Minecraft Realms: What It Costs and When It's Worth It
Realms is Mojang's subscription server that keeps your world online 24/7. Realms Core vs Realms Plus on Bedrock, the Java plan, player limits, and prices.
Realms is Mojang’s own subscription server: you pay monthly, Mojang keeps your world online around the clock, and you invite friends by gamertag or username. Nobody has to keep a PC on, forward ports or install anything. On Bedrock, it’s also the easiest way to let console, phone and PC players share one always-on world.
Prices and plans
These are the US prices as listed in November 2026. Local prices, taxes and currency vary by store, so confirm the figure in the game’s Realms menu before you subscribe.
| Plan | Edition | US price per month | Players online at once |
|---|---|---|---|
| Realms Core | Bedrock | $3.99 | 2 friends plus the owner |
| Realms Plus | Bedrock | $7.99 | 10 friends plus the owner |
| Java Realms | Java | $7.99 | 10 players |
Realms Plus also includes a rotating catalog of Marketplace content (worlds, skin packs and texture packs) that you can use while subscribed. You can upgrade from Core to Plus without losing your world.
Java Realms can be billed monthly, or bought as a one-off 30, 90 or 180-day period that doesn’t auto-renew. That suits parents who don’t want a recurring charge. Our Minecraft price guide covers the game itself, and Minecraft for parents covers safety settings for kids’ Realms.
What you get
- Three world slots on both editions, with one active at a time. Switch between a survival world and a creative test world without losing either.
- Automatic backups you can restore from the Realm settings.
- Invite-only access. Only the people you invite can join, which is why Realms is popular with families.
- Uploading and downloading worlds. You can upload an existing single-player world to a Realm and download it again later. On Bedrock consoles, that’s the only way to export a world to another device.
Only the owner pays. Invited players join for free with their own copy of the game.
What you don’t get
- No Java mods or plugins. No Fabric, NeoForge, Paper or WorldEdit. Bedrock Realms can use add-ons and Marketplace packs; Java Realms sticks to vanilla plus Mojang’s own maps and minigames.
- No version choice. Realms runs the current release, so the game updates when Mojang updates it.
- No cross-edition play. A Java Realm only takes Java players, a Bedrock Realm only Bedrock players.
- No public server. Realms isn’t meant for opening to strangers.
Realms or your own server?
Pick Realms if you want zero maintenance, have Bedrock console players in the group, or are setting up something for children. Pick your own server if you want mods, plugins, more than 10 players online, or a specific game version. If cost is the main concern, free hosting is worth trying first, with the trade-off that the world isn’t always online.
Still weighing every option? How to play Minecraft multiplayer puts Realms next to LAN, public servers and self-hosting.
Common questions
Can Java and Bedrock players share a Realm?
No. Java Realms and Bedrock Realms are separate subscriptions running separate server software. A Bedrock Realm does cover every Bedrock device, so phone, console and Windows players can share one.
Is Minecraft Realms free?
No, it's a monthly subscription. Only the owner pays; invited friends join free. Java Realms has offered a free trial to accounts that haven't used one, so check the Realms menu in the game.
Can I use mods on a Realm?
Not Java mods or plugins. Bedrock Realms can run add-ons and Marketplace content, and Java Realms offers Mojang's own minigames and adventure maps.
Sources & verification
Facts on this page are checked against these references and in-game behavior for the stated edition(s). how we verify.
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