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Minecraft Realms: Pick a plan that fits your group

Minecraft Realms plans explained: compare official US prices, player limits, edition compatibility, Marketplace Pass access, and console subscription conditions.

Checked against official Minecraft sources on October 11, 2026.

Minecraft Realms has three main options: basic Bedrock Realms for a small group, Bedrock Realms Plus for more simultaneous guests and Marketplace Pass content, and Java Realms for Java players. Choose your edition first, then your busiest expected session size. The prices and limits below are confirmed on the official US Realms page.

Jump to: Plan comparison · Edition check · Group size · Content · Checklist · FAQ.

Minecraft Realms plan comparison

Confirmed: the US page lists these recurring monthly prices. Check your own checkout for the applicable local offer before subscribing; this table reports the official US listing rather than a worldwide price promise.

Plan Listed monthly price Simultaneous session Marketplace Pass catalog
Realms for Bedrock $3.99 USD You plus 2 other players Not included
Realms Plus for Bedrock $7.99 USD You plus 10 other players Included
Realms for Java $7.99 USD You plus 10 other players Not included

Every price, player limit, and catalog entry in the table comes from the official plan comparison. These are subscription rates, so treat the purchase as an ongoing hosting decision rather than a one-time game purchase.

All three plans include a personal server available around the clock, backups, and three world slots. The page also says invited friends can play the active world even when the owner is offline. That makes Realms worth considering if your group has different schedules and wants a shared place to return to. Official Realms features.

The practical question is whether your group needs that availability. If you are only comparing plans, do not let a longer feature list obscure the essentials: correct edition, enough simultaneous spaces, and a recurring cost you are comfortable maintaining.

Which Minecraft Realms edition do you need?

You need a Realm matching the edition your friends use. Java Realms works with Java players; Bedrock Realms works with Bedrock players. The official FAQ explicitly says cross-platform Realms play stays within the same edition. Realms compatibility FAQ.

A Windows computer alone does not identify the correct product. The PC bundle includes both editions, and the official store identifies Minecraft for Windows as Bedrock. Ask which edition everyone will launch before anyone pays. PC edition FAQ.

For a mixed group of Java players using Windows, macOS, and Linux, check Java Realms. For a group using Bedrock on supported consoles, mobile devices, and Windows, check the Bedrock plans. Those platform groupings come from the official Realms page.

Our Minecraft Java vs. Bedrock guide explains the edition decision in more detail. Resolve it before comparing prices: a cheaper subscription for the wrong edition will not connect the group you intended to invite.

How to pick a Minecraft Realms player limit

Count the people who expect to play at the same time, including you. The official page describes basic Bedrock Realms as the owner plus two guests, and the larger Bedrock and Java plans as the owner plus ten guests. Player-limit FAQ.

For example, if you and two friends are your entire usual Bedrock session, the basic plan matches that headcount. If another friend wants to join that same session, compare Realms Plus instead. This is an application of the listed capacity, not a recommendation based on hands-on testing.

Do not confuse the invitation list with concurrent capacity. The plan comparison distinguishes invited friends from people actively playing together. Our recommendation is to use your busiest realistic session as the deciding number, rather than buying for everyone you might eventually invite. Official comparison.

Guest access does not require each friend to buy a separate Realms subscription. However, the official conditions say the supported Minecraft game is sold separately, and console multiplayer needs the platform-specific online subscription. “Friends play for free” describes the hosting benefit, not free ownership of Minecraft. Realms conditions.

What does Minecraft Realms Plus add?

Realms Plus adds access to the rotating Marketplace Pass catalog as well as the larger Bedrock session limit. The official page describes that catalog as curated creator content with new additions over time. Basic Bedrock Realms and Java Realms do not include the catalog in the comparison. Realms Plus features.

Catalog access and permanent ownership are different decisions. The same page tells subscribers to purchase favorites before they leave the catalog if they want to own them permanently. Plan around the content you expect to use rather than treating every subscription item as a permanent addition to your library. Official catalog explanation.

Our buying advice is to give the catalog value only if you intend to explore it. A group mainly interested in its own shared world should begin with edition and capacity; a group interested in trying curated content has another reason to compare Plus.

Minecraft Realms purchase checklist

Check the account, edition, and renewal terms before starting the subscription. The official page offers trials for eligible new subscribers and warns that subscriptions continue automatically unless canceled. Trial conditions.

  1. Confirm that everyone uses the same edition.
  2. Count your likely simultaneous session, including the owner.
  3. Review the recurring price at checkout.
  4. Check console online-subscription access where applicable.
  5. Decide whether Marketplace Pass content matters to the group.
  6. Read the renewal and cancellation terms before accepting a trial.

This checklist is our planning advice based on the official conditions above. For the computer side of setup, use our Minecraft PC requirements guide.

Minecraft Realms FAQ

Can Minecraft Realms connect Java and Bedrock?

No. Realms cross-platform play stays within one edition. Source.

Can friends play when the owner is offline?

Yes. The official features page says invited friends can access the active world without the owner being online. Source.

Does a Realms trial renew automatically?

Yes. The official page says the subscription renews unless canceled; check eligibility and checkout terms before starting. Source.

More Minecraft guides

Sources