Running a Minecraft server costs money. RAM, CPU, backups, plugins, development time: it adds up. Monetization lets you cover costs and grow, but you must follow Mojang's Usage Guidelines. Breaking them risks your server being blacklisted.
What Mojang allows
- Cosmetic items: hats, particles, pets, chat colors, name tags, cosmetic trails. Anything that does not affect gameplay.
- Rank titles: VIP, MVP, Legend. The title itself is fine; the perks must be cosmetic or convenience-only.
- Convenience perks: extra homes (/sethome), faster warps, more chest space, reserved slots. These are a grey area but generally accepted.
- Access to the server: you can charge for access to the entire server, but not to specific gameplay features on an otherwise free server.
What Mojang forbids
- Pay-to-win: selling items, kits or abilities that give combat or progression advantages. Diamond swords, OP armor, extra health: all forbidden.
- Loot boxes / random rewards: if you sell something, the buyer must know exactly what they get. No gacha mechanics.
- Selling in-game currency that buys gameplay advantages. Cosmetic-only currency is fine.
Setting up Tebex
Tebex (formerly Buycraft) is the standard platform for Minecraft server stores:
- Create a free Tebex account.
- Install the Tebex plugin on your server.
- Connect the plugin with your Tebex secret key.
- Create packages (ranks, cosmetics) in the Tebex dashboard.
- For each package, define commands that execute on purchase (e.g.,
lp user {username} parent add vip). - Share the store link with your players.
Tebex handles payments (PayPal, Stripe, crypto), chargebacks and delivery automatically.
What sells best
- Ranks with cosmetic perks (80% of revenue for most servers).
- Cosmetic crates with known contents (particle effects, trails).
- Custom titles above the player's head.
- Discord role sync: rank buyers get a role in your Discord server.
Can Mojang shut down my server for selling?
Yes. Mojang has sent cease-and-desist letters to servers that sell pay-to-win items. They can also blacklist your server from the authentication system, preventing anyone from connecting.
How much can a server earn?
It depends on your community size. A server with 50 regular players can realistically earn 50 to 200 EUR/month. Larger servers with 500+ daily players can earn thousands. The key is building a loyal community, not aggressive selling.
Run your monetized server on a Minecraft plan at HostValues.
