Best Paper Plugins for a Free Minecraft Server (2026 Edition)
You can find tens of thousands of plugins on Hangar, Spigot, and Modrinth — but most servers only need 5–10 well-chosen ones. Here's our shortlist of the most useful Paper plugins for a free Minecraft server.
Essential commands and admin
- EssentialsX — Adds /home, /warp, /tpa, /spawn, /msg, /sethome, kit system, and dozens more. The single most installed plugin in Minecraft history.
- LuckPerms — Permissions and groups. Lets you create ranks, give players permissions, and integrate with other plugins via Vault.
- Vault — Not really a plugin on its own — it's an API that hundreds of other plugins depend on. Install it as a foundation.
Anti-grief and protection
- WorldGuard — Region-based protection. Define areas where blocks can't be broken, PvP is off, mobs don't spawn, etc.
- CoreProtect — Logs every block break, place, container access, and command. If griefing happens, you can rollback.
- GriefPrevention — Alternative to WorldGuard with simpler claim-based protection (players claim land with a golden shovel).
Building and creativity
- WorldEdit — Select areas with a wand and copy/paste/replace blocks at lightspeed. Essential for creative builders.
- VoxelSniper — Paint terrain with brushes. Great for large landscape sculpting.
Economy and shops
- EssentialsX Economy — Comes with EssentialsX. Adds /balance, /pay, and basic currency.
- QuickShop-Hikari — Player-run shops using chests. Right-click to set up.
Quality of life
- Dynmap — A Google-Maps-style live view of your world in a browser. Great for showing off builds.
- Multiverse-Core — Run multiple worlds on one server (survival + creative + nether + end as separate worlds).
- ChestSort — Auto-sort chests when you click "sort". Tiny but life-changing.
How to install these
See our guide on how to install Paper plugins. Most of these are on Modrinth with one-click downloads.
A minimum-viable plugin set
If you want to get started fast, install just these 4: Vault → LuckPerms → EssentialsX → CoreProtect. That gives you commands, permissions, an economy hook, and grief recovery. You can add more later.