How Much RAM Do I Need for a Minecraft Server?

If you’re setting up a Minecraft server, you’ve probably noticed that hosting plans are priced by RAM. The question is: how much do you actually need?

The short answer depends on what you’re running. A vanilla server for a few friends can get by on 2-4GB. A modded server running something like All the Mods 10 needs 8GB or more. But there’s more nuance to it than that, and picking the wrong plan means either wasting money or dealing with constant lag.

This guide breaks down RAM requirements by server type, covers the most popular modpacks, and helps you figure out where to start.

What RAM Actually Does for Your Server

RAM (random access memory) is where your server keeps everything it’s actively working with: loaded chunks, player data, mobs, entities, and whatever plugins or mods you’re running. The more RAM available, the more your server can keep loaded and ready without stuttering or crashing.

It’s worth understanding how RAM differs from other server specs. Your CPU handles the game tick-processing all the calculations that make the world run. Storage (ideally NVMe SSDs) is where your world saves live. RAM sits in between, holding the active game state so the CPU can access it instantly.

One thing to know: Minecraft is mostly single-threaded, meaning it relies heavily on CPU clock speed rather than core count. That’s something your host handles on their end. What you’re choosing when you pick a plan is how much RAM to allocate-and getting that right matters.

RAM Recommendations by Server Type

Here’s a quick reference table, followed by more detailed breakdowns:

Vanilla Servers

If you’re running a standard Minecraft server without mods or plugins:

• 2GB works for 1-5 players on a smaller world with casual play
• 4GB gives comfortable headroom for up to 10 players
• 6GB or more if you expect more than 10 concurrent players or have a large, well-explored world

Vanilla servers are the lightest option, but world size and player spread still matter. Ten players clustered in one area use less RAM than five players scattered across the map.

Plugin Servers (Paper, Spigot, Bukkit)

Running Paper, Spigot, or Bukkit with plugins adds overhead, but plugins are generally more efficient than mods since they don’t add new items or entities to the game.

• 4GB handles light plugins like Essentials and permission managers
• 6GB for moderate setups with minigames, world management, or anti-cheat
• 8GB or more for heavy plugin loads and more concurrent players

Paper is worth mentioning specifically-it includes optimizations that reduce RAM usage compared to vanilla, even though you’re adding plugin functionality on top.

Modded Servers (Forge, Fabric, NeoForge)

Modded Minecraft is where RAM requirements jump significantly. Mods add new blocks, items, entities, and dimensions that all need to stay loaded in memory.

• 6GB for light modpacks (under 50 mods)
• 8GB for medium modpacks (50-100 mods)
• 10-12GB for heavy modpacks (100+ mods, kitchen-sink packs)
• 12GB or more for extreme packs or larger player counts

The modloader matters too. Fabric tends to be slightly lighter than Forge, though the difference depends heavily on which mods you’re actually running.

Popular Modpacks and Their Requirements

Most modpacks list their RAM requirements on CurseForge or Modrinth, but recommendations vary between sources. Here’s what we’ve found works for server hosting based on official documentation and real-world usage:

These are starting points. Your actual needs depend on player count, world age, and how aggressively players are using resource-intensive features like automation or chunk loading.

Factors That Increase RAM Usage

Beyond your base server type, several things push RAM requirements higher:

Player count and spread. More players means more loaded chunks. This effect multiplies when players spread out across the world rather than staying in one area.

World age and size. A fresh world is lighter than one that’s been played for months. Explored chunks, player builds, and accumulated entities all add up.

View distance. Higher view distance settings load more chunks per player. Dropping from 10 to 8 chunks can meaningfully reduce RAM usage.

Entity count. Mob farms, item frames, armor stands, and villagers all consume memory. A server with elaborate farms needs more RAM than one focused on building.

Plugin and mod complexity. Some plugins barely touch RAM; others (like Dynmap) are memory-hungry. Same goes for mods-something like Create is heavier than a simple quality-of-life mod.

Signs You Need More RAM

Watch for these symptoms:

• Server crashes with “Out of Memory” errors in the console
• Lag spikes when loading new chunks or when players spread out
• TPS (ticks per second) dropping below 20 during normal gameplay
• Server becoming unresponsive during world saves

Can You Have Too Much RAM?

Yes, actually. Over-allocating RAM to a Minecraft server can cause garbage collection issues-Java periodically cleans up unused memory, and larger heaps mean longer, more disruptive cleanup cycles.

The general rule: allocate what you need, not the maximum available. For most servers, 12-16GB is the practical ceiling unless you’re running an extreme modpack with a large player base.

The good news is you don’t have to guess perfectly on day one. At WinterNode, you can upgrade or downgrade your plan at any time. Upgrades are pro-rated, so there’s no reason to overbuy-start conservative and scale up if monitoring shows you need it.

Putting It Together

At WinterNode, all our Minecraft plans run $1.99 per GB of RAM, which makes the math straightforward:

• 4GB vanilla server: ~$8/month
• 6GB plugin server: ~$12/month
• 8GB modded server: ~$16/month

We don’t charge extra for CPU usage, storage, or other features that some hosts nickel-and-dime for. And if you want to test things out before committing, we offer a 48-hour free trial on Minecraft servers. We use a payment method for verification, but you won’t be billed during the trial period.

If you’re new to all of this, our guide on what game server hosting actually is covers the fundamentals.

The Bottom Line

Start with the baseline for your server type, keep an eye on performance, and adjust as needed. RAM matters, but it’s not the only factor-using optimized server software like Paper (instead of vanilla) and keeping your view distance reasonable will stretch whatever RAM you have further.

Don’t overthink the initial decision. You can always change your plan later, and it’s better to start slightly low and upgrade than to pay for resources you’re not using.