Free game hosting sounds appealing, but comes with significant limitations.
Free hosting: pros
Providers like Aternos and Minehut let you start a Minecraft server for free. Good for testing or playing with a few friends.
Free hosting: cons
Server shuts down when nobody is connected, RAM typically 1-2 GB, queues to start, limited control over mods and configurations, ads in some cases.
Paid hosting: what do you get?
Dedicated RAM, 24/7 uptime, NVMe SSDs, full control via panel, DDoS protection, technical support, and no ads.
When to upgrade?
When you have more than 5 players, want to use mods/modpacks, or need stable uptime for a community.
