What Are Minecraft Realms? Complete Guide

Realms Overview

Minecraft Realms is a subscription-based hosting service run by Mojang/Microsoft that lets you create a private, always-online Minecraft world. Your Realm stays online 24/7 whether you are playing or not, and invited friends can join at any time without you needing to be present. Realms is designed for simplicity: no port forwarding, no server management, no technical knowledge required.

Bedrock Realms vs Java Realms

There are two separate Realms services:

• Realms for Bedrock Edition: Supports cross-play between all Bedrock platforms (mobile, console, Windows 10/11). Comes in two tiers with different player and feature limits.
• Realms for Java Edition: Only accessible from Java Edition clients on desktop. Has a single subscription tier.

The two services are completely separate. A Bedrock Realm cannot be accessed from Java Edition and vice versa. You need separate subscriptions for each.

Pricing Tiers (Bedrock)

Realms (Basic)

• 2 players simultaneously
• Monthly subscription fee
• Single world slot
• Basic features

Realms Plus

• 10 players simultaneously
• Higher monthly subscription fee
• 3 world slots (swap between them)
• Access to 150+ Marketplace items (maps, skins, texture packs) included in the subscription
• Monthly Marketplace content additions

Key Features

• Always online: The world runs on Mojang's servers and is available 24/7 without needing to leave your device running.
• Cross-play: Bedrock Realms support all Bedrock platforms. Invite friends on any device.
• Automatic backups: Realms creates automatic backups that you can download or restore.
• Friend invitations: Invite friends through their Xbox gamertag. They do not need to subscribe.
• World uploads/downloads: Upload an existing world to your Realm or download the Realm's world to play locally.
• Add-on support: Apply resource packs and behavior packs to your Realm.
• Minigame rotation: Swap between different worlds in your Realm slots.

Limitations

• Player limit: Maximum 10 concurrent players (Realms Plus) or 2 (basic). No way to increase this.
• No plugins: Realms does not support server-side plugins like Paper/Spigot servers do. Only official add-ons (behavior packs) are supported.
• No custom server software: You cannot run PocketMine, Nukkit, or other alternative server software on a Realm.
• Limited configuration: Fewer server settings are adjustable compared to a dedicated server. You cannot change tick distance, view distance, or many other technical settings.
• No console access: There is no server console or command-line interface. All management is through the game client.
• Server location: You cannot choose where the Realm is hosted. Mojang assigns a server location that may not be optimal for all players.
• Performance: Realms hardware is shared and may not perform as well as a dedicated server for complex worlds with many entities or redstone.

Who Should Use Realms?

Realms is ideal for:

• Small groups of friends who want a simple, hassle-free private world.
• Players who do not want to deal with server management, port forwarding, or hosting.
• Cross-platform groups who need easy Bedrock cross-play.
• Parents setting up a safe, private world for their children to play with friends.

Realms is not ideal for:

• Large communities (more than 10 players online at once).
• Servers that need plugins for custom game modes, economy systems, or anti-griefing.
• Technical players who want full control over server settings and performance tuning.
• Players on a tight budget (dedicated hosting can be cheaper per player for larger groups).

Free Trials

Mojang occasionally offers free Realm trials for new subscribers. These typically last 30 days and give you access to the full Realms Plus experience. Check the Minecraft app or website for current trial availability.