Shulkerboxes

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Aternos Alternatives for a Small Friend Group

Last checked: 3 October 2026

The main alternatives to Aternos for a small friend group are Minehut and FalixNodes (other free hosts), exaroton (pay for the hours you use), Realms (official subscription), self-hosting on your own PC, and Shulkerboxes (free Java Edition hosting, invite-only, US adults 18+, gameplay recorded for AI datasets). Which one fits depends on whether you need mods or plugins, whether you can pay, and how much waiting you'll accept.

What Aternos does well

Aternos is one of the best-known free hosts. Its site says it is free and will always be free, and it supports a wide range of server software, including plugin platforms such as Paper and Spigot, mod loaders such as Forge, NeoForge, Fabric, and Quilt, and modpacks. For a lot of groups that is all they need, and the alternatives below are not automatically better.

Common reasons people look elsewhere

These are trade-offs of running a free service, and Aternos explains them in its own help center.

  • Queues. Aternos's help center says that when its system is full you may wait in a queue before your server starts, and you confirm when you reach the front.
  • Ads and ad-blocker messages. Aternos's help center has an article about the "You are using an adblocker" message shown on its site.
  • Server stops when empty. Aternos's help center says it stops servers that have no players, with a countdown timer on the server page that disappears once someone joins.
  • Resource limits. Like any free service, resources are shared. Check Aternos's site for current details.

Alternatives compared

ServiceCostMods / pluginsStarts when empty?Notable limits
AternosFreeYesStops when empty, with a countdownA start queue when its system is full
MinehutFree Starter plan and paid plansPlugins, uploaded from the dashboardFree servers sleep when empty and wake when a player joinsFree Starter plan has 10 player slots and 1 GB RAM; the site shows ads
FalixNodesFree plan and paid plansYes (Paper, Spigot, Forge, Fabric, and more)Free servers sleep after inactivity; anyone with the address can wake them with its Start Server toolCheck its site for free plan limits
exarotonPay for runtime: 1 credit per GB of RAM per hourYesOptional start-by-joining and automatic stopNot free after the trial
Realms$7.99 USD a month for Java (minecraft.net)Check the Realms pageAlways on (24/7)You plus 10 players online at once
Self-hostingFree (your PC and power)YesRuns while your PC is onPort forwarding or tunnel needed, CGNAT issues
ShulkerboxesFree, no ads, no credit cardCheck before you joinWakes when a friend joins, ready in about a minuteUS adults 18+, invite-only waitlist, gameplay recorded for AI datasets

How to choose

  1. Need mods or plugins? Look at Aternos, Minehut, FalixNodes, exaroton, or self-hosting, which all say they support them.
  2. Can you pay a little? exaroton charges for the time the server runs, based on its RAM, which suits groups that play a few evenings a week. Realms is simplest if you'd rather pay a flat monthly fee.
  3. Want zero cost and no ads? Self-hosting or Shulkerboxes, if your group meets its eligibility rules and is comfortable with gameplay recording.
  4. Is anyone in the group under 18 or outside the US? Shulkerboxes is not an option for that group.
  5. Have an existing world? Check that the host lets you upload one before you move.

Moving a world from Aternos

  1. Stop the server on Aternos.
  2. Download the world from your Aternos server panel. Aternos's help center has guides for its world tools.
  3. On the new host, create a server with the same game version and server software.
  4. Upload the world folder through the new host's file manager or world upload tool, if it has one.
  5. Start the server and check that player inventories and builds look right.

Version mismatches are the most common problem after a move. See our outdated server guide.

Troubleshooting after switching

  • Friends time out on the new address. Make sure they removed the old entry and added the new address, and that the server is running. See the timeout guide.
  • Plugins missing. The new server must run the same software (Paper, Fabric, and so on), and plugins or mods must be reinstalled.
  • Self-hosting doesn't work for friends. You may be behind CGNAT. See playing without port forwarding.

Where Shulkerboxes fits (and doesn't)

Shulkerboxes is free server hosting for Minecraft: Java Edition friend groups, with no ads and no credit card. A server wakes up when a friend joins and is ready in about a minute, and your group gets a private Discord channel with the team. It is invite-only with a waitlist and open to US adults 18+ only. It is free because gameplay is recorded and de-identified into AI training datasets, and chat is recorded only if you opt in (full explanation). If your group needs mods, plugins, Bedrock, or a world upload, Aternos or another option above that says it supports them will serve you better.

FAQ

Is Aternos still free?

Aternos's site says it is free and will always be free. Check its site for current details.

Which alternative is best for modpacks?

A host that supports mods and gives you enough memory: Aternos, FalixNodes, exaroton, a paid plan elsewhere, or self-hosting on a capable PC.

Can I avoid ads entirely for free?

Self-hosting has no ads. Shulkerboxes has no ads but records gameplay for AI datasets and has eligibility rules.

Do any free hosts keep the server always on?

Aternos, Minehut, and FalixNodes all stop or sleep empty free servers. Always-on usually means paying or self-hosting.

Can I take my Aternos world to another host?

Usually. Check that the new host accepts a world upload, and match the game version first.

Sources