How much RAM does a Minecraft server need?

Q: How much RAM does a Minecraft server need?

About 3 GB for 5 players without mods, and never less than 2 GB. Vanilla and Paper servers are light; modpacks (Forge, Fabric, NeoForge) need much more. A typical modpack wants 6-8 GB, a large one 10 GB or more. This is an estimate based on typical usage.

Minecraft server RAM calculator

Vanilla and Paper servers are light; modpacks (Forge, Fabric, NeoForge) need much more. A typical modpack wants 6-8 GB, a large one 10 GB or more.

Recommended RAM

3 GB

An estimate based on typical usage, not a guarantee: real use grows with players, mods and world age.

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How this estimate works

We start from Minecraft’s published server requirements (at least 2 GB), then add memory for each player, each of your mods or plugins and your view distance, and round up to a whole GB. It’s an estimate based on typical usage: a world that has been played for a long time, or heavy mods, can need more. Source for the minimum.