SMP stands for Survival Multiplayer. In Minecraft, an SMP is a server where a group of players share one survival world: you gather resources, build, fight mobs and can die, and the world keeps going between sessions. Most SMPs are small and invite-only (whitelisted), like the long-running Hermitcraft. You can join an existing one through its server address or start your own with Minecraft Realms or a self-hosted server.
That’s the whole meaning. The useful part is knowing how SMPs differ from other servers, how people get into them, and what it takes to run one for your friends.
What players ask about SMPs
“Why do people still say SMP and SSP?”
Mostly habit. Back in 2012 a player on the Minecraft Forum asked the same thing, and the replies said the terms predate Creative mode and simply stuck. SSP is the single-player version: Survival Single Player. One reply argued SMP could also mean “Server Multiplayer”, but that reading never caught on. Today “SMP” almost always means a survival server built around a shared, ongoing world.
“What does whitelisted mean on an SMP post?”
It means the server only lets in names the owner has approved. Typical SMP recruitment posts on the Minecraft Forum, like this one for a Java SMP and this whitelisted vanilla server, ask you to message the owner or drop your Discord name before you’re added. The owner then adds you with the /whitelist add command. So if a server says “whitelist”, you apply first and play second.
“Do SMP worlds ever reset?”
Depends on the server. Plenty of community SMPs advertise “no resets” as a selling point, as the Starting a SMP thread does. Others run in seasons: Hermitcraft starts each season on a fresh seed, according to Fanlore. Ask before you invest weeks in a base.
What does SMP stand for in Minecraft, exactly?
Survival Multiplayer: survival mode, played with other people on a server. The term goes back to Minecraft’s Alpha days. The Minecraft Wiki records survival multiplayer testing starting in Java Alpha v1.0.12 and the full release in Alpha v1.0.15, which Wikipedia dates to August 4, 2010. Before that, online play was the older Classic multiplayer.
The word “survival” matters. On an SMP you start with nothing, hunger and health count, and dying costs you your items. That’s what separates it from creative build servers, where everything is free to place.
SMP vs other Minecraft servers
Mojang’s own Official Minecraft Server List sorts servers into types such as minigames, SMPs and creative builds, according to the Minecraft Wiki. Here’s how they compare:
| Server type | What you do | Does progress carry over? | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| SMP (survival multiplayer) | Gather, build and survive in one shared world | Yes, the world persists (unless the server resets) | Friends or communities who want a long-term world |
| Minigame server | Short rounds of games like PvP or parkour | Usually just stats or ranks | Quick sessions, no commitment |
| Creative build server | Build with unlimited blocks | Your builds stay, but there is no survival | Builders and showcase projects |
| Minecraft Realms | Private world (often run as an SMP) hosted by Mojang | Yes, always online | Small friend groups who want no setup |
A Realm is really a way of hosting rather than a different game style. Most Realms are just small private SMPs.
Famous SMPs you’ve probably heard of
Hermitcraft is the classic example. Fanlore says GenerikB founded it on April 13, 2012, as a private, whitelisted survival server, with 27 members in Season 10. The official Hermitcraft website lists vanilla seasons 1 to 10 plus separate modded seasons, and members post their episodes on YouTube.
Dream SMP is the one that made the word famous with younger players. Wikipedia describes it as an invite-only SMP where creators such as Dream, GeorgeNotFound, TommyInnit, Tubbo and Technoblade roleplayed a loose storyline on Twitch and YouTube. It started in 2020, officially shut down by April 10, 2023, and a few members returned on October 27, 2024 to wrap up their characters’ stories.
Lots of other YouTube series use “SMP” in their names. They follow the same idea: a fixed group, one survival world, and a story that grows out of what happens there.
How to join an SMP
You need the server’s address (IP) and, on whitelisted servers, the owner’s approval. Find public SMPs on Mojang’s Official Minecraft Server List, which Mojang launched with GamerSafer in November 2023; listed servers have to show they follow the Minecraft Usage Guidelines. Mojang adds that the list “is not a guarantee of safety”, so parents should still check a server’s rules.
On Java Edition (PC, Mac, Linux)
- Open Minecraft and click Multiplayer.
- Click Add Server, type the server address, and click Done.
- Select the server in the list and click Join Server. If you get a “not whitelisted” message, contact the owner first.
On Bedrock Edition (consoles, phones, Windows)
- Choose Play and open the Servers tab.
- On phones and Windows you can add an external server with its address and port.
- On Xbox, PlayStation and Switch, the Minecraft Wiki notes you can only pick from Mojang’s featured servers, not add your own. For a private SMP with console friends, a Realm is the simplest route.
How to start your own SMP with friends
The quickest way is a Realm; the cheapest way (in money, not effort) is hosting the free server software yourself. Realm prices below are from Mojang’s Realms page as of October 2026.
| Option | Cost | Players online at once | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Realms for Bedrock | $3.99 USD/month | You + 2 | Cross-play on Android, iOS, Windows, Xbox, PlayStation, Switch and more |
| Realms Plus (Bedrock) | $7.99 USD/month | You + 10 | Same platforms as Realms for Bedrock |
| Realms for Java | $7.99 USD/month | You + 10 | Windows, Mac and Linux only |
| Your own Java server | Free software | Up to your PC and connection | Needs Java installed and port 25565 opened for outside players |
Every Realms plan stays online 24/7 and comes with a 30-day free trial, which renews automatically unless you cancel. Console players still need their platform’s online subscription for multiplayer.
Running your own Java server means downloading the server file from Minecraft’s official server page. By downloading it you agree to the Minecraft EULA, and Mojang notes you may need port forwarding so friends outside your home network can connect. Once it’s running, lock it down:
- Type /whitelist on so only approved players can join.
- Add each friend with /whitelist add <name>. On Bedrock dedicated servers the command is /allowlist add, per the Minecraft Wiki.
- Agree on rules early: griefing, PvP, and whether the world will ever reset.
If you plan to charge players for anything, read the EULA first. Wikipedia notes Mojang began enforcing it in June 2014 to stop pay-to-win sales, and servers were only allowed to sell cosmetic items.
Frequently asked questions
Is SMP only on Java Edition?
No. Both Java and Bedrock Edition have survival servers and Realms, so an SMP can run on either. Java and Bedrock players can’t share the same vanilla server, though, so everyone in the group needs the same edition.
What is the difference between SMP and SSP?
SMP is Survival Multiplayer, played with others on a server. SSP is Survival Single Player, a survival world on your own.
Is the Dream SMP still running?
No. The Dream SMP officially shut down by April 10, 2023. A few members returned in October 2024 to conclude their storylines, but it isn’t an active server.
Are SMP servers free to join?
Most community SMPs are free to join, and many only ask you to apply for the whitelist. Under Minecraft’s EULA, servers can only sell cosmetic extras, not gameplay advantages.
Can an SMP use mods?
Yes. Many SMPs stay vanilla, but modded SMPs exist too. Hermitcraft, for example, has run separate modded seasons alongside its vanilla ones, and every player then needs the same modpack.
Sources
- Minecraft Wiki: Multiplayer
- Minecraft.net: Realms plans
- Minecraft.net: The Official Minecraft Server List is live
- Minecraft.net: Java Edition server download
- Wikipedia: Dream SMP
- Fanlore: HermitCraft
- Minecraft Forum: Why do people say SSP/SMP?
Featured image: Mojang Studios / Microsoft
