Minecraft · Software
Every server jar, and the one question that picks between them.
The choice is not about which software is objectively best. It is about whether you want plugins, mods, or neither — and once you answer that, the shortlist writes itself.
Three families, not one ranking
Minecraft server software is not a ladder from good to bad. It is a handful of families that do different jobs, and the right choice depends entirely on what you want the server to do.
- Plugin servers (Spigot, Paper, Purpur) keep the world close to vanilla and add behaviour through plugins. This is what public survival, skyblock and minigame servers almost always run.
- Mod loaders (Fabric, Forge, NeoForge) change the game itself, adding new blocks, machines, dimensions and mechanics. Mods reach deeper than plugins, and both sides need the same mods installed.
- Vanilla (Vanilla Minecraft and Vanilla Bedrock) is the reference server with nothing added. It is the simplest thing to reason about and the least configurable.
Proxies are a fourth thing entirely. Velocity and BungeeCord do not run a world at all; they sit in front of other servers and route players between them. That deserves its own page, and it has one: proxies and multi-server networks.
The plugin servers: Spigot, Paper and Purpur
Spigot is the historical foundation. It is the API most plugins are written against and the codebase Paper forked from. It still works, but it has been overtaken and there is rarely a reason to pick it for a new server.
Paper is the modern default. It keeps Spigot plugin compatibility, ships a long list of performance and stability fixes, and separates its settings into readable configuration files. If you are unsure what to run and your server is not modded, Paper is the answer.
Purpur is a fork of Paper that adds an enormous number of extra toggles: mob behaviour, enchantment limits, ridable entities and more. Choose Purpur when you want to shape game rules precisely without writing a plugin. It costs nothing in plugin compatibility, but it is a smaller project than Paper, so newer Minecraft releases can take a little longer to reach it.
The mod loaders: Fabric, Forge and NeoForge
If you want content that changes the game rather than tweaks it, you are in mod loader territory. The tradeoff is that every player needs the matching mods installed, and the server carries the cost of running them.
- Fabric is small and quick to update, which makes it the best choice for a light or performance-oriented modded server. Its ecosystem is large and active, and its core stays out of the way.
- Forge has the deepest history. Large kitchen-sink modpacks and older Minecraft versions still live here, and the ecosystem is enormous. It also carries more overhead than Fabric.
- NeoForge began as a community fork of Forge after a governance split. For current Minecraft versions, many mod authors now target NeoForge rather than Forge, so it is the forward-looking choice for a modern modpack.
The practical rule for modded servers is to pick the loader your mods are built for, not the one that sounds faster. A loader with no mods on it does nothing for you.
Vanilla, and Bedrock
Vanilla Minecraft is the reference implementation. It has no plugin API and no mod support, which is exactly why it is predictable, easy to update and the standard for technical players who want the real game. Vanilla Bedrock is the parallel server for the Bedrock edition, with its own protocol and ports; it is covered in detail on the Bedrock hosting page.
Side by side
Every jar the panel can install, with the plain description of what it is for.
| Software | Family | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| PaperPerformance patches on top of Spigot, with the full Bukkit plugin ecosystem. | Plugin | Most public Java servers |
| PurpurEverything Paper offers, plus a large set of extra gameplay toggles. | Plugin · Paper fork | Tinkerers and unusual rulesets |
| SpigotThe base Paper builds on. Works, but Paper is faster and better supported. | Plugin | Legacy plugin setups |
| FabricSmall core, fast updates, a modern and active mod ecosystem. | Mod loader | Lightweight modded servers |
| ForgeThe long-standing mod platform. Deep ecosystem, heavier footprint. | Mod loader | Large modpacks, older versions |
| NeoForgeA community fork of Forge aimed at current Minecraft versions. | Mod loader · Forge fork | Modern modded servers |
| Vanilla MinecraftNo plugins, no mods, no patches — exactly what Mojang ships. | Vanilla | Unmodified survival |
| Vanilla BedrockThe official Bedrock server for mobile, console and Windows players. | Bedrock | Bedrock and cross-play |
| VelocityThe modern proxy maintained by the Paper team. Sits in front of backends. | Proxy | Multi-server networks |
| BungeeCordThe original proxy from SpigotMC. Still used, but Velocity is the newer option. | Proxy | Multi-server networks |
Which should you actually pick?
- A public survival or skyblock server with plugins: Paper.
- A server with unusual rules you want toggles for: Purpur.
- A light modded server that tracks new versions: Fabric.
- A large modpack, or an older Minecraft version: Forge.
- A modern modpack on a current version: NeoForge.
- A technical or purist world with nothing added: Vanilla Minecraft.
- Mobile, console or cross-play: Vanilla Bedrock.
If you are still unsure, start on Paper. It is the least surprising choice, it has the most documentation, and you can install a different jar later without changing plans.
Server software — questions
Is Paper better than Spigot?
For almost every server, yes. Paper is built on Spigot and keeps the same plugin API, then adds performance work and more configuration. A Spigot plugin that is maintained will normally run on Paper unchanged.
Can I use plugins and mods at the same time?
Not on the same jar. Paper, Purpur and Spigot load plugins; Fabric, Forge and NeoForge load mods. Some community projects bridge the two, but they are not standard and you should treat plugins and mods as a choice, not a combination.
Which software is fastest?
For a plain Java server with no content, Paper with no plugins generates the least overhead. Vanilla is closest to the reference implementation. Modded servers are as fast as their heaviest mod allows, which is usually the limiting factor rather than the loader.
Can I change software after creating a server?
Yes. The panel lists the available server jars and lets you install a different one. Back up your world first, because switching between plugin and modded software changes which world data is understood.
Install any of these from the panel.
Every Rynox Minecraft plan can run the server jar you choose, and the availability list is the same across tiers. Compare the plans on the pricing page.