WorldFolder or Aternos?
Aternos is free today.
WorldFolder is built to be easier for the group.
Aternos is an established, ad-funded free host — but someone always has to open the website, press start, and watch the queue. WorldFolder is a pre-launch alternative: one address, and the world starts itself when a friend joins. Its planned free tier may still wait when capacity is busy; planned paid worlds start fast.
| Aternos | WorldFolder Free | |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | Publicly available | Early-access waitlist |
| Price | Free, funded by website ads | Free plan, or fixed paid plans from €1.99 |
| When capacity is busy | A startup queue may apply | Free may wait; paid worlds get priority |
| Who gets everyone online | An authorised user starts the server through Aternos | Friends connect through Minecraft; no owner needed |
| When the group leaves | Stops when nobody is playing | WorldFolder shuts down the server automatically |
| Protecting the world | Google Drive backups and world download | Daily backups and world download planned |
| Paying for fewer limits | exaroton is a separate pay-per-use service | Simple fixed monthly plans |
The honest answer
Choose Aternos if the budget is exactly zero, you want a server now and somebody in the group does not mind managing the start process. Join WorldFolder’s waitlist if the group would rather pay a small fixed amount for less coordination—or wants to try our free plan without ads when it opens.