Free Minecraft server hosting, built for small communities.

How to create a free Minecraft server

1. Sign in securely. Start on the website and continue with Discord OAuth. ChunkArc creates or links your Pelican panel account.
2. Choose the server. Enter your Minecraft username and custom address, then select Paper, Purpur, Folia or Fabric and a supported version.
3. Start and invite. Open the panel, start the server and share the custom address with your friends.

What the Free Beta includes

You receive access to the console, files, startup settings and normal server controls through the Pelican panel. Creation can start on the website or in Discord; both paths use the same account, limits and provisioning system.

Who is it for?

The Free Beta is best for a small Paper or Purpur world, a few friends, plugin testing or learning how Minecraft hosting works. A 1.5 GB server is intentionally modest: it is not suitable for large public networks or heavy modpacks.

Fabric is available, but memory-heavy mod collections may require more resources than the free plan provides. Use the RAM planning guide before adding a modpack. Folia is intended for software that explicitly supports its region-based threading model.

Transparent beta limits

• Servers stop after 30 consecutive minutes without players so capacity remains available to active users. The timer resets when a player returns.
• The service is a beta, so availability and features may change while reliability is tested.
• Automatic customer backups are not promised on the free plan. Keep a local copy of important worlds.
• Future hosting options have not been announced yet. ChunkArc currently offers the Free Beta only.

A custom Minecraft server address

During creation you choose the first part of an address such as myworld.chunkarc.net. Players can use that name instead of remembering a numerical IP and port. Reserved, misleading and abusive names are filtered.

Arc Credits and resource boosts

Referrals are created through the ChunkArc Discord. Use /referral there to generate your personal invite link, then share that link with your friends. Arc Credits are issued only after an invited user creates and genuinely uses a server; simply joining Discord is not enough. Credits can be spent in the panel store on temporary resource boosts or an address change. During the launch offer, resource boosts last 30 days.

Common questions before you start

Can friends join without a ChunkArc account?

Yes. Players only need your Minecraft server address and a compatible Java Edition version. They do not need your panel login. Follow the invite friends guide for the exact steps.

Which server software should I choose?

Paper is the safest default for most small plugin servers. Purpur adds more built-in configuration, Fabric is for Fabric mods, and Folia is a specialist option for compatible distributed workloads. Compare Paper and Purpur or read the Paper vs Folia guide before switching.

Can I make the server Hardcore?

Yes. Stop the server, edit the Hardcore setting in server.properties, then start it again. Follow the Hardcore mode guide for the exact steps and backup precautions.

What if the server does not connect?

Check the console, game version, address and whitelist in that order. The connection troubleshooting guide covers the common causes without random reinstalls.