Minecraft Server Jar Comparison
Not sure which server jar to use? Pick your use case below and we'll highlight the best option. All major Java Edition jars compared.
Filter by use case
Vanilla
OfficialTesting, small private servers
Official Mojang jar — no plugins, no mods, no extras.
Download ↗Spigot
BukkitSmall–medium servers, plugins
Community standard for years; Paper is recommended over it now.
Download ↗Paper
BukkitMost servers, plugins
Best performance of Bukkit forks; async chunk loading, many bug fixes.
Download ↗Purpur
BukkitHighly configurable servers
Fork of Paper with extra configuration options and toggles.
Download ↗Fabric
FabricModded servers (tech/utility)
Lightweight, fast updates; popular for tech packs and utility mods.
Download ↗Forge
ForgeHeavy modded servers (big packs)
Most mods support Forge; higher overhead than Fabric.
Download ↗NeoForge
NeoForgeModern modded servers
Community fork of Forge; faster release cycle and modern codebase.
Download ↗Quilt
QuiltModded servers (Quilt packs)
Fork of Fabric with enhanced mod loader features.
Download ↗Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between Spigot and Paper?
Paper is a fork of Spigot that includes significant performance improvements, async chunk loading, and many vanilla bug fixes. It is fully compatible with Bukkit and Spigot plugins. Unless you have a specific reason to use Spigot, Paper is the better choice in nearly every situation.
Can I use Bukkit plugins with Paper?
Yes. Paper is backwards compatible with all Bukkit and Spigot plugins. If a plugin works on Spigot, it will work on Paper.
Can I use plugins AND mods at the same time?
On modern versions (1.17+) there is no stable hybrid solution. Projects like Mohist attempt this but are often unstable and lag behind current Minecraft versions. It is strongly recommended to choose either a plugin server (Paper) or a mod server (Fabric/Forge).
Is Forge or Fabric better for a modded server?
Fabric is lighter, updates faster, and is recommended for most modern modded servers. Forge has a larger back-catalogue of mods and is required for many older or more complex mod packs (e.g. Feed the Beast packs). NeoForge is a community fork of Forge with a faster development cycle and is becoming the default for new Forge-style mods since 1.20.1.
Does Paper change vanilla gameplay?
Paper fixes many vanilla bugs and some of these fixes change technical gameplay mechanics that farms or technical players rely on. Most of these changes can be reverted via Paper's configuration files. For a public server the defaults are fine; for a technical/vanilla-faithful server review paper-world-defaults.yml.
Run your own Minecraft server.
Rent a private Minecraft server on real hardware — full control-panel access, your mods, your configs, your rules. It's your server; run it your way.
Don't want to run it yourself? Our managed services & consulting team will set it up and keep it running for you — game servers, Windows, Linux, and cloud, from 10+ years of MSP work.