How to Compare Minecraft Servers
Guide for the compare tool: selecting servers, interpreting uptime, latency, and votes side by side, and when comparison helps.
What Is the Compare Tool?
The compare tool lets you put up to 3 servers side by side in a single table so you can evaluate them at a glance. Instead of opening multiple tabs and tabbing back and forth, you see everything in one view.
How to Use It
Step 1: Add Servers
Go to the compare page. Use the search box at the top to find servers by name. Click a result to add it to the comparison. You can add up to 3 servers at a time.
Step 2: Review the Comparison Table
Once you’ve added servers, a table appears with each server in its own column. The following attributes are compared:
| Attribute | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Status | Online or offline badge |
| Players | Current online / max players (e.g. 42 / 100) |
| Uptime (7d) | 7-day uptime percentage, color-coded (green ≥95%, amber ≥70%, red <70%) |
| Latency | Current ping in milliseconds |
| Votes | Total vote count |
| Address | The join address (IP or domain, with port if non-default) |
| Java versions | Supported Minecraft versions |
| Tags | Up to 4 gamemode/feature tags |
| Links | Website and Discord links (if provided) |
Each server name is a link to its full detail page if you want to dig deeper.
Step 3: Remove or Swap Servers
Click the X button next to any server name in the table header to remove it. Then search for a different server to add in its place.
Step 4: Share or Bookmark
The URL automatically updates as you add and remove servers. For example:
/compare?servers=server-one,server-two,server-threeYou can bookmark this URL, share it with friends, or post it in your Discord. Anyone who opens the link will see the same comparison.
When Comparison Helps
- Choosing between similar servers - if you’re torn between two survival servers, compare their uptime and player counts to pick the more reliable one.
- Evaluating latency - if you care about ping, compare latency across servers to find the most responsive one from your region.
- Checking activity - compare current player counts to see which servers are busiest right now.
- Verifying versions - make sure a server supports your Minecraft version before you commit to joining.
- Sharing recommendations - build a comparison and share the link with friends who are deciding where to play.
Understanding the Metrics
Uptime (7d)
The 7-day uptime percentage reflects how often the server was reachable over the past week. Our system pings servers regularly across multiple regions and calculates uptime as the ratio of successful pings to total pings. See our guide to understanding uptime for a deep dive.
Latency
Latency is the round-trip time for a ping packet, measured in milliseconds. Lower is better. Keep in mind that latency depends on the region our pinger used, so it may not reflect your own connection to the server. Use the status checker to test from a specific region.
Votes
The vote count reflects total votes received. The browse page and top page use a decayed vote score (14-day half-life) for ranking, but the compare tool shows raw totals for a straightforward comparison. See the voting leaderboard for ranked vote data.
Tips
- Start from a server’s detail page - if you’re viewing a server and want to compare it, note its slug and head to
/compare?servers=that-slugto start building a comparison. - Compare within the same gamemode - for a fair comparison, pick servers with similar tags (e.g. all Skyblock servers).
- Check at different times - player counts fluctuate throughout the day. Compare during peak hours for the most realistic picture.