15.601s
First boot
Includes generating a brand-new world. One run.
Paper hosting
Paper server hosting with the build written down
Paper runs plugins without asking your players to install anything. Pick a Minecraft version and the panel fetches that build from PaperMC, sets the matching Java and writes the build number down, so you always know what is actually running.
Written and reviewed by YiorasHost technical team · Last tested
Is Paper the right choice
Plugins on the server, nothing on the client
Paper is a server built on Spigot and Bukkit. Everything it adds runs on our side, so players connect with an unmodified Minecraft Java Edition client. That single property decides most of the choice below.
| Server software | Players install | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|
| Paper | Nothing | You want plugins — permissions, land claims, moderation, pre-generation — and players joining with a normal client. |
| Vanilla | Nothing | You want Minecraft exactly as Mojang ships it and no plugins at all. |
| Purpur | Nothing | You already want Paper and also want its extra gameplay and configuration options. Paper plugins keep working. |
| Fabric | The mod set | You want mods rather than plugins, and everyone will install the same mods. |
| Forge / NeoForge | The modpack | You are running a modpack. Our Modpacks tool handles these; Forge starts at Minecraft 1.17. |
All six are one click apart in the Versions tab, so this is not a decision you are locked into. Read the modded guide if you are leaning towards a pack.
What the install produced
A named build, not “latest”
We installed Paper on a disposable test server on 25 July 2026 and recorded exactly what the panel did. These are the real values from that run.
| Step | Recorded result |
|---|---|
| Jar source | Downloaded from PaperMC’s own distribution (fill-data.papermc.io), 61,742,791 bytes |
| Build installed | Paper 26.2 build 65 — the server reports 26.2-65-main@fc9375a, built 22 July 2026 |
| Java runtime | Java 25 selected automatically, because that is what this Paper build requires |
| Panel variables | MINECRAFT_VERSION set to 26.2, BUILD_NUMBER set to 65 |
| EULA | eula.txt written after the EULA was accepted in the panel |
| First boot | Overworld, Nether and End generated, and the plugins folder created |
Your own build number appears in the Versions tab and in the server console, so you can always check what is running before you report a bug to a plugin author.
Plugins
Filtered to what fits your server
The Plugins tab searches Modrinth and only shows plugins that list support for your server’s software and Minecraft version, so the usual mistake — installing a jar built for a different version — is much harder to make. Installs land in the plugins folder and load on the next restart.
You are not limited to that catalogue. Upload a jar yourself for anything hosted elsewhere, or use the file manager and SFTP for bulk configuration work.
On our test server, Chunky 1.5.3 installed from the tab and Paper loaded it on the following start, logging Enabling Chunky v1.5.3.
Choosing a version
Newest is not automatically best
Plugin authors need time after a Minecraft release. When we checked on 25 July 2026, Modrinth listed WorldEdit for Paper 1.21.11 but not yet for 26.2, and Paper’s own 26.2 build described its plugin API as beta.
So if a particular plugin is the reason you want Paper, choose the newest Minecraft version that plugin supports rather than the newest one in the list. The Versions tab shows every release, and you can move later once your plugins catch up.
What we measured
Startup times from our own test server
Paper prints its own startup time in the console. These are the numbers it printed on our test server — useful as a demonstration of the method, not as a promise about yours.
8.267s
Restart, median
World already generated. Three consecutive runs, 8.214s to 8.377s.
8.382s
Restart with a plugin
The same world with Chunky 1.5.3 installed.
Running it day to day
Stops, backups, moves and resizing
Stopping is a real shutdown
The Stop button asks Paper to shut down rather than killing it, so it saves chunks and finishes writing to disk first. Across four stop/start cycles on our test server it exited cleanly every time.
Back up before you experiment
Create a panel backup and download a copy before a version change or a batch of new plugins. Worlds opened on a newer Minecraft version may not safely go back to an older one.
How version changes work →Bringing an existing world
Tell support your current server software, Minecraft version, plugin list and world size before you order. We will confirm what transfers cleanly and what needs changing, instead of you finding out afterwards.
Ask before you order →Outgrowing the plan
Plugins are the usual reason a Paper server needs more RAM. Changing plan resizes the same server and keeps its files and address, so start conservatively rather than over-buying.
How upgrades work →
What the plan includes
The rest of the service
Helsinki, one location
Java servers run on our production node in Helsinki, Finland. There is no location selector today, and we publish the network sample behind that.
See the location evidence →Resources, stated plainly
Plan RAM is dedicated. NVMe server storage and network-level L3/L4 DDoS mitigation are included. CPU, storage I/O and network capacity are shared.
Price and refund terms
The plans page carries the current price and resources for every size. A 7-day first-order money-back guarantee applies under the published policy.
Read the refund policy →
FAQ
Paper hosting questions
What is Paper and why use it instead of Vanilla?
Paper is a Minecraft server built on Spigot and Bukkit. Its practical advantage is that it loads Bukkit plugins, so you can add permissions, land claims, world pre-generation or moderation tools without touching anyone’s game client. Vanilla cannot load plugins at all.
Do my friends need to install anything to join a Paper server?
No. Paper is server-side only, so an unmodified Minecraft Java Edition client on the matching version connects normally. That is the main difference from Fabric, Forge and NeoForge servers, where a modpack usually has to be installed on every player’s computer.
Which exact Paper build do I get?
You choose the Minecraft version in the Versions tab and the panel installs the current build for it, downloaded from PaperMC’s own distribution. On 25 July 2026 our test server installed Paper 26.2 build 65 and recorded it as MINECRAFT_VERSION 26.2 and BUILD_NUMBER 65, so the running build is always visible rather than an unnamed "latest".
Should I pick the newest Minecraft version for a plugin server?
Often not. Plugins need time to catch up after a Minecraft release. On 25 July 2026 Modrinth listed WorldEdit for Paper 1.21.11 but not yet for 26.2, and Paper’s own build reported a beta API version for 26.2. If a specific plugin matters to your server, pick the newest version that plugin supports.
Do I have to pick the right Java version myself?
No. The panel reads the Java version the chosen Paper build requires and switches the server’s Java image to match. On our test install of Paper 26.2 it selected Java 25 without any manual step.
How do I install Paper plugins?
The Plugins tab searches Modrinth, filtered to plugins that list support for your server’s software and Minecraft version, and installs the jar into the plugins folder. You can also upload a jar yourself. Plugins load on the next server restart. On our test server Chunky 1.5.3 installed this way and Paper loaded it on the following start.
Does stopping the server risk my world?
The panel Stop button sends Paper a real shutdown rather than killing the process, so it saves chunks and finishes its disk writes first. In our four stop/start cycles the server exited cleanly every time. Take a backup before large changes anyway — a version change or plugin experiment is the risky part, not the stop.
Can I switch to Purpur or Fabric later, or change my plan?
Yes to both. The Versions tab moves the same server between Vanilla, Paper, Purpur, Fabric, Forge and NeoForge, and changing plan resizes the server without changing its address or deleting its files. Purpur is a Paper fork that keeps plugin compatibility and adds configuration options; Fabric and the Forge loaders run mods instead of plugins.
Pick the version your plugins support, then start
Paper is the practical choice when you want plugins and vanilla-compatible clients. Choose enough RAM for your plugin list, and ask us first if you are moving an existing world.
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