Choosing the Best Minecraft Anti-Cheat Plugin for Your Server in 2024
Minecraft server administrators are in a constant battle to maintain fair play and protect their communities from cheaters. The wrong choice of anti-cheat can flag innocent players by mistake, causing frustration, while a weak one lets exploiters ruin the game, driving away your player base and burning out your moderation staff.
This guide breaks down the tech specs and performance of top anti-cheat plugins to help you find the best fit for your server and budget.
Understanding Anti-Cheat Detection Methods
Modern anti-cheats for Minecraft generally work in two main ways: event-based detection and packet-level analysis. This difference has a huge impact on both accuracy and how well your server runs.
Packet-based systems like Karhu Anti-Cheat and Redux AntiCheat intercept player data at the network level, before it even hits the Spigot API or Bukkit events. This method catches cheats closer to the source and has a lighter touch on your server's TPS and main thread performance.
Event-based systems watch what players do through the server's API after the server has already started processing the action. They're easier to set up, but this approach can miss clever cheats that mess with data before it ever gets to the event system.
For the best protection, look for an anti-cheat with a movement simulation engine. These engines can copy every player action—like swimming, riding, and even mechanics unique to certain game versions.
Performance and Compatibility Analysis
Version Support and Architecture
Grim Anti-Cheat boasts the widest version support (Minecraft 1.8 to 1.21) and runs on a fully asynchronous, multithreaded architecture. As an open-source tool, it's transparent, letting admins see exactly how its detection mechanisms work.
FoxAddition Anti-Cheat is built for cross-platform servers, integrating with GeyserMC and Floodgate. It supports Bedrock players and lets you configure checks for each edition. This is a must-have for any server that caters to both Java and Bedrock players.
Detection Accuracy Specifications
Karhu Anti-Cheat boasts impressive precision, detecting reach exploits up to 3.01 blocks and tracking horizontal/vertical velocity with 99.99% accuracy. It achieves these numbers by using packet-based detection instead of relying on the Spigot API.
MineGuard Anti-Cheat supports Minecraft versions 1.17–1.21 and comes with Discord integration and multilingual support (English, German, Spanish, Russian, Portuguese), making it a great choice for international communities.
Reducing False Flags Through Technical Configuration
Dealing with false flags requires more than just tweaking a few settings. You should use techniques like buffering and pattern analysis, which wait for several suspicious actions in a row before flagging a player.
This method cuts down on frustration for honest players without weakening your defenses. Set up your detection to look for patterns of behavior instead of single, isolated incidents. This is especially important for movement checks, where lag can make normal gameplay look like cheating.
FoxAddition offers deep customization. You can turn off certain checks in specific worlds or set up custom prefixes for Bedrock players, which lets you tailor protection for different server areas and player groups.
Cost and Support Considerations
Anti-cheat solutions come in all price ranges, from free, open-source projects to paid services with dedicated support. Karhu Anti-Cheat's premium plan, for example, costs a one-time fee of €25 and includes over 100 checks, priority support, and constant updates.
Open-source options like Grim Anti-Cheat give you transparency and are developed by the community, but you'll need more technical know-how to set them up and fix problems.
Think about the level of support you'll need based on your team's tech skills and how crucial a solid anti-cheat is for your server's survival.
Implementation Recommendation
For most servers, packet-based anti-cheats are the way to go. They offer better protection with less impact on performance than their event-based counterparts. They catch cheats earlier and help keep your server's TPS stable.
Choose a solution with a movement simulation engine that covers the game versions and player types (Java/Bedrock) you support. Use buffering mechanisms to cut down on false flags without compromising on security.
If your server is still struggling with cheaters that are hurting gameplay and driving players away, explore comprehensive anti-cheat solutions that can help with both the technical side and community management.