--- title: "Folia vs Paper vs Purpur: Which Server Software? | ZCS" description: "Compare Paper, Purpur and Folia for plugin compatibility, performance and setup, and learn when switching server software is worth it." url: "https://www.zcraftstudios.com/blog/minecraft-server-software-paper-purpur-folia" updated: "2026-10-20T07:16:50.972429+00:00" source: "ZCraft Studios" --- > Site index for AI agents: https://www.zcraftstudios.com/llms.txt (full reference: https://www.zcraftstudios.com/llms-full.txt). Every page is available as Markdown by adding `.md` to its URL or sending `Accept: text/markdown`. 1. [Home](https://www.zcraftstudios.com/) 2. [Blog](https://www.zcraftstudios.com/blog) 3. Folia vs Paper vs Purpur: Which Server Software? [ All posts](https://www.zcraftstudios.com/blog) # Folia vs Paper vs Purpur: Which Server Software? ZCraft StudiosSep 27, 2026Updated Oct 20, 2026 Compare Paper, Purpur and Folia for plugin compatibility, performance and setup, and learn when switching server software is worth it. ## In this guide - [Paper Is the Safe Default](#paper-is-the-safe-default) - [Purpur Adds Features, at a Compatibility Cost](#purpur-adds-features-at-a-compatibility-cost) - [Folia Solves a Problem Most Servers Don't Have Yet](#folia-solves-a-problem-most-servers-dont-have-yet) - [Switching Later Is Usually Fine](#switching-later-is-usually-fine) - [What Actually Matters More Than the Choice](#what-actually-matters-more-than-the-choice) - [What's Next for ZCraft Studios](#whats-next-for-zcraft-studios) - [Folia vs Paper vs Purpur at a glance](#folia-vs-paper-vs-purpur-at-a-glance) - [Folia: when it matters](#folia-when-it-matters) - [Paper vs Purpur](#paper-vs-purpur) - [What about Fabric and mods?](#what-about-fabric-and-mods) - [How to switch server software safely](#how-to-switch-server-software-safely) - [Frequently asked questions](#frequently-asked-questions) - [Related reading](#related-reading) ## Choosing Minecraft Server Software: Paper, Purpur, or Folia _The server jar picked before launch quietly decides which plugins are even on the table later._ ## Paper Is the Safe Default Paper is the most widely supported server software in the Minecraft plugin ecosystem. Most plugins are built and tested against it first, which means the widest compatibility and the fastest bug fixes when something breaks. **Unless there's a specific reason to deviate, Paper is the software most servers should start on.** ## Purpur Adds Features, at a Compatibility Cost Purpur forks Paper and adds extra configuration options and gameplay tweaks, such as ridable mobs and extra settings for existing mechanics. Most plugins built for Paper still work fine on Purpur, but the extra layer occasionally causes plugin conflicts Paper wouldn't have. Purpur makes sense for servers that specifically want its extra toggles. It's not a strict upgrade over Paper for servers that don't. ## Folia Solves a Problem Most Servers Don't Have Yet Folia is built for horizontal scaling: splitting world simulation across threads region by region instead of a single main thread. That matters enormously for a handful of massive servers and does nothing for a server with a normal player count, because the bottleneck it solves isn't the one they have. **Folia support has to be built into a plugin specifically. Plugins written for single-threaded Paper don't just work on Folia, and plugin compatibility is still catching up.** Choosing Folia today means choosing a smaller compatible-plugin pool in exchange for scaling headroom most servers won't need for a long time, if ever. ## Switching Later Is Usually Fine Unlike an auth model or branding decision, server software is one of the easier things to change after launch, since most configuration and plugin data transfers cleanly between Paper and Purpur specifically. That makes it a lower-stakes decision than owners sometimes treat it as. ## What Actually Matters More Than the Choice Whichever software gets picked, the plugins and configs running on top of it matter more day-to-day than the jar underneath. Well-built, Paper-compatible configs will keep working through most software changes without modification. ## What's Next for ZCraft Studios Everything we build targets Paper compatibility first, specifically because it's what the widest range of servers are actually running. A config that only works on one niche fork helps almost nobody. **Explore ZCraft Studios and see what's available.** ## Folia vs Paper vs Purpur at a glance | | Paper | Purpur | Folia | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | The standard high-performance Spigot fork | A Paper fork with many extra gameplay options | A Paper fork that runs regions of the world on separate threads | | Plugin compatibility | Excellent | Excellent, same as Paper for most plugins | Plugins must explicitly support Folia | | Best for | Almost every server | Servers that want more config options | Very large servers with players spread over a big world | | Main drawback | Limited by the main thread | Extra settings to understand | Many popular plugins do not work | ## Folia: when it matters Folia splits the world into regions that tick in parallel. That helps when thousands of blocks separate players, as on a large open survival world with many players. It does not help a small server, a lobby, a minigame server with everyone in one area, or any setup that depends on plugins that are not Folia-compatible. Before switching, list every plugin you use and check each project's page for Folia support. A plugin that is not marked Folia-compatible may fail to load or break. See [Plugin Not Loading?](https://www.zcraftstudios.com/blog/minecraft-plugin-not-loading-fix). ## Paper vs Purpur Most people compare these two: - Paper is the safest default. Its documentation and community support are the strongest, and most plugin authors test on it first. - Purpur adds settings for gameplay tweaks, such as extra mob and world options. Most Paper plugins work on Purpur, but test your list. - Both use the same plugin API for most plugins, so moving between them is usually easy. Back up first. See [PaperMC Configuration Files Explained](https://www.zcraftstudios.com/blog/minecraft-paper-configuration-files-explained) for what each file controls. ## What about Fabric and mods? Plugins and mods are different ecosystems. If you want mods, read [Paper vs Fabric](https://www.zcraftstudios.com/blog/paper-vs-fabric-for-minecraft-server). If you need both, check what your modpack and hosting actually support. ## How to switch server software safely 1. Back up the whole server folder. See [Backup Strategy](https://www.zcraftstudios.com/blog/minecraft-server-backup-strategy). 2. Copy it to a staging environment. See [Staging Environment Guide](https://www.zcraftstudios.com/blog/minecraft-server-staging-environment-guide). 3. Replace the server jar with the new software and start it. 4. Read the console for plugin errors and warnings. 5. Test join, chat, commands, permissions, economy and any custom features. 6. Profile TPS and MSPT with [spark](https://www.zcraftstudios.com/blog/how-to-read-spark-profiler-minecraft) before and after. 7. Switch production only after the staging test passes. ## Frequently asked questions **Is Folia better than Paper?** Only for specific large-scale workloads. For most servers Paper is better because plugin support is wider. **Is Purpur faster than Paper?** Not by itself. Purpur is mainly about options. Measure on your own server. **Can I run Bukkit or Spigot plugins on Folia?** Only if the plugin supports Folia's threading model. **Do I need a proxy for Folia?** No. Folia and Paper both work behind a proxy such as Velocity. See [Velocity vs BungeeCord vs Waterfall](https://www.zcraftstudios.com/blog/velocity-vs-bungeecord-vs-waterfall-comparison). **Will switching lose my world?** Worlds are normally compatible between Paper and Purpur. Always back up before switching. ## Related reading - [How to Fix Minecraft Server Lag](https://www.zcraftstudios.com/blog/reduce-minecraft-server-lag) - [Aikar's Flags Explained](https://www.zcraftstudios.com/blog/aikars-flags-performance-tuning) - [sync-chunk-writes in server.properties](https://www.zcraftstudios.com/blog/sync-chunk-writes-server-properties) - [Minecraft Server Types Explained](https://www.zcraftstudios.com/blog/minecraft-server-types-explained) ## Continue reading - [Paper Anti-Xray Settings: Engine Modes and Testing](https://www.zcraftstudios.com/blog/paper-anti-xray-settings-guide) - [Paper Reload vs Restart: Why Plugins Break After /reload](https://www.zcraftstudios.com/blog/paper-reload-versus-restart-explained) - [Paper vs Fabric for Minecraft Servers: Which to Pick](https://www.zcraftstudios.com/blog/paper-vs-fabric-for-minecraft-server) - [How to Create a Minecraft Server: Step-by-Step Guide (Paper)](https://www.zcraftstudios.com/blog/how-to-create-a-minecraft-server-walkthrough) [ Previous guide Designing a Minecraft Server Rank and Permission System](https://www.zcraftstudios.com/blog/minecraft-server-rank-permission-system)[ Next guide Minecraft Server Reward Systems That Don't Feel Pay-to-Win](https://www.zcraftstudios.com/blog/minecraft-server-reward-systems-fair)