Switching from Minecraft Realms

Why people switch

Realms is genuinely good at being simple — and that's where the compliments end. It runs on shared hardware you can't see, caps at 10 players, and gives you almost no say in how your world runs. A server here costs the same as Realms Plus ($7.99/month), runs on dedicated RAM, holds more players, takes add-on packs, and your world files are yours to download whenever you like.

The move, step by step

1. Download your world from Realms. In Minecraft, tap the pencil next to your Realm and choose Download World. That puts a full copy in your local worlds list — your Realm keeps running, nothing is deleted.
2. Export it as a .mcworld file. Edit the local copy you just downloaded and choose Export World. Minecraft hands you a single .mcworld file — that's your whole world in one piece.
3. Get your server. Order a Bedrock server — the Dirt plan matches Realms Plus pricing. It installs itself and is live in about a minute.
4. Upload the world. On your server's Settings tab, pick the .mcworld file in the world uploader and hit upload. The goblin unpacks it, replaces the starter world, and flips the multiplayer switches that single-player exports carry — no unzipping, no file surgery.
5. Get the crew in. Friends add the server by its address under Servers → Add Server. If anyone has trouble connecting — consoles can be pickier than phones and PCs — ask on Discord and we'll get them in.
6. Hand out keys. Under Users & permissions you can make friends co-owners — console access, add-on management, restarts — without sharing your login. And the server keeps itself on the newest Bedrock version automatically, so nobody's console ever refuses to connect after an update day.

“The server runs way better than Realms did. I don't expect my issues to be resolved right away, but so far they always have been.”
— ShadyMechanic · moved his crew's Realm here in August

Should you switch?

Honestly: if a 10-player cap has never bothered you, lag isn't a problem, and the Marketplace bundle is most of why you pay for Realms Plus — stay. Realms is a fine product for what it is. Switch when your world starts stuttering with a full house, when player eleven wants in, when you want add-ons the Marketplace doesn't sell, or when you'd simply like your world's files in your own hands. Your .mcworld works in both directions, so trying a server risks nothing.

What it costs

The Dirt plan is $7.99/month — the same as Realms Plus — with 2 GB of dedicated RAM and daily backups (latest three kept, restorable by you). Bigger crews step up to Stone. There's a 7-day money-back guarantee, so the worst case of trying it is a refund and a story.