A free Minecraft server your Bedrock friends can join
The free server is a Java server, and Java servers accept Bedrock players once crossplay is on: phones, tablets, consoles and Minecraft for Windows join the same world through Geyser and Floodgate, without a Java account.
How Bedrock players join a Java server
Turn on Bedrock Crossplay in the server's settings and restart. The panel then shows a second address and port for Bedrock. Phones, tablets and Windows add it under Servers; consoles cannot type an address, so they reach it the way every custom Bedrock server is reached on console, described in the crossplay guide. Bedrock players appear with a dot in front of their name and need no Java account.
When a native Bedrock server is better
A group that is entirely on Bedrock, with add-ons and behaviour packs, wants a real Bedrock server: the same panel, 2 GB from $3.50 a month, worlds and packs uploaded in the file manager. See Bedrock hosting.
The free server's limits
2 GB, 5 player slots, 10 GB of disk, sleeps after a minute without players and wakes on the next join. Bedrock players cannot trigger the wake yet; a Java player or the panel's start button does.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free Bedrock server?
The free server is Java with crossplay, which Bedrock players join. A native Bedrock server is a paid product from $2.50 a month plus RAM.
Do console players need anything?
No account changes. Consoles cannot enter an address directly, so they use the standard workaround every custom Bedrock server needs; the crossplay guide explains it.
Can Bedrock players wake a sleeping server?
Not yet. A Java player joining, or the start button in the panel, wakes it; Bedrock players then join.
Do mods or plugins work for Bedrock players?
Plugins on the Java server work for everyone. Java mods do not: a modded server is Java-only.