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What plugins you need on your Minecraft server

In this article, we will review some plugins that you might want to add to your server. Note that this is just a list of some of the plugins we find a majority of servers using, and is not opinionated.

Java: Bukkit/Spigot/Paper plugins

Recommended site for plugins requiring Spigot or its forks: SpigotMC

General

BlueMap/Dynmap/Pl3xmap/Squaremap: an interactive live map of your server's world displayed in a browser
Essentials: basically everything you could need for a customized server, from bans to economy
Floodgate/Geyser-Spigot: a bridge that allows Bedrock players to securely join a Java server Learn how to setup
BuycraftX: a monetization tool that connects your server to its online store. Learn how to setup
Citizens: an NPC (non-player character) spawning and customization tool Learn how to setup
Clans: a clan system with many useful addons to divide your server into factions and have them compete Learn how to setup
CrazyCrates: a crate creation plugin that allows keys to be given to players so that they may open cool crates filled with items Learn how to setup
HolographicDisplays: create holograms with colored text or icons Learn how to setup
DiscordSRV: a bridge that connects your Minecraft chat and console to a Discord server channel Learn how to setup
ViaVersion/ViaBackwards: allows newer and older versions of Minecraft to connect to your server
PlaceholderAPI: retrieves data from plugins and allows you to use it in the form of placeholders Learn how to setup
Vault: a general usage plugin that serves to help other plugins function (required by many plugins) Learn how to setup
Plan Player Analytics: A plugin that creates a webserver to view tons of metrics about your server!
Votifier/VotingPlugin: encourage players to vote for your server by rewarding them
LaggRemover/ClearLagg: a plugin with the goal of removing all lag: it includes entity clearing, garbage collecting, and more Learn how to setup
Spicord: a bridge between your server and Discord through a bot that can list players, plugins, and more
Multiverse-core: a tool to have multiple worlds in your server at once Learn how to setup
WorldEdit: a fast world editing tool to quickly create shapes, copy and paste, configure and much more! Learn how to setup
LuckPerms: a rank system for your server (staff ranks, prestige ranks...) that can be set up to display as prefixes in the chat
DeluxeMenus: a plugin used to create custom GUIs for your server
Chunky/FastChunkPregenerator: a plugin used to pregenerate your world
TAB: create scoreboards, list players, edit nametags
EasyBroadcast: Broadcast announcements and other messages to your players with tons of filters!

Specific

Wild: teleport anywhere random in your world or within a radius using one command
EasySetSpawn: set a spawn that you can teleport to with /spawn
OpenInv: observe and edit player inventories using a GUI Learn how to setup
InvSee++: See player inventories Learn how to setup
ConsoleSpamFix: silence messages you don't want to see on your console
SkinsRestorer: fix skins not appearing (mostly for Geyser purposes) or set other skins
UltraBar: show a boss bar at the top of the screen with text for easy titles Learn how to setup

Fun

AngelChest: spawn chests with player inventories when they die that they can collect for a small window of time
BetterSleeping4: 1-player sleep!
ChestShop: make shops by having players buy items from chests using money
DropHeads: have player heads drop where a player dies
AuctionHouse: buy and sell items to and from other players using money through a GUI
Towny: a town and nation system to add politics and land claiming to yourserver
JobsReborn: A jobs plugin where players can complete tasks for rewards, just like real jobs
QualityArmour: A guns plugin that adds weapons and ammo for shooting-based servers

Moderation/Security

AntiSpam: prevent players from spamming in the chat
AntiSwear: keep the chat clean from curse words
AntiVPN: prevent players from joining using VPNs or other proxies
CoreProtect: log all actions taken on your server and rollback griefed locations
GriefPrevention: a land-claiming plugin allowing players to easily claim plots and prevent griefing
InventoryRollbackPlus: roll back inventories if they're altered or lost Learn how to setup
WorldGuard: protect certain parts of your world such as spawn by preventing editing or mob spawning in an area

Bedrock: Pocketmine plugins

Recommended site for plugins requiring PocketmineMP or its forks: Poggit

General

Pureperms: rank and permission system
Purechat: addition to pureperms that allows you to display ranks in the chat
EssentialsTP: teleport to other players, spawn, deaths, homes, or warps
SimpleWarp: set and teleport to warp locations that are unique to each player
EconomyAPI: the ultimate economy system for all money-oriented plugins
Multiworld: have multiple accessible worlds simultaneously in the same server (also generates nether and end biomes)
BetterVoting: connect your server to its voting site and reward players when they vote
SimpleFactions: a faction and clan prefix system
Broadcaster: broadcast messages at certain intervals to all online players
BuilderTools: basically like WorldEdit for Pocketmine, it allows you to copy/paste and generate shapes
PureEntitiesX: spawn mobs with AI in your server (Pocketmine doesn't by default)
Slapper: spawn custom NPCs that can execute commands when clicked
Wilderness: teleport anywhere randomly in your world or within a radius through the use of one command
WorldGuard: protect certain parts of your world such as spawn by preventing editing or mob spawning in an area
MultiServerCounter: have a network of many servers? This plugin allows you to show the player count of all those servers combined

Fun

CustomShopUI (Made by our CEO!): buy and sell items of all types
PiggyCustomEnchants: add new, cool and customizable enchants for items and tools in your server
AuctionHouse: buy and sell items to and from other players using money through a GUI
PiggyCrates: a crate creation plugin that allows keys to be given to players so that they may open cool crates filled with items
PlayerVaults: allow players to create one (or multiple) secret inventories where they can store precious items

Moderation/Security

Invsee: observe and edit player inventories using a GUI
ShadowAntiCheat: an anticheat that detects flying, unusual movement, or any kind of unfair advantage
VPN guard: prevent players from joining using VPNs or other proxies
Banitem: prevent players from accessing items that you want banned
ChatCensor: block spam, caps, curses, IPs, or any other malicious expression in the chat

Bedrock: Nukkit Plugins

Recommended site for plugins requiring Nukkit or its forks: Cloudburst

General:

LuckPerms: a rank system for your server (staff ranks, prestige ranks...) that can be set up to display as prefixes in the chat
EssentialsNk: similar to the Java plugin, it provides basically everything you could need for a customized server, from bans to economy
EconomyAPI: the ultimate economy system for all money-oriented plugins
WorldEdit: a fast world editing tool to quickly create shapes, copy and paste, configure...
MultiWorld: have multiple accessible worlds simultaneously in the same server
WorldEssentials: add the possibility for different inventories and gamemodes for each of the server's worlds
SimpleAnnouncer: broadcast messages at certain intervals to all online players
SimpleScoreboards: create scoreboards using placeholders
PlaceholderAPI: retrieves data from plugins and allows you to use it in the form of placeholders
NPC: spawn custom NPCs that can execute commands when clicked
Holograms: create holograms with colored text or icons

Fun

QuickShop: set up shops and sell/by items by simply using signs
EconomyShop: buy items of all types from the server store
Pets: tame pets and keep them as little companions throughout your adventures

Security

SRegionProtector: protect certain parts of your world such as spawn by preventing editing or mob spawning in an area
GAC: an anticheat plugin that detects flying, unusual movement, or any kind of unfair advantage that a player could have

Please note that some plugins have dependencies (require other plugins to function)Want to suggest more plugins? Let us know in our discord and we may add it!

Updated on: 02/06/2024

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