free · live now
Host a Minecraft server from your own PC.
No port forwarding.
Self Hostd gives your server a free public address that works from any connection, keeps your home IP private, and adds the things self-hosting is missing: a web panel with live console, Discord control, automatic off-site backups and crash diagnosis in plain English.
Everything you get, free
No port forwarding
The launcher connects outbound from your machine, the same direction as loading a website. Works behind CGNAT, Starlink, mobile broadband, student halls and routers you are not allowed to touch.
Your IP stays private
Players only ever see your hostdservers.com address, which points at our DDoS-protected relay. Nobody learns where you live from your server.
A proper address
Your own subdomain, like yourname.na.hostdservers.com. Share it once; it follows your server even when your connection changes.
Panel with live console
Watch your console and run commands from any browser, even when you are away from the PC running the server.
Control from Discord
Link your account and run status, console, stop and restart from your own Discord server with the /bridge command.
Automatic off-site backups
Snapshots every Tuesday and Saturday while your machine is online, stored away from your hardware, restorable in one click. A dead drive no longer ends your world.
Crashes explained in English
Wrong Java version, world locked by another copy, port taken, missing mod dependency: the launcher and panel tell you what happened and what to do, instead of dumping a stack trace.
Restarts itself
If the server crashes, the launcher starts it again within seconds, and it is smart enough to stop retrying if something is genuinely broken.
Tuned for smooth play
Aikar’s optimised Java flags are applied for you, sized to your RAM, and the launcher warns you before an allocation that would starve the rest of your PC.
Ports sort themselves out
Two servers on one machine? The launcher finds a free port and follows the server onto it automatically. Nobody edits config files.
See who is online
Player count in the launcher and panel, plus your machine’s RAM and load, so you can see how the hardware is coping at a glance.
Any Java server
Vanilla, Paper, Purpur, Spigot, Fabric, Forge and NeoForge all work: the launcher wraps whatever you already run, and Bukkit-family servers can use the plugin instead.
When your PC cannot cope, borrow ours
Burst to cloud runs your world on Hostd hardware by the hour, at the same address, so your friends notice nothing. It takes a fresh backup of your world first, spins it up on our machines, and when you stop it the world comes straight back home. Laptop overheating on movie night, a big event with more players than your upload can take, or a week away from your PC: same server, borrowed muscle.
It costs 1.5p per GB of RAM per hour, billed by the minute from prepaid credit, so it can never surprise you. A 4GB server for a four-hour evening is about 24p. Top up in your own currency from the Self Hostd dashboard.
How it works
- 1Create a server, get a codeSign in, press Create your server, and copy the 6-digit pairing code. Your address is reserved the moment the server exists.
- 2Pair the launcherPut the launcher in your server folder, open it, paste the code and press Start. It remembers the pairing, so this is a one-time step per folder.
- 3Share your addressFriends join your hostdservers.com address from anywhere. Manage everything from the panel or Discord, and burst to our hardware when your machine needs a rest.
The old way, Self Hostd, or a Hostd plan
| Port forwarding | Self Hostd (free) | Hostd cloud plan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Router setup needed | Yes, port forwarding | None | None |
| Home IP visible to players | Yes | Never | No home IP involved |
| Works behind CGNAT and campus wifi | No | Yes | Not applicable |
| Online when your PC is off | No | No, unless you burst it to our hardware | Always, 24/7 |
| Off-site backups | Do it yourself | Automatic, twice a week | Automatic |
| Cost | Free, plus your electricity | Free, plus your electricity | From a few pounds a month |
Want 24/7 uptime without your PC involved? See Hostd plans.
Full setup guide
From nothing to friends joining, step by step. Pick the path that matches you.
Plain (vanilla) Minecraft server
- 1.Make a folder. Create an empty folder anywhere on your PC, for example a "MyServer" folder on your desktop. This is where your world will live.
- 2.Get Java. Download and install Java from adoptium.net. Pick the latest version. Self Hostd and Minecraft both need it. If the launcher later says your Java is too old, come back here and reinstall the newest one.
- 3.Download the server. Go to minecraft.net/download/server, download server.jar, and put it in your folder.
- 4.Create your server in Hostd. On this site, sign in (or make a free account), open the Self Hostd tab and press Create your server. Copy the 6-digit pairing code it shows you.
- 5.Download the launcher. Download the Self Hostd launcher and put it in the same folder as server.jar. Download
- 6.Open the launcher. Double-click the launcher (on a Mac start it from Terminal instead, see the FAQ below). A window opens. Paste your pairing code, check it found server.jar, choose how much RAM to give it, and press Start server. On first run it will offer to accept the Minecraft rules for you.
- 7.Share your address. When it says online, copy your address (something like yourname.na.hostdservers.com) and give it to your friends. They add it in Minecraft under Multiplayer. No port forwarding, and your home IP is never shown.
Modpack server (CurseForge or Modrinth / Fabric / Forge)
- 1.Download the pack server files. On the modpack page (CurseForge or Modrinth), download the SERVER files, not the client. Unzip them into a folder on your PC.
- 2.Run the pack once. Most packs include a start script (start.bat on Windows, start.sh on Mac/Linux) that downloads Forge or Fabric and sets everything up. Run it once, accept the EULA it mentions, and let it finish, then stop the server.
- 3.Note the start command. Open that start script in a text editor and find the line that runs java. That is the command that launches your modded server; you will hand it to Self Hostd.
- 4.Create your server in Hostd. Sign in here, open the Self Hostd tab, press Create your server and copy the 6-digit pairing code.
- 5.Pair with the plugin (Paper packs) or the launcher (Fabric/Forge). If your pack is Paper/Spigot based, drop the Self Hostd plugin into the pack’s plugins folder and paste your code into its config. If it is Fabric or Forge, use the launcher instead and point it at the pack’s start command. Download
- 6.Start and share. Start the pack as you normally would (with the launcher wrapping it, or with the plugin loaded). Once Self Hostd says online, share your address. Friends need the same modpack installed on their side to join, exactly as with any modded server.
What's on us and what's on you
We run and guarantee the tunnel, your address, your backups and the panel. Your machine stays yours: its uptime, its RAM, its electricity bill. The panel always shows which side a problem is on, and when it is on your side, the crash doctor and our community Discord have you covered.
And yes, we sell game hosting. Self Hostd is free because plenty of people would rather run their own hardware, and we would rather be useful to you now and be the obvious choice later if you outgrow your PC. Your world is always yours.
Questions you'd be right to ask
How do I host a Minecraft server without port forwarding?
Create a free server on this page, put the Self Hostd launcher in your server folder, paste the 6-digit pairing code and press Start. The launcher makes an outbound connection to our relay, so nothing on your router needs to change. Friends join your hostdservers.com address from anywhere.
Is it really free?
Yes. The address, the tunnel, the panel with live console, Discord control, twice-weekly off-site backups and crash diagnosis are all free. In return, free servers show a short Hostd credit in the server list. The only paid part is optional: burst to cloud, where your world runs on our hardware by the hour when your PC cannot keep up.
Is port forwarding dangerous?
Opening a port on your router exposes your home IP address to every player and to anyone the address reaches. That invites DDoS attacks and shows roughly where you live. Self Hostd avoids the whole question: players only ever see your hostdservers.com address, which points at our relay, not your house.
Does it work behind CGNAT, Starlink or university wifi?
Yes. Your machine only makes outbound connections, the same direction as loading a website, so it works on connections where port forwarding is impossible: CGNAT, Starlink, mobile broadband, student halls and locked-down routers.
Which servers are supported?
Minecraft Java in every common form: vanilla, Paper, Purpur, Spigot, Fabric, Forge and NeoForge. Use the launcher for anything (it wraps your server jar or modpack start command), or the plugin if you run a Bukkit-family server. More games will follow.
Do I need to install anything on my router or PC?
Nothing on your router. On your PC you need Java (which any Minecraft server already needs) and the Self Hostd launcher, a single small file with no installer. Download it, put it next to your server jar and open it.
Does my world leave my machine?
Only in two cases you control: scheduled backups (Tuesdays and Saturdays, while your machine is online) are stored off-site so a dead drive does not end your world, and a burst takes a fresh snapshot to run on our hardware, then brings the world home when you stop. Day to day, everything lives on your PC.
What happens when my PC is off?
Your server is offline, like any self-hosted server. If you want it up while your machine rests, burst it to our hardware: your world runs at the same address, friends notice nothing, and when you stop it the world is saved to the cloud and downloads back the next time your launcher is open.
What does burst to cloud cost?
It is 1.5p per GB of RAM per hour, billed by the minute from prepaid credit, so it can never surprise you. A 4GB server for a whole evening (four hours) costs about 24p. You top up in your own currency; credit is stored in pounds.
What are the limits of the free tier?
Three servers per account, your latest three backups are kept, and it is Minecraft Java only for now. There are no player caps, no queues and no adverts beyond the server-list credit line.
The launcher will not open on my Mac
macOS refuses to open the launcher when clicking, so start it from Terminal instead: 1. Open Terminal (press Cmd+Space, type Terminal, press Enter). 2. Type cd and a space, then drag your server folder onto the Terminal window and press Enter. 3. Run: java -jar selfhostd-launcher.jar. The launcher window opens and works normally from there.
Can I move my server onto Hostd hardware permanently later?
Yes. Your world is a normal folder, backed up as a plain zip, and our transfer pipeline imports self-hosted worlds onto a paid plan whenever you want 24/7 uptime.
Coming from somewhere else?
A side-by-side and a switching guide for each, including where the other tool is the better pick.