Dedicated IP vs Subdomain for Minecraft: Pros and Cons
If you have ever bought a Minecraft server, you have probably been offered an upgrade to a "dedicated IP" for an extra few euros per month. Most hosting plans give you a free subdomain by default, like yourserver.serverheron.com. The question is: do you actually need to pay for the dedicated IP, or is the free subdomain fine?
For most Minecraft servers, the answer is that the subdomain is fine. Dedicated IPs are useful for specific cases, but the majority of casual and even semi-public Minecraft servers run perfectly well on a free subdomain. This article walks through both options so you can make the right call for your server.
The short answer
Use a subdomain if:
- You are hosting a server for friends, an SMP, or a small public community
- You want to give players a memorable join address
- You are running modern Minecraft (1.20+) where SRV records work cleanly
- You want to keep monthly costs low
Use a dedicated IP if:
- You are running a network with multiple servers behind one address
- You need to use the default port (25565) without subdomain magic
- You are running BungeeCord, Velocity, or Waterfall proxies
- You have specific firewall, whitelist, or third-party integration requirements
For 80 percent of Minecraft servers, the subdomain works perfectly and saves you the monthly fee.
What is a subdomain in Minecraft hosting
When your hosting provider gives you a subdomain, they create a DNS record like:
yourserver.serverheron.com → 5.42.20.100:25602
Players join using yourserver.serverheron.com. The DNS resolves to your host's actual IP, and the SRV record (more on that in a moment) tells the Minecraft client which port to connect to.
You do not see the port. You do not type the port. The subdomain hides it.
Modern Minecraft (1.3+) handles this seamlessly using DNS SRV records. Players connect to a clean-looking address and never know there is a port behind the scenes.
What is a dedicated IP in Minecraft hosting
A dedicated IP is an IPv4 address that belongs only to your server. Players join using the IP directly, like:
5.42.20.55
Because it is yours alone, you do not need a port number. Minecraft's default port (25565) is open and pointed to your server.
Dedicated IPs are scarce. There are only about 4.3 billion IPv4 addresses in existence and most are already allocated. This is why hosts charge for them. They have to obtain and manage IP space from regional registries.
In practice, a dedicated IP for Minecraft hosting costs €1-3 per month at most providers.
How SRV records work (and why subdomains do not need ports)
Here is the magic that makes subdomains work without port numbers.
When you set up Minecraft hosting with a subdomain, your host creates two DNS records:
- An A record pointing your subdomain to the server's IP address
- An SRV record that tells Minecraft clients which port to use
The SRV record looks something like this:
_minecraft._tcp.yourserver.serverheron.com IN SRV 0 5 25602 serverheron-node.example.com
When a player types yourserver.serverheron.com into Minecraft, the client first checks for an SRV record. If it finds one, it uses the specified port (25602 in this example) automatically. The player never sees the port number.
This is the same technology used by Discord, Slack, and many enterprise services. It has been part of DNS since 2000 and Minecraft has supported it since version 1.3 (released in 2012).
Pros and cons at a glance
| Factor | Dedicated IP | Subdomain |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | €1-3/month extra | Usually free |
| Memorability | Numbers, harder to remember | Words, easy to remember |
| Brandability | Cannot brand an IP | Can use clean subdomain like yourserver.host.com |
| Default port (25565) | Yes, included | Yes, via SRV record |
| Works in older Minecraft (pre-1.3) | Yes | No, requires SRV support |
| Works with all launchers | Yes, universal | Yes, with rare exceptions |
| Portable when switching hosts | No, IPs are host-bound | Sometimes (depends on host) |
| Required for BungeeCord/Velocity proxies | Recommended | Possible but harder |
| Required for some firewall setups | Yes | No |
| Looks "professional" | Subjective, often less | Subjective, often more |
When you actually need a dedicated IP
The honest list of cases where dedicated IP is worth paying for:
1. You run a network with multiple servers (BungeeCord/Velocity).
Network setups typically have one main entry point that proxies traffic to multiple backend servers. Dedicated IP simplifies this significantly.
2. You need third-party integrations that require IP whitelisting.
Some payment processors, Discord bots, or analytics tools require you to provide a specific IP. SRV records do not help here.
3. You are running a Bedrock server alongside Java.
Bedrock has different default ports and weaker SRV record support. Dedicated IP keeps both ports cleanly mapped.
4. You want to mask your hosting provider in your join address.
With a dedicated IP, players see only the IP. Combined with your own purchased domain (covered below), you can have a fully branded address with no host name visible.
5. You have technical requirements like custom firewall rules.
If you are doing anything advanced with iptables, fail2ban configurations, or VPN routing, dedicated IP is much easier to work with than shared infrastructure.
6. You are experiencing problems with SRV record handling.
Some old launchers, certain modded clients, or specific edge-case setups do not handle SRV records cleanly. If you are seeing connection errors with a subdomain that go away with a direct IP, dedicated IP is the fix.
When a subdomain is enough
For everyone else, the subdomain is the right answer:
- Friends servers and small SMPs. Players join, the subdomain works, no one cares.
- Casual public servers up to a few hundred players. The address is memorable and the SRV record works seamlessly.
- Modded servers using modern launchers (CurseForge, Modrinth, ATLauncher, MultiMC, Prism). All major launchers handle SRV records correctly.
- Anyone who wants to keep monthly costs minimal. The savings on dedicated IP add up over the year.
- First-time server owners. Start with the subdomain. Upgrade later if you find a reason to.
A common mistake is buying a dedicated IP because it sounds more "serious" or "professional." Players do not care about the format of your join address as long as it works.
The third option: buy your own domain
The best of both worlds, for many cases, is buying your own domain (like epicservermc.com from a registrar like Namecheap, Cloudflare, or Porkbun for ~€10/year) and pointing it at your hosting.
Your join address becomes:
play.epicservermc.com
No subdomain of your host. No memorable IP. Just your own brand.
You can do this with either a dedicated IP or a subdomain underneath:
- With a subdomain: Set a CNAME record from your domain to your host's subdomain, plus an SRV record for the port
- With a dedicated IP: Set an A record from your domain directly to the IP
Most hosts have a help article on this exact setup. Server Heron has documentation in the panel that walks you through it for both major DNS providers.
If you are running a public server you want to brand, this is the move. The €10/year for a domain is cheaper than two months of dedicated IP fees.
How to set up your join address
For a subdomain:
- Buy your hosting plan
- Choose a subdomain in your panel (e.g.,
myserver.serverheron.com) - The host creates the DNS and SRV records automatically
- Share the address with your players. Done.
For a dedicated IP:
- Buy your hosting plan plus the dedicated IP add-on
- Note the IP address shown in your panel
- Share that IP with players. They join on the default port 25565.
For a custom domain:
- Buy a domain from a registrar (Namecheap, Cloudflare, Porkbun)
- In the registrar's DNS panel, add an A record pointing your domain to your server's IP, OR a CNAME pointing to your subdomain
- If using a subdomain underneath, also create an SRV record for the port (your host should provide the values)
- Wait 5-30 minutes for DNS propagation
- Test the address. Done.
Common errors
"Can't resolve hostname" or "Unknown host":
Usually a DNS issue. Wait 30 minutes for propagation if you just set up the records. If it persists, double-check spelling and DNS records.
Connects without subdomain but not with it:
Your SRV record is missing or broken. Check that the host created it, or recreate it manually.
Works for some players but not others:
DNS caching at their ISP. Tell them to wait or clear their DNS cache (ipconfig /flushdns on Windows, sudo dscacheutil -flushcache on macOS).
Works in vanilla but not in a modded launcher:
Old version of the launcher with broken SRV support. Update the launcher, or fall back to providing the IP and port manually.
A short FAQ
Will my server be slower on a subdomain?
No. The DNS resolution adds a few milliseconds at first connect, then never again. Once you are connected, gameplay performance is identical.
Can I switch from subdomain to dedicated IP later?
Yes, easily. You just update the address you give to players. The server itself does not need to change.
Is dedicated IP more secure?
Marginally. Dedicated IPs are not shared with other customers, so you cannot be affected by another customer's reputation issues. For Minecraft hosting specifically, this rarely matters.
Does dedicated IP help with DDoS protection?
Not directly. Quality DDoS protection works at the network layer regardless of IP type. Server Heron includes 7-layer DDoS protection on every plan, IP type aside.
Can I get an IPv6 address instead?
Some hosts offer IPv6 dedicated addresses. They are cheaper than IPv4 because IPv6 is not scarce. But not all home networks and ISPs handle IPv6 well, so subscribers connecting from IPv4-only networks will not be able to join. For a Minecraft server, IPv4 (subdomain or dedicated) is still the safer choice.
What about Bedrock servers?
Bedrock uses a different default port (19132) and weaker SRV record support. Dedicated IP is a better fit for Bedrock-only servers, or for cross-platform servers that need both Java and Bedrock running.
Wrapping up
For most Minecraft servers, the free subdomain that comes with your hosting plan is the right choice. It is memorable, clean-looking, and works perfectly with modern Minecraft launchers thanks to SRV records.
Dedicated IPs are useful for specific cases like server networks, BungeeCord setups, third-party integrations that need IP whitelisting, and edge cases where SRV records fail. If none of those apply to you, save the monthly fee.
If you want a fully branded address, buy your own domain (~€10/year) and point it at either your subdomain or your dedicated IP. That gives you the cleanest setup at the lowest cost.
When in doubt, start with the subdomain. You can always upgrade later if you find a reason to.