Cobbly vs exaroton
exaroton and Cobbly solve the same problem in two different ways. Both stop a server when nobody is playing and can start it again when someone joins. exaroton charges for the time it runs, 1 credit per GB of RAM per hour, so you choose how much memory you want and pay only while it is on. Cobbly costs nothing, and gives every server a fixed 3 GB in exchange for sharing hardware.
Side by side
| Feature | Cobbly | exaroton |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free forever | Pay per hour: 1 credit per GB of RAM per hour, plus storage |
| Memory | 3 GB, fixed | You choose, billed per GB-hour |
| Storage | 10 GB per server, included | Up to 10 GB per server, paid in credits |
| Starting a stopped server | Starts when a player connects (15 times a month per server), or any time from the panel | Can start when a player joins, if the owner turns it on |
| Mods and modpacks | Vanilla, Paper, Purpur, Folia, Fabric, Forge, NeoForge, Quilt; CurseForge and Modrinth content | Every major loader, 500+ one-click modpacks |
| Bedrock players | Phones, tablets and Windows, through Geyser | Native Bedrock servers too |
| Server locations | Germany and Finland | Europe and North America |
| When you need more | One-click clone to an always-on Spawnly server | Pick more RAM and pay for it per hour |
exaroton figures are from its homepage as of October 2026. Prices are in credits; check exaroton's site for what credits cost in your currency.
What is the same
- A server stops when nobody is playing, so nothing runs for no reason.
- A player can start a stopped server just by joining.
- Modded servers and one-click modpacks, not just plugins.
- Bedrock players can play too.
- A web panel to manage the server, with backups.
If a server that never sleeps is what you need, see the always-on page
Where Cobbly is different
- It is free. No credits to buy and no meter running while you play. A weekend-long session costs the same as an hour: nothing.
- A fixed 3 GB, with nothing to tune. You never pick a memory size or watch a balance. The trade-off is that 3 GB is the ceiling on the free tier.
- Two servers, both online at once, so a survival world and a modded one can run side by side at no extra cost.
- A panel for a group. Give up to five friends their own access without sharing a password, and start the server from Discord with
/cobbly start. - Run by Spawnly. When free is not enough, one button clones your world into an always-on Spawnly server, and your free server keeps running.
Where exaroton is the better pick
When 3 GB is not enough, or you never want to share a machine. exaroton lets you choose more memory and pay only for the hours the server runs, has servers in North America as well as Europe, and runs native Bedrock servers. A free server shares hardware with others, so at busy times Cobbly can ask you to wait briefly in a queue.
Moving your world to Cobbly
Download your world from exaroton as a ZIP, create a Cobbly server on the same Minecraft version and software, and upload the ZIP in the World tab. Keep the exaroton server until you have checked everything came across.
Questions
Is Cobbly cheaper than exaroton?
Yes, it is free. exaroton charges per GB of RAM per hour, which is cheap for a server that runs a few hours a week. Cobbly costs nothing however long you play, in exchange for a fixed 3 GB and shared hardware.
Can I move my exaroton world to Cobbly?
Yes. Download the world as a ZIP, then upload it in the World tab on your Cobbly server. Use the same Minecraft version so the world loads as it was.
Does a Cobbly server start when someone joins?
Yes. A sleeping server wakes when a player connects to its address, up to 15 times a month per server, and you can always start it from the panel. It sleeps again after 5 minutes with nobody online.
Is Cobbly really free?
Yes, with no card, no trial and no expiry. The free tier is how Spawnly, a paid host, introduces itself.
Try Cobbly free
Create a server in under a minute, and keep your exaroton server while you compare.
Create a free server