Paper vs Spigot vs Purpur — Minecraft Server Software Comparison
Detailed comparison of Paper, Spigot, Purpur, and Pufferfish Minecraft server software. Performance benchmarks, features, and which to choose.
Spigot — The Legacy Standard
Widest plugin compatibility — virtually all Bukkit plugins work. Better than vanilla performance, but significantly behind Paper. Still maintained but development focuses on Paper. Recommended only if you have a specific legacy plugin that doesn't work on Paper.
Paper — The Gold Standard
Used by 70%+ of public servers. Hundreds of performance optimizations: chunk loading threading, entity activation range control, optimized redstone processing, anti-Xray, per-player mob spawns. Plugin compatibility: excellent — most Spigot plugins work on Paper. Best choice for 90% of servers.
Purpur — Paper with Extra Features
Paper fork that adds gameplay configuration options: entity riding customization, enchantment control, dolphin speed tweaks, ender dragon behavior changes. Performance identical to Paper. Choose if you want fine-grained gameplay control without extra plugins. Popular for SMP servers wanting custom mechanics.
Pufferfish — Maximum Performance
Paper fork focused on extreme optimization: parallelism for entity ticking, simulated player for mob spawning, aggressive entity activation management. 5-15% better performance than Paper. Tradeoff: some mechanics behave differently (mob farms may have lower rates). Best for 50+ player servers where every TPS point matters.
Performance Benchmarks
Tested on AMD Ryzen 9 7950X / 9950X, 8GB RAM, 20 players, 50 plugins: Vanilla 12-14 TPS, Spigot 16-17 TPS, Paper 19-20 TPS, Purpur 19-20 TPS, Pufferfish 20 TPS stable. At 40 players: Spigot drops to 14-15, Paper holds 18-19, Pufferfish holds 19-20. The performance gap widens with more players.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I switch server software without losing data?
Yes — worlds and plugin data are compatible between all four. Switch from the control panel's Startup tab. Take a backup before switching. Test plugin compatibility on a staging server first.
Which should I use for a Lifesteal server?
Paper with Purpur for fine-tuning. Lifesteal servers need reliable PvP mechanics — Purpur lets you configure combat values like attack cooldown and shield mechanics. Use Spark to profile and ensure consistent 20 TPS during combat.
Still have questions?
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