Minecraft Server RAM Calculator
How much RAM does your Minecraft server need? Pick your server type and how many players you expect to get a sensible starting point.
Partner link: PeakMCList may earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you.
How this is worked out
Every server needs a base amount to run the game and load the spawn area. On top of that, each player adds loaded chunks and entities around them, which grows quickly with view distance. Plugins and mods add their own memory, and modpacks need far more because every mod adds blocks, items and code.
It's a rule of thumb, not a guarantee: farms, big redstone builds and badly written plugins can use much more. If your host gives you a set amount, leave about 1 GB of it spare for Java itself rather than giving all of it to the server.
How to use the RAM Calculator
- Pick your server type, from vanilla through plugin servers and modpacks to a proxy or a Bedrock server.
- Enter how many players you expect online at busy times.
- For plugin and light mod servers, enter how many plugins or mods you run.
- Set your view distance. You get a recommended amount of RAM and the minimum it may run on.
Common questions
Is more RAM always better?
No. Past about 12 GB, extra RAM helps less and less, because one Java server can only use so much of it. A server that large is usually better split into several servers behind a proxy.
Should I give the server all the RAM my host provides?
Leave about 1 GB spare. Java itself needs memory beyond what you set for the server, and a server given every last megabyte can be stopped by the host for going over its limit.
Why does view distance change the answer so much?
Each player keeps the chunks around them loaded, and the number of chunks grows quickly as view distance rises. Lowering it is one of the cheapest ways to cut memory and lag.
How accurate is the result?
It is a rule of thumb, not a guarantee. Big farms, large redstone builds and badly written plugins can use much more than the estimate.