The Baseline
Vanilla Minecraft server with no plugins and 5-10 players: 2GB RAM is enough. This is the floor — any plugin or mod installation increases this.
Player Count
Each active player uses approximately 50-100MB of server RAM depending on what they are doing. A 20-player server needs at least 1-2GB just for player data.
Plugins
Plugins vary widely. A lightweight plugin like EssentialsX uses minimal RAM. A complex plugin like a custom dungeon system or economy plugin can use hundreds of MB. A typical plugin stack of 15-20 plugins adds roughly 500MB-1.5GB.
Mods and Modpacks
Small modpacks (under 50 mods): 4GB minimum. Medium modpacks (50-150 mods): 6-8GB. Large modpacks (150+ mods, ATM9, etc.): 10-16GB. Always allocate some headroom — never run at 100% usage.
CraftNodes Plan Guide
- Dirt (2GB) — Vanilla or minimal plugins, up to 10 players
- Stone (3GB) — Light plugins, up to 20 players
- Iron (4GB) — Plugin-heavy, small modpacks
- Gold (6GB) — Medium modpacks, large communities
- Diamond (8GB) — Large modpacks, high player counts
- Emerald+ (12-16GB) — ATM9, DawnCraft, massive modpacks