How to Install Paper and Plugins (2026)

Q: Where do plugins go?

In the plugins folder inside your server. Upload the plugin's .jar file there and restart.

Q: How do I check which plugins are loaded?

Run /plugins or /pl in-game or in the console. Green names are enabled; red ones failed to load.

Q: Should I use /reload to load plugins?

No. /reload can break plugins and leak memory. Restart the server instead.

Quick answer

Create a Paper server (on FreeGameHost, pick Paper when you create the server).
Upload plugin .jar files into the plugins folder, or install from Add-ons & Packs.
Restart the server and run /plugins to confirm they are green.

Why Paper#

Vanilla Minecraft servers can't run plugins. Paper can, and it is also faster: it optimises chunk handling, mob processing and many things that cause lag. Paper stays close to vanilla gameplay, so players hardly notice, but the server gets many more tools (permissions, homes, claims, anti-grief, crossplay).

	Vanilla	Paper	Fabric / Forge
Add features with	Nothing	Plugins	Mods
Players must install anything	No	No	Often yes
Performance	Baseline	Better	Depends on mods
Best for	Plain survival	Public and friends servers	Content mods

Step 1: Create a Paper server#

On FreeGameHost choose Paper when you create your server. The panel installs the newest Paper build for the version you pick. On your own machine, download Paper from papermc.io and start it with Java.

Start Paper yourself

java -Xms2G -Xmx4G -jar paper.jar --nogui

The first run asks you to accept the EULA by setting eula=true in eula.txt.

Step 2: Install plugins#

Get plugins from a trusted site
Use Modrinth, Hangar (PaperMC's own), SpigotMC or the plugin's official page. Avoid random download sites.
Check the version
Pick a build that supports your Minecraft version. Read the page's dependency list.
Upload the jar
Put the .jar in the server's plugins folder with the File Manager or SFTP. On FreeGameHost you can instead search in Add-ons & Packs and install in one click.
Restart
Stop and start the server. On first start each plugin makes its own config folder.
Verify
Run /plugins. Green means loaded. Red means it failed: read the console for the reason.

Don't use /reload to load plugins. It can break plugins and cause memory leaks. Always restart.

Free Paper server Paper preinstalled. Add plugins from the panel in a click.

Create a Paper server

Plugins most servers install first#

Plugin	What it does
LuckPerms	Permissions and ranks. The standard choice.
EssentialsX	Homes, warps, teleport requests, kits, economy basics.
Vault	Bridge that other plugins use for economy and permissions.
WorldEdit	Build faster with selections and copy/paste.
CoreProtect	Logs block changes so you can roll back griefing.
Spark	Profiler for finding lag.
Geyser + Floodgate	Lets Bedrock players join. See the crossplay guide.

More ideas are in our list of the best Minecraft server plugins.

Configure plugins#

Each plugin keeps settings in plugins/<PluginName>/config.yml. Stop the server (or use the plugin's reload command if it has one), edit the file and start again. YAML uses spaces, not tabs, so a wrong indent is a common reason a plugin fails.

Give yourself permissions with LuckPerms

/lp user YourName permission set * true
/lp group default permission set essentials.home true

Updating plugins and Paper#

Make a backup.
Update Paper first if you change Minecraft version, then check each plugin has a matching release.
Replace the old plugin jar with the new one. Don't keep both versions in the folder.
Restart and read the console for errors.

Troubleshooting#

Plugin shows red in /plugins: missing dependency or wrong version. The console tells you which.
"Unsupported API version": the plugin is built for another Minecraft version. Find a matching release.
Server lags after adding plugins: run Spark and see which plugin uses the most time. See the lag guide.
Config changes don't apply: restart the server fully.

Frequently asked questions#

What is the difference between Paper and Spigot?

Paper is a fork of Spigot with many performance improvements and fixes. It runs Spigot and Bukkit plugins and adds extra settings, so most servers choose Paper.

Where do plugins go?

In the plugins folder inside your server. Upload the plugin's .jar file there and restart.

How do I check which plugins are loaded?

Run /plugins or /pl in-game or in the console. Green names are enabled; red ones failed to load.

Should I use /reload to load plugins?

No. /reload can break plugins and leak memory. Restart the server instead.

Can I use Forge or Fabric mods on Paper?

No. Paper runs plugins; Forge and Fabric run mods. They are different systems and can't be mixed on one server.

Why did my plugin not load?

Usually because it was built for another Minecraft version, a required dependency is missing (for example Vault), or the jar was uploaded corrupted. Read the first error in the console.