How to buy a minecraft realm

Want to know more about Minecraft Realms? If you've been playing the blocky building and survival game for a while now, you may be interested in starting your own space for yourself and your pals. The best way to do this is with Minecraft Realms—a subscription service that provides you with your own server, and is perfect for anyone looking to invest even deeper in the game

These Realms have room for up to ten people and as they're private, you don't have to worry about safety at all, since you're in control of who gets an invite. Only one player needs a subscription to create the Realm, then friends can join for free, making it a great option for younger players in terms of a guaranteed safe environment in which to mess around. There's also crossplay, so friends with different devices can join, though Java players can only play with each other.

The main downside is that a number of the best Minecraft mods (opens in new tab) can't be used with them. Still, since they are online 24/7, the host won't need to be active for any of the other Realm occupants to play. If Minecraft Realms sounds like it might be for you, there are details below on pricing, different levels of subscription, and how to set up your own. 

How much does Minecraft Realms cost? 

There are two versions of Minecraft Realms, which are essentially a basic version and a deluxe package. As you might expect, the more expensive one comes with more benefits.

First off, the basic version costs $3.99 / £3.29 per month, and that enables you to create a realm for a maximum of two players plus you, which will remain constantly online. As a rolling month-long subscription, you can stop at any time if you aren’t really getting the use out of it you need. Mojang offer a 30-day free trial for those who want to test the subscription out first. 

The more costly version, Realms Plus, costs $7.99 / £6.69 and allows up to 10 players plus you. This version also gives you free access to over 50 marketplace packs, which includes mini-games, maps, and skins. You get a 30-day free trial of Realms Plus too, so it basically comes with a free month.

How to set up Minecraft Realms

Once you have decided which Realms subscription you want, it’s time to start setting it up. You do this by opening the game (obviously), then clicking Play, Create New, and finally New Realm. From here, you create the realm as you would create anything else in Minecraft, taking as long as you want to perfect your little world.

Once it’s ready, you will then need to name the realm and choose your realm size. You will then be prompted to invite players to join with an invite link. If you want to invite more players later, you can find the invite link in the Player Settings menu.

How to replace your world in Minecraft Realms

Replacing a world in Minecraft Realms is literally as easy as pushing a button. Which button? The ‘Replace World’ button in the Realms Menu, of course. This then lets you upload a previously downloaded world. You can also push the Realms Backup button instead, which will pull up each of your previous backups and give you the option to restore them. This list comes with timestamps too, so it’s pretty convenient and easy to navigate.

There’s also a Reset Realm button, which allows you to create a new realm from scratch to replace your current one.

What’s the difference between a realm and a server?

As with most things in life, the big difference is cash. Like we said above, Minecraft Realms costs money. Servers don’t. Another difference is that Realms will always be online, whether the creator is or not, but Realms do have stricter limits on how many people can participate.

And that’s all you need to know about Minecraft Realms. Now, whenever you’re talking Minecraft, you can be in your realm-ement.

How to buy a minecraft realm
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Minecraft is a well-known block-building game. Playing with your friends used to be a tricky process. The introduction of Minecraft Realms has simplified the process. This wikiHow teaches you how to get Minecraft Realms, create a realm and invite players. Minecraft Realms is available on a variety of platforms (except Playstation) and requires a subscription.

  1. 1

    Go to https://www.minecraft.net in a web browser. You can use any web browser on PC, Mac, or Linux.

    • Minecraft Java edition is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. It also supports mods. However, Minecraft Realms on the Java Edition does not support cross-platform multiplayer with players on the Windows 10 Edition, mobile versions, or game consoles.

  2. 2

    Click Realms. It's the second option in the upper-left corner of the home page. It's below an icon that resembles a male and female Minecraft character.

  3. 3

    Click Get Realms for Minecraft: Java Edition. It's the second option on the web page.

  4. 4

    Click Buy Now below a payment plan. Generally, Minecraft Realms for Java Edition costs $9.99 per month. However, there are different payment plans you can select. Select any plan to continue (you will need to select your plan later).

  5. 5

    Login to the Mojang website. Use the email address and password you used when you purchased your copy of Minecraft: Java Edition and click Log In.

  6. 6

    Select a payment plan. Click the radio button next to the payment plan you want to select. You can select a monthly recurring plan, a monthly 1-time payment plan, a 90-day plan, and a 180-day plan.

    • If you have not used your free trial of Minecraft Realms, look for the sentence that says "Click Here to start your free trial" at the top of the page and click Click Here in the sentence.

  7. 7

    Select your country. Use the first drop-down menu above the credit card payment options to select your country of origin.

  8. 8

    Select your credit card type. Click the radio button next to the Visa, Mastercard, or American Express logos to choose your credit card type.

  9. 9

    Enter your credit card information. Use the form towards the bottom of the page to fill out your credit card information. You'll need to enter your credit card number, expiration month and year, CVV (security code), billing zip code, and country.

  10. 10

    Click the checkbox at the bottom of the page. This is the checkbox next to "I have read and agree to the Minecraft Realms End User License Agreement and Privacy Policy".

  11. 11

    Click Purchase. It's the green button at the bottom of the page. This purchases your subscription to Minecraft Realms.

  1. 1

    Sign up for Minecraft Realms for Java Edition. Use the steps outlined in Method 1 to sign up for a Minecraft Realms subscription for Minecraft: Java Edition.

  2. 2

    Open the Minecraft Launcher. It has an icon that resembles a grass block. You can find it in the Windows Start menu, or the Applications folder on Mac.

  3. 3

    Click Play. It's the green button at the bottom of the launcher.

  4. 4

    Click Minecraft Realms. It's the third option on the title page.

  5. 5

    Click Click here to start your new realm. It's the green glowing text at the top of the page.

  6. 6

    Type a name for the server. Use the first bar at the top fo the page to type a name for your server.

  7. 7

    Type a description of your server. Use the second bar to type a brief description of your server.

  8. 8

    Click Create. It's the grey button at the bottom of the page.

  9. 9

    Select a world type. There are six world types you can select from. They are as follows:

    • New World: This creates a new world.
    • Upload:. This allows you to upload a world you have already made.
    • World Template: This allows you to create a new world based on a template.
    • Adventure: This is a collection of adventure worlds.
    • Experiences: This is a collection of experience-based worlds.
    • Inspiration: This is a collection of creation based worlds.

  10. 10

    Click a world you want to create. Click one of the worlds in the list of worlds for the world type you selected.

  11. 11

    Click Select. It's the first option at the bottom of the page. This creates the world. Allow a few minutes for your server to be created.

  12. 12

    Click your server. It's at the top of the list in your list of servers.

  13. 13

    Click Play. This loads your server.

  1. 1

    Open the Minecraft Launcher. It has an icon that resembles a grass block.

  2. 2

    Click Play. It's the green button at the bottom of the launcher.

  3. 3

    Click Minecraft Realms. It's the third option on the title page.

  4. 4

    Click the wrench icon. It's to the right of your Minecraft realm server.

  5. 5

    Click Players. It's the first option in the upper-left corner.

  6. 6

    Click Invite Player. It's the first option on the right.

  7. 7

    Enter a player's username. Type a player's username in the field labeled "Name".

  8. 8

    Click Invite Player. This sends an invite to the player.

  1. 1

    Launch Minecraft and select Play. It's the first button at the top of the title screen.

  2. 2

    Select 30 Day Free Trial. It's the first option below "Realms" under the "Worlds" tab.

  3. 3

    Select New Realm. It's the first option at the top of the "Create New Realm" page.

  4. 4

    Type a name for your realm. Use the text box at the top fo the page to type a name for your Realm.

  5. 5

    Select a duration. You can select 30 Days or 180 Days. 180 Days will require a higher 1-time payment but will be cheaper than paying month-by-month.

  6. 6

    Select a tier. This is how many players can play on your server. You can select 2 players or 10 players. A 2-player server costs $3.99 a month. A 10-player server generally costs $9.99 a month, or $7.99 a month with a recurring payment.

  7. 7

    Select I agree. It's the checkbox below "Terms and Conditions". You can click the grey boxes to view the Terms and Conditions or Privacy Policy.

  8. 8

    Click Create for Free. This opens the digital store for the platform you are using. You get a free 30-day trial of Minecraft Realms, and then your payment plan starts.

  9. 9

    Authenticate your account. Depending on which platform you are using, you will need to enter your password or scan your fingerprint. This signs you up for Minecraft Realms and creates your Minecraft server. You can access your server on the Worlds tab of the title page. The same as you would any single-player world you created.

  1. 1

    Open Minecraft and click Play. It's the first option on the title screen.

  2. 2

    Click the pencil icon next to your Realms server. It's to the right of your Minecraft server in the list of games under the Worlds tab.

  3. 3

    Click Members. It's the second option in the sidebar menu to the left.

  4. 4

    Click Invite next to any friends. You may have some friends that appear in the list at the bottom of the screen. Click or tap Invite next to any friends you want to invite.

  5. 5

    Click Share link. It's the second link at the top of the Members menu. This displays a URL you can use to invite people to your server.

  6. 6

    Click Copy. It's to the right of the URL at the top of the page. This copies the URL.

  7. 7

    Paste the URL in messages to friends. When sending an invite message to friends, paste the URL to invite friends to your server. This allows your friends to click the URL and receive instructions to join your server. You can paste the link on PC or mobile devices.

  • Question

    If I want to join my friends' realm do I need to buy a Minecraft realms subscription too?

    No, only one person needs a subscription. Then up to 200 people can be invited and 10 players at a time. You will find more information at the Minecraft Realms website.

  • Question

    Do I need to pay monthly?

    Realms is available for a monthly recurring fee, or you can subscribe for a single month, three months, or six months at a time. There is no free version of Realms, and there is no lifetime membership option.

  • Question

    Can I make two realms?

    Yes, you can make multiple realms. However, there is a limit depending on how much you paid. Two is no problem at all.

See more answers

Written by:

wikiHow Technology Writer

This article was written by Travis Boylls. Travis Boylls is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. Travis has experience writing technology-related articles, providing software customer service, and in graphic design. He specializes in Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Linux platforms. He studied graphic design at Pikes Peak Community College. This article has been viewed 240,603 times.

Co-authors: 21

Updated: March 16, 2021

Views: 240,603

Article Rating: 36% - 16 votes

Categories: Minecraft

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