable running server software, configuring a computer and network, and maintaining that setup yourself. A Realm is a paid hosted service; the server software is free to download, but self-hosting still has hardware, electricity, internet and maintenance costs that Minecraft does not total for you.
The short answer
For most small groups, a Realm is the practical choice. Minecraft describes Realms as private, always-online worlds that do not require technical knowledge to set up, and invited friends can play while the owner is offline. The standard Bedrock plan is designed for the owner and two other simultaneous players. Realms Plus raises that to the owner and ten simultaneous players and adds access to the rotating Marketplace Pass catalog.
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What you are actually choosing
Bedrock Realm
A Realm is Minecraft’s managed hosting option for Bedrock Edition. The service remains online without the owner keeping a personal computer running, and invitations let other players join the private world. Minecraft’s official Realms page lists backups and three world slots for both Bedrock plans, with one world active at a time. The owner manages the subscription and invitations through Minecraft’s Realms interface rather than through operating-system files.
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Bedrock Dedicated Server
The Bedrock Dedicated Server (BDS) is the official software for hosting a multiplayer Bedrock world on your own compatible hardware. Minecraft’s download page describes a workflow that involves downloading and extracting the package, launching it, and adjusting configuration files. The server is available only when the computer, server process and network are correctly configured and running.
Realm versus dedicated server at a glance
| Decision factor | Bedrock Realm or Realms Plus | Bedrock Dedicated Server |
|---|---|---|
| Who operates it | Minecraft hosts and maintains the service; the owner does not need to run a server computer. | You run the official software on compatible Windows or Ubuntu hardware and maintain the computer and network. |
| Software price | Recurring subscription. The current United States page lists $3.99 USD per month for the owner plus two simultaneous players, or $7.99 USD per month for the owner plus ten with Realms Plus. Regional and storefront prices can differ. | The official download is free. Minecraft does not calculate your hardware, power, internet or maintenance cost. |
| Simultaneous players | Standard: owner plus two. Realms Plus: owner plus ten. You may invite more people than the simultaneous-player limit. | The cited official download page does not provide a player-limit comparison with Realms, so no specific capacity should be assumed from it. |
| Availability | Always online under the service, including when the owner is away. | Depends on the host computer, server process, network connection and configuration being available. |
| Backups and world slots | Both listed Bedrock plans include backups and three world slots, with one active world. | The cited page explains local server files but does not promise a comparable cloud-backup or retention service. |
| Extra content | Realms Plus includes the rotating Marketplace Pass catalog; the standard plan does not list that benefit. | No Marketplace Pass catalog is included as part of the server software. |
| Supported clients | Bedrock clients can cross-play with other Bedrock clients; cross-play does not bridge to Java Edition. | Minecraft lists Windows PC, Xbox, PlayStation, mobile devices, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 Bedrock users as supported clients using the server’s IP address and port. |
| Console online requirement | Console multiplayer still requires the relevant platform’s online-network subscription, sold separately. | The cited material does not state a different console-subscription rule; check the current requirement for each console platform. |
Official details: Minecraft Realms and Realms Plus and the Bedrock Dedicated Server download page.
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Costs, limits and subscription terms
Realm pricing
Minecraft’s current United States Realms page lists the standard Bedrock Realm at $3.99 USD per recurring month for the owner and two other simultaneous players. Realms Plus is listed at $7.99 USD per recurring month for the owner and ten other simultaneous players. Those are US-dollar rates shown on Minecraft’s page; local currency, taxes, storefront billing and regional availability can change the amount you see.
The number is a simultaneous-player limit, not an invitation limit. A larger community can be invited, but only the plan’s allowed number can be in the Realm at one time. If your regular group is three players total, the standard tier matches that published allowance. If you routinely need up to eleven players total or want the Marketplace Pass catalog, Realms Plus is the relevant tier.
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Trials and renewal
Minecraft’s FAQ says an eligible trial lasts 30 days and that the subscription renews automatically unless you cancel it. Eligibility is account-specific, so do not assume every account receives a trial. Check the renewal setting before the trial or paid period ends.
What happens when a Realm expires
The Realms FAQ says worlds remain downloadable for 18 months after a subscription expires. Download the world during that window if you intend to preserve it or move it to another form of hosting. The statement is a retention period for downloading; it is not a promise that an expired Realm stays playable indefinitely.
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BDS has no software-download charge, but the official page does not add up the cost of a computer, electricity, broadband service, router configuration, storage, replacement parts or your own maintenance time. A free download therefore does not equal a zero-cost server. Treat self-hosting as a responsibility and control decision, not as a proven savings strategy.
Availability and day-to-day responsibility
Why a Realm feels simpler
After the Realm is created and players are invited, the owner does not need to leave a home PC running. Minecraft handles the hosted service, while the owner handles membership and subscription settings. This is useful for groups whose play times do not overlap: an invited player can enter while the owner is offline.
Rank #3
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What you operate with BDS
With a dedicated server, someone must keep the host computer powered, launch the server process and maintain access to the configured network. A reboot, operating-system update, router change, power outage or stopped process can make the world unreachable. You also become responsible for preserving server files and deciding how to back them up, because the cited BDS page does not provide the Realm service’s cloud-retention promise.
Cross-play: edition and device checks
Realms cross-play is edition-specific. Minecraft’s official FAQ states: “Yes, Realms is cross-platform, but it’s only available within the same game edition.” In practice, Bedrock players can join a Bedrock Realm from supported Bedrock devices, but a Java Edition player cannot join that Bedrock Realm through the same service. Confirm that every participant is launching Bedrock Edition before buying a plan.
Minecraft lists Windows PC, Xbox, PlayStation, mobile devices, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 Bedrock clients as able to join a Bedrock Dedicated Server by using its IP address and port. Device-account controls, local network settings and console policies can still affect an individual connection. Console players may also need the console maker’s separate online-multiplayer subscription.
Realm features that matter to a group
Backups and three world slots
Both Bedrock Realm plans list backups and three world slots, with one active world. That lets an owner keep additional worlds available without running separate server instances. Minecraft does not describe the BDS download page as including an equivalent hosted backup system, so a self-hosted owner should make an independent backup routine for the local files.
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Marketplace Pass access
Realms Plus adds the rotating Marketplace Pass catalog. Choose it for that content access as well as for the larger simultaneous-player allowance; do not treat the catalog as a feature of the standard Realm plan or of BDS.
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Check the published platform requirements
Minecraft’s current BDS page lists Windows 10 version 10.0.15063 or later, or Windows Server 2016 or later. For Linux it specifies Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or later and says other distributions are unsupported. The page lists 4 GB of RAM and 180 MB to 1 GB of available storage in its system-requirements section, while its FAQ says at least 1 GB of RAM for small servers and recommends more memory, storage and processing for larger worlds or more players.
Those RAM statements are internally different. Use them as Minecraft’s published guidance, not as a guarantee for a particular player count or world size. The page also lists a broadband connection. It does not establish that a particular mini PC, processor or internet plan will support a specific number of players.
Install the software
- Open Minecraft’s Bedrock Dedicated Server download page and choose the package for your supported operating system.
- Download and extract the archive into a dedicated folder with enough free space for the generated world and logs. The published storage figure covers the software requirement, not future world growth or your backups.
- Launch the server executable once. Minecraft’s documented process generates the files needed for the server to run.
- Review the configuration files created by the software and set the documented world, gameplay and access options you need. Keep a copy of the original files before making changes so you can restore a known-good configuration.
- Start the server and leave the process running while players connect. Record the server IP address and configured port; Bedrock clients use those values to connect.
- Test from each relevant device class, especially consoles and mobile devices, before scheduling a group session. A successful local connection does not prove that outside players can reach a server behind a router or firewall.
Network and maintenance checklist
- Reserve a stable local address for the host computer so the connection details do not change unexpectedly.
- Allow the server application through the host firewall and configure the router according to your network’s security policy. Minecraft’s cited page does not provide a universal troubleshooting recipe or a single port value for every installation, so use the port shown in your server configuration.
- Keep the operating system and server software updated, but schedule updates when nobody is playing.
- Copy world and configuration files to a separate location on a regular schedule. A second copy protects against disk failure, accidental deletion or a bad configuration change.
- Decide who is allowed to start, stop and edit the server. Shared administrative access is convenient but increases the chance of an accidental change.
Creating and managing a Realm
- Confirm that every intended player uses Bedrock Edition and identify whether the group needs the standard simultaneous-player allowance or the Realms Plus allowance.
- Use Minecraft’s official Realm purchase and setup flow at Purchasing and Setting Up a New Bedrock Realm. Select the plan and complete the subscription through the account or platform storefront presented to you.
- Create or select the world for the Realm, then invite the players who should have access. Invitations can exceed the number of players who may be online simultaneously.
- Verify that backups are available and that the intended active world is selected. Keep the Realm’s management controls restricted to trusted adults or administrators.
- Before a trial or paid period ends, check renewal and cancel if you do not want another recurring charge. If you cancel or let the subscription expire, download important worlds within Minecraft’s stated 18-month window.
Which option fits your situation?
Choose the standard Realm when
- Your group is small enough for the owner-plus-two simultaneous-player allowance.
- Players need to join at different times without waiting for a host computer to start.
- No one wants to configure a server, router or firewall.
- Built-in backups and multiple world slots are more valuable than control over files and software.
Choose Realms Plus when
- You need the owner plus ten simultaneous-player allowance.
- You want the rotating Marketplace Pass catalog included with the plan.
- You prefer managed hosting and the Realm’s backup and world-slot features over self-administration.
Choose BDS when
- Someone in the group is comfortable with Windows or Ubuntu administration, configuration files and network troubleshooting.
- You need direct control over server files, launch schedules or configuration choices that a Realm does not expose.
- You already have a suitable computer and broadband connection, and you accept responsibility for uptime, updates and backups.
- You understand that the software’s free download does not establish a lower total cost.
Common failure points and fixes
A Java player cannot connect
Check the edition first. Realms cross-play is within one edition, so a Java Edition client cannot join a Bedrock Realm. The player must use Bedrock Edition or the group must choose a hosting arrangement that supports the edition everyone owns.
Best Value
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- Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
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The Realm is unavailable after a billing change
Review the subscription status and renewal setting in the account or storefront used to purchase it. If the subscription expired, retrieve the world during Minecraft’s 18-month download period rather than assuming it will remain online.
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The dedicated server works locally but not for friends
Confirm that the server process is running, the host’s local address has not changed, the configured port is allowed through the firewall and router, and friends are using the correct external IP address and port. Also check each player’s account and console online-multiplayer requirements.
The server becomes unstable as the world grows
Minecraft’s page gives different RAM guidance for the general requirements section and the small-server FAQ. Do not infer a guaranteed player capacity from either number. Monitor the host’s available memory, storage and processing headroom, then reduce load or move to stronger hardware if your measurements show a bottleneck.
Final recommendation
Buy the standard Bedrock Realm for a low-maintenance group of up to three simultaneous players. Choose Realms Plus for up to eleven simultaneous players or for the included Marketplace Pass catalog. Select Bedrock Dedicated Server only when a member of the group is prepared to run and maintain compatible Windows or Ubuntu hardware, configure network access and create their own backup routine. In every case, verify that everyone is using Bedrock Edition before committing.
Quick Recap
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