Minecraft Realms is Mojang's managed, always-online private server service. It lets invited friends play a shared world even when the owner is offline, without the owner running a server computer. In 2026, the important differences are still the edition and subscription: Bedrock Realms, Bedrock Realms Plus and Java Realms have different player limits and content features. There is no single Realms subscription that connects Java and Bedrock players to the same world.
What Realms provides
A Realm is a private cloud-hosted world controlled by its owner. The owner invites friends, chooses which world slot is active and can manage the world without configuring a dedicated server. Realms are online 24/7, invited friends can play for free, and the service includes automatic backups.
Each Realm has three persistent world slots, but only one world is active and playable at a time. You can switch the active world when you want to try a different map or return to a survival save. The current official Realms page also lists support for up to 10,000 invited friends, although the number who can play simultaneously is limited by the subscription.
Bedrock Realms vs Bedrock Realms Plus
Bedrock Realms is available on supported consoles, mobile devices and Windows. The standard Bedrock Realms plan allows the owner and up to two other players to play simultaneously. It includes the always-online server, backups, three world slots and Bedrock cross-platform play.
Bedrock Realms Plus allows the owner and up to 10 other players to play simultaneously. It includes the standard Realm features and access to a rotating Marketplace Pass catalog of creator-made worlds, skins, character creator items and other content. The catalog changes over time, so check the official plan page for the current collection.
Realms Plus is not the same as buying every Marketplace item permanently. The subscription provides access to a curated rotating catalog while the subscription is active. If you want to own a particular item permanently, check its purchase options before it leaves the catalog.
Java Realms
Java Realms is for Minecraft Java Edition on Windows, macOS and Linux. It allows the owner and up to 10 other players to play at the same time. Like Bedrock Realms, it includes three world slots, automatic backups and always-online access for invited friends.
Java Realms does not include the Bedrock Marketplace Pass catalog or Bedrock Realms Stories. It supports community-created content, but it is not a custom modded-server host: you cannot install a normal Forge, Fabric or NeoForge modpack as you would on a self-managed server. If you need full control over server software, plugins or mod loaders, compare a dedicated hosting service instead.
Java and Bedrock Realms do not cross-play with each other
Realms supports cross-platform play within the same edition. Bedrock players can join a Bedrock Realm from supported Bedrock devices such as Windows, mobile, Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch. Java players can join a Java Realm from Windows, macOS and Linux.
Java and Bedrock are separate editions with different network protocols. A Java player cannot join a Bedrock Realm, and a Bedrock player cannot join a Java Realm. A Realm subscription does not add a crossplay bridge between the editions.
Realms on PlayStation, Xbox and Switch
PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch players use Bedrock Edition. They can join a Bedrock Realm when the account and platform settings allow multiplayer. Console online multiplayer may also require the platform's own subscription, such as PlayStation Plus, Xbox Game Pass Core or Nintendo Switch Online. That platform subscription is separate from the Minecraft Realms subscription.
Do not describe a PlayStation 5 update as a new Realms crossplay feature. The native PS5 version is a Bedrock release, so it uses the Bedrock Realms ecosystem and its existing platform rules.
Realms Stories and Marketplace Pass
Realms Stories is an in-game social feed for Bedrock Realms. It helps members keep in touch, share updates and see activity even when they are not playing at the same time. The official plan comparison lists Realms Stories for Bedrock Realms and Realms Plus, not Java Realms.
Marketplace Pass is a separate content subscription that provides access to a rotating selection of creator-made content. Realms Plus includes access to the Marketplace Pass catalog, while the standard Bedrock Realms plan does not include that catalog. Check your current account subscriptions to avoid paying for overlapping content access.
Free trials, cancellation and world backups
Mojang offers a free trial to eligible accounts and platforms. The official instructions describe a 30-day trial, but eligibility can vary. Read the terms before starting because a trial can convert to a paid recurring subscription unless it is cancelled according to the platform's instructions.
Realms worlds are backed up automatically. If your subscription expires, Mojang says your worlds remain available to download for 18 months. Download important worlds before that period ends and keep a separate local backup. Do not treat cloud backups as your only copy of a world that matters to you.
Is Realms the right choice?
- Choose Bedrock Realms for a small Bedrock group of up to three simultaneous players.
- Choose Bedrock Realms Plus if you need up to 10 invited players online at once and want the Marketplace Pass catalog.
- Choose Java Realms for a small Java group of up to 10 invited players, automatic backups and simple managed hosting.
- Choose a dedicated server host if you need custom plugins, mod loaders, advanced server settings, larger player capacity or direct control over files.
For current plan limits, platform support and subscription terms, use Mojang's official Minecraft Realms comparison page. For step-by-step setup, see the official Realms purchase and setup guide.
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