10 Best Minecraft SMP Servers, Ranked (2023)

Ryan Day
Ryan Day
12 Min Read

While it’s fun to play survival Minecraft solo, the multiplayer mode, known as SMP, takes the game to new heights. SMP servers allow you to join communities, team up, and embark on shared adventures with friends and fellow players. 

In this article, I’ve compiled the best Minecraft SMP servers that offer unforgettable and immersive gameplay experiences. 

1

Complex Gaming

best minecraft smp servers
Complex Gaming

IP Address: bmc.mc-complex.com

Key Highlights

  • Active Community: SMP servers thrive due to their community. Complex Gaming boasts an active and friendly player base that is very welcoming to new players. 
  • Balanced Gameplay: Server admins put effort into creating a well-balanced gameplay experience. This ensures that you can enjoy multiplayer survival that’s challenging but fair. 
  • Engaging Events: Complex Gaming hosts scheduled events and activities that keep the player base excited. These events range from PvP tournaments to building competitions. 
  • Player-Driven Economy: This SMP server has a dynamic player-driven economy that allows you to buy, sell, and trade items and resources. 
  • Custom Mechanics: Complex Gaming stands out for its custom gameplay. These are extra features added to vanilla Minecraft that offer depth and uniqueness to the traditional survival game mode. 

2

Netherite

best minecraft smp servers
Netherite SMP Server

IP Address: bms.netherite.gg

Key Highlights

  • Game Support: Netherite supports the latest version of Minecraft and allows both Bedrock and Java players to enter the community. 
  • Anti-Griefing Policy: Griefing and raiding are prohibited in this server, providing a safe community to players. It also has a no TP killing policy to encourage fair play and friendly interactions. 
  • Immersive World: The Netherite server offers an expansive world that you can explore. It features diverse biomes, caves, and hidden wonders. 
  • Community Building: Netherite server promotes collaboration and community building. You can join community projects, share creations, and learn techniques from other players. 
  • Survival Challenges: The Netherite server offers survival challenges ranging from battling formidable mobs to thriving in challenging environments. 
  • Customization: This server allows you to tailor your experience based on your play style and preferred difficulty level. 
  • Regular Events: Netherite also hosts a variety of special events and activities that keep the community engaged. 

3

WildWood SMP 

WildWood SMP
WildWood SMP

IP Address: play.wildwoodsmp.com
Bedrock Port: 19132

Key Highlights

  • Diverse SMP Experience: WildWood SMP caters to a broad range of players with multiple SMP modes. Where you want intense player interaction in Lifesteal SMP or a more relaxed Simple SMP, you’ll find a gameplay mode that will match your style in this server. 
  • Lifesteal SMP: This game mode allows you to build your base, engage in PvP combat, and collect their hearts. Lifesteal SMP encourages strategic gameplay and adds an element of risk and reward. 
  • Game Support: WildWood SMP caters to all players regardless of whether they are playing Java or Bedrock Edition. This ensures that players from different platforms can join and collaborate. 
  • Future Expansion: WildWood SMP is releasing another SMP game mode, Earth SMP, which adds an exciting dimension to the server. This gives loyal players something to look forward to.
  • Regular Updates: Great SMP servers are always evolving, and WildWood SMP receives regular updates, bug fixes, and gameplay enhancements. 

4

FadeCloud

FadeCloud
FadeCloud Server

IP Address: fadecloud.com

Key Highlights

  • Engaging Game Modes: Besides SMP, FadeCloud also offers other game modes that cater to every Minecraft player’s preference. The server offers prison, dungeons, skyblock, and survival mode. 
  • Traditional Survival: If you want the classic Minecraft experience, FadeCloud SMP mode delivers just that. Players can explore a vast and diverse world teeming with biomes, mobs, and unique structures. 
  • Custom Features: Like most servers, FadeCloud’s SMP game mode goes beyond the vanilla experience with custom features like player shops, land claiming, and in-game economies. 
  • Fair Gaming Experience: FadeCloud prides itself on providing a balanced playing field for all players. Whether you are a seasoned pro or a newcomer, you’ll find a welcoming environment where you can thrive. 
  • Dedicated Staff: FadeCloud has an effective management and support team. These individuals ensure that players have a smooth and enjoyable experience while maintaining a friendly environment. 
  • Regular Events: FadeCloud keeps its players excited with regular events that provide new challenges and opportunities for competition. 

5

BlossomCraft

best minecraft smp servers
BlossomCraft

IP Address: play.BlossomCraft.org

Key Highlights

  • Game Support: BlossomCraft is open to both Java and Bedrock players. 
  • Laid Back Environment: Unlike other SMP servers, BlossomCraft focuses on community above all else. It focuses on Player vs. Environment gameplay by using “Keep Inventory” features and avoiding leaderboards that promote unhealthy competition. 
  • Helpful Plugins: BlossomCraft utilizes plugins that enhance your experience while staying true to Minecraft’s fundamental mechanics. Some plugins include Keep Inventory, Player Warps, and Grief Prevention. 
  • Variety of Gameplay Modes: BlossomCraft offers a wide array of gameplay modes, catering to different player preferences. 
  • Balance and Relaxation: This server’s emphasis on PvE creates a balanced and stress-free environment where you can focus on exploration, building, and enjoying the game at your own pace. 
  • Regular Updates: Developers release regular updates to keep engagement from the community. These updates include bug fixes and new content that gets the player base excited. 

6

Vanilla Realms

Vanilla Realms
Vanilla Realms

IP Address: mc.vanillarealms.com

Key Highlights

  • Vanilla Experience: Vanilla Realms is a semi-vanilla Survival server that offers players a pure survival experience. It embraces the essence of what makes Minecraft so captivating. In a world with complex modded servers, Vanilla Realms stands as a haven for players who appreciate the purity of Minecraft but want a multiplayer experience. 
  • Community Centric: What makes Vanilla Realms one of the best SMP servers is its friendly and supportive community. On this server, you’ll have the opportunity to collaborate, build, and engage with other players in a randomly generated world. 
  • Enhanced Gameplay: Despite its simplicity, Vanilla Realms wisely incorporates some quality-of-life enhancements like teleportation, grief protection, trading, and shops. These extra features complete the multiplayer experience without overwhelming new players. 

7

Hypixel 

Hypixel
Hypixel

IP Address: mc.hypixel.net

Key Highlights

  • Diverse Game Modes: Hypixel provides players with an arrow of innovative game modes, including Bed Wards, SkyWars, Survival, Skyblock, and more. This ensures that you have a range of options to explore and enjoy. 
  • High-Quality Games: Being a pioneering server, Hypixel is known for its high-quality and thoughtfully designed minigames. Each game on the server offers unique experiences, providing exceptional and entertaining gameplay. 
  • Active Player Base: Hypixel remains to be one of the most played SMP Minecraft servers. With millions of players, you’re guaranteed to find opponents and allies at any time. 
  • Regular Updates: Hypixel gets updated consistently with new content and features, ensuring that players have fresh content to explore and enjoy. 
  • Custom Game Modes: This server also features custom game modes and mechanics that set it apart from the competition. These unique features exclusive to the server introduce fresh and innovative gameplay that keeps players coming back. 
  • Community Building: Hypixel’s SMP follows the traditional SMP format, encouraging community building in different ways. 

8

Purple Prison

best minecraft smp servers
Purple Prison

IP Address: purpleprison.net

Key Highlights

  • Game Mode Variety: Purple Prison is known for its prison mode, but it also offers other game modes. Their survival mode is highly enjoyable, and it’s the top reason why they made this list. 
  • Thriving and Active Community: Purple Prison is home to hundreds of players every day. This guarantees that you have someone to play with regardless of the time and day. 
  • Custom Plugins: Purple Prison offers tons of custom plugins that add a unique and exciting dimension to the entire experience. These plugins introduce new mechanics and create fresh challenges that keep players coming back for more. 
  • Rewarding Drop Parties: Purple Prison frequently hosts drop parties, rewarding players with valuable items and resources. 

9

Simple Survival

Simple Survival
Simple Survival

IP Address: mc.simplesurvival.gg

Key Highlights

  • Semi-Vanilla Appeal: While it’s not that different from normal survival mode, it maintains a good balance of simplicity and engagement. Simple Survival adds just enough enhancements to improve overall gameplay without overwhelming players. 
  • Community Interaction: This server is great for players who want to be in the company of other Minecraft players without having to worry about complex and confusing features. 
  • Quality of Life Improvements: Despite remaining true to vanilla Minecraft, Simple Survival still offers some features like player shops, land claims, unique spawners, and in-game economy. 
  • Leaderboards: This introduces some level of competition and achievement to players, keeping them motivated to excel in various aspects of the game. 
  • Safe Environment: Simple Survival offers grief prevention features to maintain a safe and toxic-free environment for all players. 

10

The Seed Survival 

best minecraft smp servers

IP Address: theseedmc.com

Key Highlights

  • Vanilla Minecraft Experience: The Seed is dedicated to providing an unaltered Minecraft gaming experience. It avoids plugins, mods, or other game-changing features, allowing players to savor the essence of vanilla gameplay. 
  • Cosmetic Enhancements: The Seed still offers some customization to players. You can acquire cosmetic enhancements as rewards from voting. 
  • Fundamentals: This seed proves that SMP can be enjoyable even in Minecraft’s vanilla form by allowing players to focus on the basic aspects of the game. You can concentrate on farming, mining, crafting, and exploring the world. 

Conclusion

SMP, or survival multiplayer, offers a whole new dimension of gameplay to seasoned and new players. These servers, each with their unique features, provide an opportunity to connect with friends or fellow players, embark on adventures, and test your survival skills. 

Whether you’re seeking a challenge-driven experience or a laid-back and collaborative environment, there’s an SMP server out there to match your play style and preference. 

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Ryan is an experienced gaming writer who specializes in CS:GO, Valorant, and World of Warcraft. He combines his love for writing and gaming to provide insightful, informative content for his readers.
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