SpongeForge Server HostingSpongeForge Server Hosting
SpongeForge brings Forge mods and Sponge API plugins together on one server, running on Ryzen 9 9950X hardware in Istanbul.
Choose your Game Server
Select from our wide range of optimized game servers. Each server is configured for maximum performance and comes with DDoS protection.
1. Plan Type
2. Location
3. Choose Plan
Silver 6GB
Gold 8GB
Platinum 10GB
Diamond 12GB
Emerald 16GB
Xtreme 32GB
Which SpongeForge Plan Is Right for You?
Compare recommended use, plan hardware and monthly prices.
| Plan | Recommended for | Hardware | Monthly price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silver 6GB | Light pack + plugins, 2–6 playersOur recommended minimum for SpongeForge; good for single-mod 1.12.2 servers and small groups. | 4 vCore Ryzen 9950X · 6 GB DDR5 6000MHz · 60 GB NVMe SSD Samsung 990 PRO | ₺345.00/mo |
| Gold 8GB | Pixelmon-style server, 5–10 playersComfortable headroom for creature-heavy mods and 10–15 Sponge plugins. | 4 vCore Ryzen 9950X · 8 GB DDR5 6000MHz · 70 GB NVMe SSD Samsung 990 PRO | ₺440.00/mo |
| Platinum 10GB | 100–150 mods + plugins, 8–12 playersCarries mid-to-large Forge packs together with Sponge plugins in balance. | 4 vCore Ryzen 9950X · 10 GB DDR5 6000MHz · 100 GB NVMe SSD Samsung 990 PRO | ₺530.00/mo |
| Diamond 12GB | Busy Pixelmon or big pack, 10–15 playersA safe tier for the growing entity load when players spread across biomes. | 4 vCore Ryzen 9950X · 12 GB DDR5 6000MHz · 110 GB NVMe SSD Samsung 990 PRO | ₺617.50/mo |
| Emerald 16GB | Community server, 15–25 players6 vCores mean garbage collection and chunk generation affect the main tick less. | 6 vCore Ryzen 9950X · 16 GB DDR5 6000MHz · 120 GB NVMe SSD Samsung 990 PRO | ₺840.00/mo |
| Xtreme 32GB | Large community, 25–40 players12 vCores and 32 GB for large, plugin-heavy communities with big maps. | 12 vCore Ryzen 9950X · 32 GB DDR5 6000MHz · 200 GB NVMe SSD Samsung 990 PRO | ₺1520.00/mo |
Why TheCrewHost for SpongeForge?
Our infrastructure for servers that combine Forge's modding power with Sponge's plugin API.
Forge mods + Sponge plugins
SpongeForge sits in the mods folder with your other mods and adds the Sponge API to the server. Economy, permission and protection plugins then run in the same world as your mod content.
HOCON settings in config/sponge
Sponge's configuration lives in HOCON-format .conf files inside the config/sponge folder, while plugins usually keep their settings in their own folder under config.
Strong cores for entity-heavy mods
Mods that spawn lots of creatures, like Pixelmon, wear out the main thread. The Ryzen 9 9950X's high clock speed helps keep tick time reasonable in busy worlds.
Control with /sponge commands
Use commands like /sponge plugins list in the panel console to see what's loaded, and spot any plugin that failed to load straight from the startup log.
Backups for plugin experiments
Take a manual backup from the panel before trying a new Sponge plugin or SpongeForge build, while automatic backups keep running on a schedule in the background.
Free DDoS protection
Public Pixelmon and modded community servers can become attack targets, so DDoS protection and unmetered traffic are free on every SpongeForge plan.
SpongeForge server hosting lets you run Forge mods and Sponge API plugins together, starting at ₺345.00 per month (roughly $8.63) with 6 tiers from 6 GB to 32 GB of RAM. SpongeForge brings the Sponge API to a Forge server as a mod you drop into the mods folder. Unlike Bukkit-based hybrids, the plugin side is a completely separate API: you use Sponge plugins here, not Bukkit ones. A popular setup for Pixelmon servers back in the 1.12.2 days, SpongeForge is still released for current Forge versions. It runs on our Ryzen 9 9950X machines in Istanbul, with DDR5 memory and NVMe SSD storage.
What is SpongeForge, and how is it different from Bukkit hybrids?
SpongeForge is the Forge implementation of the Sponge API, and it runs as a Forge mod. Unlike hybrids such as Arclight, Mohist or Magma that replace the server core, SpongeForge goes into the mods folder of an existing Forge server; Forge stays as it is, and the Sponge layer is added on top.
The real difference is on the plugin side. Sponge is its own plugin API, independent of Bukkit and designed from the start to coexist with mods. That means Bukkit, Spigot and Paper plugins don't run on SpongeForge; only plugins written for Sponge do. Ore is Sponge's official plugin repository, and popular tools like LuckPerms have Sponge builds.
Who should pick SpongeForge? People carrying over an existing setup that relies on Sponge plugins, especially communities that grew up in the Sponge ecosystem, like the 1.12.2-era Pixelmon servers. If you want the Bukkit ecosystem on the plugin side, Arclight or MohistMC fit better; for Sponge plugins without mods, go with SpongeVanilla; and for mods only, a plain Forge Enhanced server.
How do you match SpongeForge to your Forge version?
Every SpongeForge build is tied to a specific Forge version, and the file name tells you which. A version like 1.21.10-60.0.1-17.0.0, for example, means Minecraft 1.21.10, Forge 60.0.1 and Sponge API 17. If the Forge version on the server doesn't match what SpongeForge expects, the server either won't start or runs unreliably.
Sponge's download page lists builds for each Minecraft version, some marked recommended and others as release candidates (RC). On a live community server, stick with the recommended build. The most widely used legacy line is Sponge API 7 on 1.12.2, while 1.16.5 comes with API 8.
Java matters as well. According to Sponge's documentation, Forge 1.16.5 can't run on Java 17 or newer, and Java 11 is recommended for SpongeForge 1.16.5; 1.12.2 runs on Java 8. Modern versions need whatever Java their Minecraft version requires. If you're unsure which combination to install, our support team can help.
How much RAM does a SpongeForge server need?
Our recommended minimum for SpongeForge is 6 GB, since the Sponge layer and your plugins take up memory alongside the Forge mods. A server built around one main mod, like 1.12.2 Pixelmon, with 10–15 plugins and 5–10 players runs comfortably on Silver 6GB or Gold 8GB. Packs with 100–150 mods and long plugin lists are healthier at 10–12 GB.
On Pixelmon-style servers, the real load comes from player count and the creatures spawning around each player. An evening with 20 players roaming different biomes stresses the server far more than the mod count does. Communities past 15 players are safer on Emerald 16GB, and servers approaching 30 players on Xtreme 32GB.
Check entity counts before memory. Lowering view-distance, pre-generating the spawn area and balancing spawn settings in the relevant mod's config file are the first things to try before buying more RAM.
Where do Sponge plugins go, and where are the settings?
Where plugins go depends on the Sponge API version. According to Sponge's documentation, on API 7 and earlier (the 1.12.2 era) plugins go into the mods folder alongside mods, while on API 8 and later they go into a separate plugins folder. SpongeForge itself always stays in the mods folder.
Sponge's general settings are kept in HOCON-format .conf files in config/sponge; in the API 7 days that file was called global.conf. Plugins usually store their own settings in a folder named after the plugin ID under config. After changing a setting, restart the server.
To verify your setup on API 8 and later, run /sponge plugins list in the console, and /sponge tps shows tick data for loaded worlds. Only download plugins from trusted sources like Ore; Sponge's own docs warn that malicious plugins can give others unauthorized access to your server. For permissions, the Sponge build of LuckPerms handles ranks and groups through Sponge's permission service.
How do players connect to a SpongeForge server?
What players need is the server's Forge modpack: the same Minecraft version, the same Forge version and the same versions of every content mod. Sponge plugins run server-side, so players don't install SpongeForge or any plugins; according to the Sponge docs, SpongeForge only needs to be on the client for single-player Sponge use.
Players who install the modpack through the CurseForge app or Prism Launcher then go to Multiplayer, Add Server, and enter the IP:port from your panel. If the port isn't 25565, it goes at the end of the address after a colon.
To close the server to your community, the vanilla whitelist commands work, and you assign admins with the op command. For more detailed permission setups, use a Sponge permissions plugin like LuckPerms.
How to Set Up a SpongeForge Server
- 1
Settle on Minecraft, Forge and Sponge versions
Pick the SpongeForge build that matches your modpack's Minecraft and Forge versions; the Forge version in its file name must match the server's.
- 2
Choose a plan and let setup begin
Pick the tier that fits your mods and plugins. After payment is confirmed, your server installs automatically and is managed at gamepanel.hostingmerkezi.net.
- 3
Upload mods and SpongeForge to the mods folder
Transfer the modpack's server files and the SpongeForge jar to the mods folder over SFTP, then boot without plugins and check the console.
- 4
Put Sponge plugins in the right folder
Upload plugins to the mods folder for API 7 (1.12.2), or the plugins folder for API 8 and later, then confirm they loaded with /sponge plugins list.
- 5
Configure permissions and settings
Review the settings under config/sponge, set up ranks with LuckPerms, and turn the whitelist on or off to suit your community.
- 6
Invite your players
Players install the Forge modpack and connect using the IP:port from the panel; Sponge plugins need nothing extra on the client.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to what people ask most before setting up a SpongeForge server.
How much does SpongeForge server hosting cost?
Which plan should I choose for SpongeForge?
Do Bukkit or Spigot plugins work on SpongeForge?
What's the difference between SpongeForge and SpongeVanilla?
How do players connect to a SpongeForge server?
Which folder should Sponge plugins go in?
How long does setup take?
Are my server's backups taken care of?
Does DDoS protection cost extra on SpongeForge plans?
Can I upgrade my plan later?
İstanbul Location,
Maximum Performance
Our İstanbul datacenter runs on Ryzen 9 hardware, delivering low latency to players in Türkiye and good connectivity to Europe, the Middle East and the Caucasus.
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