/SLASHPLAY
SLASHPLAY
vs exaroton
These two are genuinely alike: both are pay-as-you-go game servers that bill only for the hours you run them, with no subscription, RAM you pick, a Discord bot and no start queue. The real differences are at the edges: games, Minecraft modding, and how the price is broken down. Here's an honest side-by-side, no spin.
At a glance
| What | exaroton | SLASHPLAY |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Pay-as-you-go, billed only while the server runs. No subscription. | Pay-as-you-go, billed only while the server runs. No subscription. |
| Price | 1 credit (€0.01) per GB of RAM per hour, e.g. 2 GB = €0.02/hour. | From $0.03/hour for 2 GB + 1 CPU; scales with size. |
| Games | Minecraft (Java and Bedrock) and Hytale. | 8 games: CS2, Minecraft, Counter-Strike: Source, CS 1.6, TF2, Garry's Mod, Valheim and Palworld. |
| Minecraft software | The full Aternos ecosystem: Vanilla, Paper, Forge, Fabric and one-click modpacks, with custom uploads. | Vanilla and Paper (Bukkit, Spigot and Paper plugins). Forge, Fabric and modpacks are not supported. |
| RAM | Pick 2–16 GB; priced purely per GB of RAM. | Pick 2–16 GB, with CPU included in each size (1 CPU on 2 GB). |
| Starting a server | Starts on demand. No queue. | Starts on demand. No queue. |
| Storage | Up to 10 GB per server; the storage fee is offset by what you spend running it. | Saved data is stored for about $0.01 per GB per month. |
| Free trial | 5 free credits (€0.05) to test. | 6 free tokens, 2 hours on a Small CS2 or Minecraft server, no card needed. |
| Discord bot | Yes. | Yes, built to work with the companion SLASHPLAY Discord bot. |
| Operated by | Aternos GmbH (the same team as Aternos). | SLASHPLAY ApS. |
What is exaroton?
exaroton is a pay-as-you-go Minecraft server host operated by Aternos GmbH, the paid sibling of the free Aternos service. It costs 1 credit (€0.01) per GB of RAM per hour, you pick 2–16 GB, servers start on demand with no queue, and new users get 5 free credits to test. Storage is up to 10 GB per server and is offset by what you spend running it. Crucially, it inherits Aternos's mature Minecraft ecosystem (Vanilla, Paper, Forge, Fabric and one-click modpacks), which makes it excellent for Minecraft, including heavily modded setups. It hosts Minecraft and Hytale.
What is SLASHPLAY?
SLASHPLAY runs the same on-demand idea: each server is its own dedicated container, starts on demand with no queue, and is billed by the hour (from $0.03/hour for 2 GB and 1 CPU), with no subscription. Where it differs is breadth: it hosts Minecraft, Counter-Strike 2, and a growing list of other titles, so once you're in the SLASHPLAY ecosystem you can use it for anything else you need hosted too, and it's built to work hand-in-hand with the companion SLASHPLAY Discord bot. For Minecraft it runs Vanilla and Paper with plugins. Forge, Fabric and modpacks are not supported.
How similar are they?
Very. Both bill only for the hours your server runs, both let you pick 2–16 GB, both start with no queue, and both have a Discord bot. exaroton offsets its storage fee against runtime; SLASHPLAY charges $0.01 per GB per month for saved data. The other differences: exaroton prices purely per GB of RAM (€0.01/GB/hour) and hosts Minecraft and Hytale with the full Aternos modding ecosystem behind it; SLASHPLAY includes CPU in each size (from $0.03/hour for 2 GB and 1 CPU), runs CS2 and 6 more games besides Minecraft, and keeps Minecraft to Vanilla and Paper.
Which should you pick?
Choose exaroton if…
- You host Minecraft, especially modded or modpacks.
- You want the most mature Minecraft tooling (the Aternos ecosystem).
- You want the lowest per-GB-of-RAM price.
Choose SLASHPLAY if…
- You want more than Minecraft (CS2 and 6 more games) from one host.
- Vanilla or Paper with plugins covers your Minecraft.
- You want CPU included in the price, RCON, scheduling, or team controls.
FAQ
Are SLASHPLAY and exaroton the same?
No, but the models are strikingly similar. Both bill only for the hours your server runs, both let you pick 2–16 GB of RAM, both start with no queue, and both have a Discord bot. exaroton is operated by Aternos GmbH (the team behind Aternos); SLASHPLAY is operated by SLASHPLAY ApS.
Which is cheaper?
They're very close. exaroton is 1 credit (€0.01) per GB of RAM per hour and hosts Minecraft and Hytale. SLASHPLAY starts at $0.03 an hour for 2 GB and 1 CPU, and also hosts CS2 and 6 more games. For modded Minecraft, exaroton is the one that runs it: SLASHPLAY doesn't support Forge, Fabric or modpacks.
Can I run modded Minecraft / modpacks?
exaroton inherits Aternos's mature Minecraft ecosystem, including one-click modpacks. SLASHPLAY runs Vanilla and Paper with Bukkit, Spigot and Paper plugins. Forge, Fabric and modpacks are not supported.
Can I host other games?
On SLASHPLAY, yes: Counter-Strike and a growing list of other games, so one account covers more than Minecraft. exaroton hosts Minecraft and Hytale.
Is there a free trial?
exaroton gives new users 5 free credits (about €0.05) to test. SLASHPLAY gives new accounts 6 free tokens, 2 hours on a Small CS2 or Minecraft server, with no card needed.
Keep comparing
Try
SLASHPLAY.
Sign in with Discord or Steam. No subscription.
Comparison based on each service's publicly available information and may change over time. exaroton is a trademark of its respective owner; SLASHPLAY is not affiliated with exaroton.