Why Minecraft modpacks need so much RAM
A large modpack loads hundreds of mods when the server starts, and each mod adds blocks, items, recipes and often its own world generation. That is why a large modpack needs about 8 GB before a single player joins. Each player then adds about 1 GB, because modded chunks contain much more than vanilla chunks: machines, pipes, storage systems and custom mobs.
| Players online | Vanilla | Plugins | Modded | Modpack |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 to 5 | 4 GB | 5 GB | 8 GB | 13 GB |
| 6 to 10 | 6 GB | 7 GB | 10 GB | 18 GB |
| 11 to 20 | 9 GB | 12 GB | 15 GB | 28 GB |
Best plans for a Minecraft modpack server
The best plan for a Minecraft modpack server with five players is 16 GB, and up to four players fit on 12 GB.
For 2 to 5 players with a large modpack on Java in Poland (Warsaw), the finder recommends Astroworld Hosting Advanced Performance: 16 GB, AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, DDR5, for €40.95 a month when you pay monthly. As a new customer you pay €16.38 a month for the first 3 months, 60% off. The best plans at the other two hosts are Lodehost Premium at €46.95 and CheapestMinecraftHosting Pro at €12.80.
| If you want | Host and plan | Memory | Processor | Location | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest price | CheapestMinecraftHosting Pro | 16 GB | AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, DDR5 | Poland (Warsaw) | €12.80 |
| Balanced | Astroworld Advanced Performance | 16 GB | AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, DDR5 | Poland (Warsaw) | €40.95 (€36.95 on 24 mo) New customers: €16.38 a month for the first 3 months, 60% off |
| More performance | Astroworld Advanced Performance | 16 GB | AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, DDR5 | Poland (Warsaw) | €40.95 (€36.95 on 24 mo) New customers: €16.38 a month for the first 3 months, 60% off |
For large modpacks we usually recommend Astroworld Hosting first. Its standard line has the sizes a modpack needs at sale prices, and the Performance line adds reserved Ryzen 9 threads for modpacks with a lot of automation. On a tight budget, CheapestMinecraftHosting Pro gives you 16 GB for €12.80 on a shared Ryzen 9 7950X, and CheapestMinecraftHosting Builder with 12 GB for €9.60 is enough for up to four players.
How to install a modpack on a Minecraft server
All three hosts let you install modpacks from the panel. Lodehost installs them directly from CurseForge, Modrinth and Feed The Beast, Cheapest Minecraft Hosting from CurseForge and FTB in one click, and Astroworld Hosting runs every Forge and Fabric modpack. Use the server pack that the modpack authors publish, not the client pack, because the server pack leaves out client-side mods that would crash a server.
Three tips to keep a Minecraft modpack server running smoothly
To keep a Minecraft modpack server running smoothly, do these three things from the first day:
- Pre-generate the world before players join, so new modded chunks are not generated while they explore.
- Restart the server once a day. Large modpacks slowly leak memory, and a scheduled restart at 5 in the morning prevents problems.
- Make a backup before every modpack update. Updates change world data, and without a backup you cannot go back.
How much RAM light, large and expert modpacks need
A light modpack needs about 6 GB of RAM before anyone joins, a large modpack about 8 GB and an expert pack about 10 GB, and each player adds about 1 GB. Not every modpack is the same size, and the RAM you need follows the kind of pack:
- Light modpacks with up to a hundred mods, often quality of life and decoration, start lower: plan on about 6 GB plus 1 GB per player, and about 7 GB plus 1 GB per player for a pack of around 200 mods. A hand-picked set of mods needs less again, about 5 GB plus 1 GB for every two players, as on our page about modded Minecraft hosting.
- Large kitchen-sink modpacks such as the All the Mods series, with 300 mods or more, need about 8 GB before anyone joins and about 1 GB per player. Most of this page is about them.
- Tech and expert modpacks may have fewer mods, but players build huge factories that run all day. They need even more RAM than a large pack, about 10 GB before anyone joins plus 1 GB per player, and a fast processor matters even more.
If the modpack's own page recommends a server size, use whichever number is higher: theirs or ours.
Server hosting for popular Minecraft modpacks
The most popular Minecraft modpacks each have their own server guide, with the RAM, loader and version they need:
- ATM10 server hosting: All the Mods 10, a large kitchen-sink pack on NeoForge 1.21.1.
- Pixelmon server hosting: Pokémon in Minecraft, on NeoForge 1.21.1.
- Cobblemon server hosting: the light official Cobblemon pack on Fabric 1.21.1.
- RLCraft server hosting: hardcore survival with dragons, on Forge 1.12.2.
- Vault Hunters server hosting: the vault-raiding RPG on Forge 1.18.2.
- SkyFactory server hosting: skyblock in SkyFactory 4 and SkyFactory 5.
- Create mod server hosting: Create on its own or in a Create modpack.
- ATM9 server hosting: All the Mods 9, more than 400 mods on Forge 1.20.1.
- FTB server hosting: the Feed The Beast packs, from StoneBlock 4 to Direwolf20.
- StoneBlock 4 server hosting: FTB's underground pack on NeoForge 1.21.1.
- GTNH server hosting: GregTech New Horizons on Forge 1.7.10, installed by hand.
- Prominence 2 server hosting: the Hasturian Era RPG on Fabric 1.20.1.
- DawnCraft server hosting: the souls-like RPG on Forge 1.18.2.
- DeceasedCraft server hosting: the zombie apocalypse in ruined cities, on Forge 1.20.1.
How to update a modpack server
To update a modpack server without losing the world, follow these four steps in order:
- Make a full backup first, because updates change world data and you cannot go back without one.
- Read the changelog of the new version for removed mods or a required world reset.
- Install the new server pack in the panel, and keep your own config changes aside so you can put them back.
- Ask every player to update to exactly the same version before they join.