Create a Minecraft Bedrock server: dedicated server or Geyser?

Minecraft Bedrock is the edition for phones, consoles and Windows. To welcome these players, there are two paths: Bedrock's official server, or a Java server with Geyser that lets both editions in. The choice depends on who needs to play together.

Two paths

	Bedrock dedicated server	Java server + Geyser
Who can play	Bedrock only	Java and Bedrock together
Extensions	behaviour packs (add-ons)	the whole Java plugin ecosystem
Faithfulness to Bedrock gameplay	perfect	very good, a few differences (menus, combat)
For whom	friends on console or mobile	public server

For a public server, Java with Geyser is the most common choice: you reach both audiences, and you keep plugins (protection, permissions, economy, votes). The guide Welcome Bedrock players with Geyser details the setup, and the Geyser configurator generates the configuration.

The Bedrock dedicated server

Mojang publishes a free dedicated server (Bedrock Dedicated Server) for Windows and Linux, on the official Minecraft website. It unzips and runs directly: bedrock_server.exe on Windows, ./bedrock_server on Linux.

Its essential files:

• server.properties: server name, game mode, difficulty, number of players. The port is 19132 (and 19133 for IPv6), over UDP.
• allowlist.json: the list of allowed players, enabled by allow-list=true. It's the equivalent of Java's whitelist.
• permissions.json: who is operator, member or visitor.

Players connect with the address and the port. At home, you need to open the port 19132 over UDP on the router, not TCP as for Java.

Its limits

• No plugins: add-ons (behaviour packs) change the content, but there's no equivalent of LuckPerms, WorldGuard or vote plugins.
• Updates to follow closely: an updated Bedrock client can no longer join a server left on the old version. Watch every release.
• Consoles (Switch, Xbox, PlayStation) show no button to add a server. Players go through an app like BedrockTogether or a custom DNS.

Unofficial software (PocketMine-MP, for example) adds plugins to Bedrock, but it follows game versions with a delay: check compatibility before you start.

Which machine?

The Bedrock server is light for a few friends: a recent PC or a small hosting plan is enough. For a Java server with Geyser, the load is that of a Java server plus a little memory for Geyser. The resources and budget calculator gives an order of magnitude.

Get known by Bedrock players

Bedrock players look specifically for compatible servers. On your CubeVote listing, tick Bedrock access and give the port: your server will appear in the list of Bedrock servers, and in the suggestions of Find your server for mobile and console players. The server tester checks that the port answers from outside.