How much RAM does a Minecraft server need for 2 players?
A Minecraft server for 2 players needs about 2.7 GB of RAM on vanilla by our rule: 2 GB for the server and 1 GB for every three players. Plans come in whole sizes, so that means a 4 GB plan, or a 2 GB plan if you both stay near one base and lower the view distance. Plugins add a little: two players on Paper with a few plugins need about 3 GB. Mods change the picture, because a Fabric or Forge server needs about 5 GB before anyone joins.
| Kind of server | RAM for 2 players | Plan size |
|---|---|---|
| Vanilla | 2.7 GB | 4 GB, or 2 GB near one base |
| Paper with a few plugins | 3 GB | 4 GB |
| Your own Fabric or Forge mods | 6 GB | 8 GB |
| Light modpack, about 100 mods | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Large modpack | 10 GB | 12 GB |
Best Minecraft server plans for 2 players
The best Minecraft server plan for 2 players on vanilla has 4 GB of RAM, and the cheapest one we compare costs €3.20 a month:
For 2 to 5 players with vanilla Minecraft on Java in Poland (Warsaw), the finder recommends Cheapest Minecraft Hosting Starter: 4 GB, AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, DDR5, for €3.20 a month when you pay monthly. The best plans at the other two hosts are Astroworld Mini Performance at €7.95 and Lodehost Mini at €7.95.
| If you want | Host and plan | Memory | Processor | Location | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest price | CheapestMinecraftHosting Starter | 4 GB | AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, DDR5 | Poland (Warsaw) | €3.20 |
| Balanced | Lodehost Mini | 4 GB | AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, DDR5 | Poland (Warsaw) | €7.95 (€6.95 on 24 mo) New customers: €3.18 for the first month, 60% off |
| More performance | Astroworld Mini Performance | 4 GB | AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, DDR5 | Poland (Warsaw) | €7.95 (€6.95 on 24 mo) New customers: €3.18 a month for the first 3 months, 60% off |
The table is sized for up to five players, so the two of you have room to invite a third friend later. CheapestMinecraftHosting Mini with 2 GB costs €1.60, the lowest price on our list, and Lodehost Mini gives you 4 GB on reserved Ryzen 9 threads with daily backups for €7.95.
Is a 2 GB Minecraft server enough for 2 players?
A 2 GB Minecraft server is enough for 2 players on vanilla as long as you play near one base. A Java server uses close to 2 GB just to start and keep the spawn area loaded, so the margin is thin once you both fly off in different directions with an elytra. Run Paper, set the view distance to 6 or 8 chunks and pre-generate the world, and 2 GB holds two players well. For anything more, the 4 GB plan from the same host costs €3.20 a month. Our page on 2 GB Minecraft server hosting lists the settings that help most.
Minecraft server for 2 players: Realms, LAN or hosting?
For 2 players, a hosted Minecraft server beats LAN and competes with Realms on price. Opening a world to LAN only works while the host's game is running, so your friend cannot play when you are offline. A Realm stays online and takes a minute to start; on Bedrock, Realms Core at US$3.99 a month in the US store covers the owner plus two friends, and a Java Realm is US$7.99. What a Realm cannot do is run plugins or mods, or put a Java player and a Bedrock player in one world. A 4 GB server does all of that for €3.20 a month at the cheapest host we compare.
How to set up a Minecraft server for you and a friend
You can set up a Minecraft server for you and a friend in four steps:
- Choose a plan in a location close to both of you. 4 GB covers vanilla and a few plugins.
- Pick the server software: vanilla for the game as it is, Paper if you may want plugins later, Fabric or Forge for mods.
- Turn on the whitelist with
/whitelist onand add your friend with/whitelist addand their player name. - Send your friend the address from the panel. Java players add it under Multiplayer, Bedrock players in the Servers tab.
Can 2 players play on a free Minecraft server?
Yes, 2 players can play on a free Minecraft server, and for two friends who always play together it can work well. Aternos stops the server after a countdown when nobody is online, and Minehut's free plan has 10 player slots and 1 GB of RAM, with a server that sleeps when empty. That suits two players on vanilla who log on at the same time. If one of you wants to play alone, or you want farms that run while you sleep, a paid plan is the step up; see free Minecraft server hosting.