TechRadar Verdict
ScalaCube’s free Minecraft hosting stands out as excellent, and its premium plans bring a lot to the table for those who need something a little more powerful.
Pros
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Free-forever plan presents a great way to enter the space
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Free website and forum with all premium plans
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Unlimited servers with all premium plans
Cons
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Can get very expensive
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The free plan is limited to a single player
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ScalaCube has long been one of the best Minecraft server hosting options available. It offers a selection of products, including a neat free-forever server that enables you to test the platform.
In our ScalaCube review, we explain exactly why this host holds such a large share of the market. The free plan is great for those who are just playing around or who can’t afford a premium server, while the paid options cater to everyone from those entering the space for the first time to those creating large games with hundreds of players.
Plans and pricing
ScalaCube has ten different subscription options, including a free-forever plan with one game server. For American and European servers, Premium plans range from $2.50 to $96 a month for the first month, renewing at $5 to $192. Prices increase by 50%, to $3.75 to $144 a month ($7.50 to $288 on renewal) for Australian and Asian server locations.
The free-forever plan comes with 3GB of RAM, 30GB of SSD storage, and support for a single game server. However, you have to renew your account every two days. The nine premium plans all support unlimited game servers, adding more server resources and player slots as they become more expensive.
You can also purchase automated backups for a $10 one-off fee or a custom Minecraft launcher for a $10 one-off fee.
| Plan | Standard price | Player slots | RAM | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | 1 | 3GB | 30GB |
| VPS 768 MB | $5 a month | 10 | 768MB | 10GB |
| VPS 1.5G | $10 a month | 20 | 1.5GB | 15GB |
| VPS 3G | $20 a month | 40 | 3GB | 30GB |
| VPS 4.5G | $26 a month | 70 | 4.5GB | 45GB |
| VPS 6G | $36 a month | 100 | 6GB | 60GB |
| VPS 8G | $48 a month | 150 | 8GB | 80GB |
| VPS 12G | $72 a month | 225 | 12GB | 120GB |
| VPS 16G | $96 a month | 300 | 16GB | 160GB |
| VPS 32G | $192 a month | 600 | 32GB | 320GB |
Features
ScalaCube focuses on Minecraft hosting, and its products are backed by a suite of premium features. Some of the most notable are listed below.
Free website and forum with all premium subscriptions
All premium plans come with a pre-built website and forum that are ready to use. With these, you can monitor the performance and state of your server and the number of players online. You can also customize your website and add your own content if necessary.
One-click modpack installation
With ScalaCube, you will have access to one-click installations for more than a thousand modpacks. These include standard packs, Spigot, PaperMC, CurseForge, and more. You can also create and upload your own custom modpack if you would like to.
Server monitoring
On your ScalaCube dashboard, you will find a monitoring tab that enables you to keep track of your server’s RAM and storage usage. You can use this to help you decide whether or not you’re using the correct plan for your needs.
Interface and in-use
To start with ScalaCube, simply select the plan you want to sign up for and work through the checkout process. This is very straightforward, and you shouldn’t have any issues. The main dashboard is simple but easy to navigate and familiarize yourself with.
One thing worth noting is that ScalaCube’s servers can take a significant amount of time to deploy. Expect to wait at least ten minutes, but this could stretch to an even longer period of time in some cases.
The server management dashboard is packed full of a great selection of tools, including a backup system, FTP/SSH access, and a Minecraft launcher. Installing a new game server takes just a few clicks, and it’s a very straightforward process in general.
Support
ScalaCube’s customer service is limited to online ticketing. You need to be signed in to your account to submit a ticket, and this is done from your main dashboard. The support team is only active from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm (GMT+2).
There are a number of self-help resources available via the support page. Here, you will find 82 Minecraft tutorials outlining how to create your server, the best ways to configure it, and various other popular actions.
Alternatives to ScalaCube
ScalaCube is a top-rated Minecraft host, and its free plan stands out as one of the best we’ve seen, but there are numerous alternatives worth considering.
For example, Hostinger offers powerful Minecraft hosting at much lower prices than ScalaCube, making it a great option for those on a tight budget. Setup is very straightforward, and you will benefit from the Game Panel, which enables you to create a new server in just a few minutes. There are numerous server types, and prices start at just $8.95 a month for 2GB of RAM and two CPUs.
Another popular option is MCProHosting, which enables you to host and switch between multiple games on the same server—a feature that ScalaCube doesn’t have. This makes it a great choice for those who like to switch between Minecraft and other games such as ARK, CS GO, Starbound, and Rust. 24/7 support is available if you run into any problems.
Final verdict
Overall, ScalaCube presents as one of the best Minecraft hosts available. Its free plan is great for those looking to create their first server, while its premium options cater to users of all skill levels. There are some small flaws, like limited customer service. But overall, there’s a lot to like here, and we’d highly recommend giving ScalaCube a try.
Further reading on web hosting
Once you're familiar with what web hosting is, ensure you take a look at the best web hosting services to see if any of these offer Minecraft hosting as well.
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