How do I make a Minecraft server for just me and my friends?

Create a free server at FreeGameHost.xyz, enable the whitelist in server.properties, add your friends' usernames with the /whitelist add command, and share your server address. Only whitelisted players can join.

Can my friends join my Minecraft server when I'm offline?

Yes. FreeGameHost runs your server 24/7 in the cloud — your friends can connect any time, even when you're not playing. There's no sleep mode or shutdown timer.

How many friends can join my free Minecraft server?

There's no player cap from FreeGameHost. With 4GB RAM you can comfortably run a group of 10–20 friends on vanilla or a modded server.

Do my friends need to download anything to join?

Your friends only need Minecraft itself. They don't need to sign up for FreeGameHost or download any extra software — they just add your server address in the Multiplayer menu.

How to Make a Minecraft Server for Friends in 2026 (Free, Private & Easy)

By FreeGameHost Team • Updated May 2026 • 7 min read

Want to play Minecraft with your friends without the hassle of port forwarding, keeping your PC on, or paying for hosting? This guide shows you how to get a private Minecraft server for your friend group up and running in under 60 seconds — completely free, with 4 GB RAM and true 24/7 uptime so friends can play even when you're offline.

4 GBRAM free

<60sSetup time

24/7Online always

∞Player slots

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Step-by-step: creating your server
How to invite your friends
Making your server private (whitelist)
Giving friends admin or op
Playing with mods or modpacks together
How many friends can join?
Can friends join when you're offline?
FAQ

Step-by-step: creating your free server

Create your free FreeGameHost account

Go to panel.freegamehost.xyz and sign up with your email. No credit card, no subscription — your account is ready in 30 seconds.

~30 seconds

Create a new server

Click Create Server and select Minecraft Java Edition. (Choose Bedrock if you and your friends play on console or mobile — see the note below.) Give your server a name.

~20 seconds

Pick your version and server type

Select your Minecraft version. For a straightforward friend group server, choose Paper as the server type — it runs well, supports plugins, and is more stable than vanilla. If you want mods, choose Forge or Fabric instead.

~15 seconds

Start the server and accept the EULA

Click Start. The server will boot and pause — this is expected on first run. Go to the Startup tab, set EULA to true, then click Start again. It'll fully load in about 45 seconds.

~45 seconds

Get your server address

Once the console shows Done, click the Network tab. You'll see your server address — something like node1.freegamehost.xyz:25565. This is what you share with friends.

Instant

Java or Bedrock? If everyone in your friend group plays on PC, use Java Edition. If any friends play on Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS, or Android, use Bedrock Edition — it lets all platforms connect to the same server.

How to invite your friends to the server

Once your server is running, sharing it takes about 10 seconds:

Copy your server address from the Network tab in your panel
Send it to your friends — Discord, WhatsApp, text message, wherever you chat
Friends open Minecraft, click Multiplayer → Add Server
They paste the address and click Join Server

Want a cleaner address? Instead of sharing a long IP like node1.freegamehost.xyz:25565, you can set up a custom domain so your friends connect with something like play.yourserver.com. Our custom domain setup guide walks through it in under 10 minutes.

Your server runs around the clock — friends can connect any time, even when you're not playing. There's no sleep mode, no queue, and no startup delay.

Making your server private (whitelist)

By default, anyone who knows your server address can join. For a friends-only server, you'll want to enable the whitelist — a list of approved players. Only those on the list can connect.

Enable the whitelist

In your panel, go to File Manager and open server.properties
Find the line white-list=false and change it to white-list=true
Save the file and restart your server

Add your friends to the whitelist

In your server console (in the panel), run these commands — one per friend:

whitelist add Steve
whitelist add Alex
whitelist add YourOtherFriend
# Use each friend's exact Minecraft username

You can also run whitelist list to see everyone on it, and whitelist remove Username to remove someone.

Don't forget to whitelist yourself. Run whitelist add YourUsername in the console before enabling the whitelist, otherwise you'll lock yourself out.

Giving friends operator (admin) access

If you want a trusted friend to be able to run admin commands (set the time, teleport players, manage the server while you're away), give them operator status:

op FriendUsername
# Run this in the console or as an existing op in-game

Operators can run all commands with a slash — /gamemode, /tp, /ban, /give, and so on. To remove someone's op status: deop FriendUsername.

Want more granular permissions? Install LuckPerms to create custom ranks (Owner, Admin, Member) and control exactly what each rank can do. It's free and works on all Paper/Spigot servers.

Playing with mods or modpacks together

Friends-group servers are a great use case for modpacks — everyone loads the same mods and plays in a shared world. The most popular choices for small groups in 2026:

Survival / SMP

Vanilla or Paper

The simplest option. Paper adds useful admin tools and plugin support without changing gameplay. Best for groups who just want to play together.

Modded adventure

Better Minecraft

A curated Forge modpack that improves nearly every aspect of vanilla play. Very popular for friend groups wanting more content without being overwhelming.

Challenge

RLCraft

The hardcore survival modpack. Brutal, funny, and great to play with friends. Runs on 4 GB RAM with no issues.

Tech & automation

Create: Above and Beyond

A Forge modpack built around the Create mod — automation, contraptions, and engineering. Great for groups who enjoy building and problem-solving.

All of these run on FreeGameHost's free 4 GB tier. For modpacks with 150+ mods, our premium plans give you extra headroom from €1/GB RAM.

Important for modpacks: Everyone in your friend group needs to install the same modpack client-side. Share the CurseForge or ATLauncher modpack link with your friends so you're all on the same version.

How many friends can play on the free server?

FreeGameHost doesn't impose any player cap — you can set max-players in server.properties to whatever you like. In practice, how many players run smoothly depends on what you're playing:

Server type	Comfortable player count	Notes
Vanilla / Paper (no mods)	20–30 friends	Very little RAM overhead per player
Light plugins (EssentialsX, WorldGuard, etc.)	15–25 friends	Plugins add minimal overhead
Small-medium modpack (<100 mods)	10–15 friends	Mods use more RAM at startup
Heavy modpack (100–200 mods)	5–10 friends	Most friend groups don't need more

For a typical friend group of 5–10 people, even the heaviest modpacks run comfortably on the free 4 GB allocation.

Can friends join when you're offline?

Yes — this is one of the biggest advantages of using FreeGameHost over hosting on your own PC. Your server runs continuously in our data centre whether you're online or not. Friends can:

Join and play while you're at work or asleep
Keep playing after you log off
Start sessions without needing to ask you to "turn the server on"

There's no idle shutdown, no sleep mode, and no queue. Once your server is started in the panel, it stays on until you manually stop it.

Frequently asked questions

Do my friends need to sign up for FreeGameHost?

No. Only you (the server owner) need a FreeGameHost account. Your friends just need Minecraft and your server address — that's all.

Can I play on the same server as my friends if they have Bedrock and I have Java?

Not directly — Java and Bedrock are separate editions. However, you can run a Bedrock server that accepts console, mobile, and PC Bedrock players all at once. If you specifically need Java and Bedrock crossplay, a plugin called Geyser can bridge the two, though setup is more involved.

How do I stop random players from joining?

Enable the whitelist as described above. With white-list=true only players you've added with whitelist add Username can connect — everyone else gets a "not whitelisted" message.

My friend can't connect — what should they check?

First confirm the server is showing as Running in your panel (green status). Then check: the server address is copied correctly including the port (e.g. :25565), their Minecraft version matches your server version, and if you have a whitelist enabled, their username is on it.

Can I give my friend their own world on the same server?

Yes, with the Multiverse-Core plugin. It lets you run multiple worlds on a single server and teleport between them. Useful for giving friends separate creative spaces while sharing a main survival world.

Is there a mobile app to manage the server?

The FreeGameHost control panel works in any mobile browser. You can start/stop your server, run console commands, and manage files from your phone — no app download needed.

Ready to play? Create your free server and invite your friends in under 60 seconds.

Create Free Server →

Free tools & hosting: server.properties generator