Relay
Pass-the-baton Minecraft hosting.
Run a shared world with your friends. Whoever's around hosts it on their PC. Worlds sync automatically. Nobody pays for hosting, nobody is the single point of failure.
How it works
When you start a server in Relay, your computer becomes the host. The latest world downloads from the cloud, your Minecraft server boots up locally, and your friends connect directly to you — no middleman, no laggy data center halfway across the country.
When you close the app, your world automatically uploads back to the cloud as the new latest version. When a friend wants to play, they click "Host" — their computer pulls the world you left off on and keeps the adventure going. The world lives in the cloud, but the server itself rotates between whoever's online.
Anyone can host
No dedicated machine, no monthly bill. Whoever's around clicks "Host" and the server runs on their PC.
The world follows you
When a host quits, the world saves to the cloud and the next person picks up exactly where you left off.
Friends just connect
The host shares an address. UPnP opens the port automatically, or connect a free playit.gg tunnel in one click.
Plugins sync
Upload Paper plugins once. Everyone who hosts gets them automatically — no manual file copying.
Why Relay?
Keeping a Minecraft world alive with friends usually means picking the least-bad option. Relay is the first that doesn't make you compromise.
Paid hosting
$7-15/month for a server that sits idle 20 hours a day. You pay even when nobody's playing.
Aternos / free hosts
Laggy shared boxes. Long queues. Servers shut down after a few idle minutes. Ads everywhere.
One friend's PC 24/7
One person stuck running it. When their power blinks or they go on vacation, everyone's locked out.
Relay
Whoever's online hosts. World syncs to the cloud between sessions. No bills, no laggy shared box, no one person on the hook.
Pricing
Start free. Upgrade only if your group needs more cloud storage for worlds. No paid tier is required to play — Relay's whole point is that hosting itself is free.
Free
- ✅1 server
- ✅2 GB cloud storage
- ✅5 plugins per server
- ❌Custom world types
- ❌Full world file control
Plus
- ✅5 servers
- ✅20 GB cloud storage
- ✅Unlimited plugins
- ✅Minigames map included
- ❌Full world file control
Pro
- ✅Unlimited servers
- ✅200 GB cloud storage
- ✅Unlimited plugins
- ✅All world types
- ✅Full world file control
Paid tiers will be in-app purchases at launch.
Be first when Relay launches
Tap the button to add yourself to the counter. Drop your email if you want a one-time launch ping — no newsletter, no spam.
About Relay
Relay is built for small, trusted friend groups — not public servers — so it stays simple, cheap to run, and resilient. Everyone in the group shares hosting; no single person is on the hook for keeping the world alive.
No idle hosting bills
You only "pay" with the PC that's already on and playing. A generous free tier covers most friend groups.
Built for friends
Servers are invite-only. You decide who's in. No public listing, no strangers.
Questions
When does Relay launch?
Soon. We're polishing the app and validating demand right now. Drop your email above and you'll get a one-time ping the day it goes live.
Do I need Minecraft installed?
Yes — Relay runs the server, but you join with the regular Minecraft Java client (any recent version). Bedrock won't work.
Do I need Java installed?
No. Relay bundles its own — you don't have to install or configure anything.
What happens when I quit while hosting?
Relay saves the world to the cloud, hands the baton off, and the next person who clicks "Host" picks up where you left off. The world auto-saves every few minutes, so a crash loses at most a few minutes of progress.
How do my friends connect?
Whoever's hosting shows their address in Relay. Paste it into Minecraft Multiplayer. If your router supports UPnP, Relay opens the port automatically; otherwise the admin connects a free playit.gg tunnel in one click.
Is there a storage limit?
Each account gets a free cloud storage allowance for its worlds. Larger paid tiers are available for groups with big or many worlds — see Pricing above.
What about modded servers?
Relay supports Paper plugins (Spigot-compatible). Admins upload .jar plugins through the launcher and everyone hosting syncs them automatically. Forge/Fabric mods aren't supported.