Minecraft hosting to play with friends is the simple way to gather a small group in one shared world that's always up. No need to keep your computer on, wrestle with port-forwarding or set up Java: pick a plan, get an IP, and your friends are online a couple of minutes later. Elysium runs these servers on Ryzen + NVMe Gen4, so even an affordable group plan stays smooth.
Why not host on your own PC
The classic "I'll just run it at home" hits three walls: the computer has to stay on, your own ping and FPS drop under the load, and friends still have to punch through your router and ISP. The moment the host leaves, the world is offline for everyone. Dedicated hosting removes all of that at once: the server lives 24/7 on a public IP, and playtime no longer depends on who's at the keyboard right now.
For a small group it's also about money: the cost splits easily across everyone, and per person it comes out to pocket change. How to pick a cheap but honest plan is covered on the cheap Minecraft hosting page.
How many resources to get
A small friends server almost always fits a modest plan. Vanilla or Paper for 5–10 players runs comfortably on 2–4 GB of RAM; light plugins and mini mod packs on 4–6 GB. Start on the entry plan and scale up as you grow — it takes a minute in the panel, and your world and progress are kept. For sizing by version and player count, see the how much RAM a server needs guide.
Turn on the whitelist and only the usernames you've added can join. Strangers stay out even if they learn the IP. For playing in a tight circle it's the best way to keep the world closed and griefers on the outside.
What's in the plan
Every group plan is Ryzen + NVMe Gen4, the Pterodactyl panel, automatic backups and DDoS protection. Backups especially save friends servers: if someone accidentally breaks a build or installs a bad plugin, you can roll the world back in a couple of clicks. For more on co-op options, see our SMP hosting overview.
Ryzen + NVMe Gen4, live in a couple of minutes, automatic backups and the Pterodactyl panel. Pick a plan for your group size on the order page or check the pricing. Played somewhere already and want to bring the world over? We'll migrate it for free — the migration page.