Free, open-source alternatives to Minecraft Realms
Paid Minecraft server hosting by Mojang. 5 apps you can run yourself instead of Minecraft Realms, sorted by how well they replace it. Each one is open source, so your data stays with you.
Crafty ControllerBest match
Minecraft launcher and manager that allows users to start and administer Minecraft servers from a user-friendly interface.
Pterodactyl
Management panel for game servers, with an intuitive UI for end users.
Pelican Panel
Web application for easy management of game servers, offering a user-friendly interface for deploying, configuring, and managing servers, server monitoring tools, and extensive customization options (fork of Pterodactyl).
PufferPanel
Game server management panel designed for both small networks and game server providers.
auto-mcs
Cross-platform Minecraft server manager.
Side by side
| App | Stars | License | Activity | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crafty Controller | 253 | GPL-3.0 | Docker, Python | |
| Pterodactyl | 9,321 | MIT | PHP | |
| Pelican Panel | 2,381 | AGPL-3.0 | PHP, Docker | |
| PufferPanel | 1,753 | Apache-2.0 | Go | |
| auto-mcs | 496 | AGPL-3.0 | Python |
Why replace Minecraft Realms?
Minecraft Realms works, but your data lives in someone else's account, the price can change at any time, and features can disappear. An open-source app you run yourself is yours: you choose where it runs, who can see the data, and when to update.
Questions
What is the best free alternative to Minecraft Realms?
Crafty Controller is the closest open-source replacement for Minecraft Realms in our list. Pterodactyl and Pelican Panel are worth a look too, depending on what you need.
Can I self-host an alternative to Minecraft Realms?
Yes. All 5 apps on this page are open source and can run on your own server, usually with Docker, or on a managed host that installs them for you.