# Deploy Your First Server

> Choose a plan and location, pay, and join your new server, usually within two minutes.

Source: https://www.beaconhosting.org/knowledgebase/deploy-your-first-server
Category: Getting Started
Last updated: 2026-10-18

This guide takes you from the store to playing on your own server. Most servers are ready to join within two minutes of payment.

## 1. Choose your game and plan

Go to the [store](/store/games) and pick your game. For Minecraft, choose **Java Edition** or **Bedrock Edition**.

Then choose a plan. The main difference between plans is RAM:

- **Vanilla or a few plugins:** a smaller plan is fine.
- **Modpacks or lots of players:** pick more RAM. Large modpacks need it.

> [!NOTE]
> Not sure? Start smaller. You can upgrade later from the panel, and the change is prorated. Your world stays where it is.

## 2. Choose a location

Pick the location closest to you and your players. The store measures your ping to each location before you pay, so you can see which is fastest.

## 3. Choose how often to pay

You can pay monthly, quarterly or yearly. Quarterly is 6% cheaper than monthly, and yearly is 11% cheaper. The price you see is what you'll pay each time it renews.

## 4. Review and pay

The purchase page has three steps on one page: **Review**, **Account** and **Pay**.

1. **Review** your plan, location and any add-ons.
2. **Account:** sign in, or create an account.
3. **Pay** by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Link or PayPal. If you have a promotion, referral or creator code, enter it here.

## 5. Wait for setup

After you pay, we set your server up automatically. Most servers are live within two minutes, and we'll open the panel as soon as yours is ready.

## 6. Start it and join

1. Open your server from the [panel](/servers).
2. Press **Start** on the **Console** page. The first start takes a little longer while the server creates its world.
3. Go to the **Network** page and copy the **Server Address**.
4. In Minecraft, add a server and paste the address.

> [!TIP]
> Want a modpack? Open **Package Manager** before your first start. It installs CurseForge and Modrinth modpacks and sets up the right loader and Java version for you.

## Next steps

- Give friends access to the panel from **Users**.
- Set up automatic restarts or backups in **Schedules**.
- Take a backup before big changes, from **Backups**.

Stuck? See [Frequently Asked Questions](/knowledgebase/frequently-asked-questions) or [open a ticket](/billing/tickets).