If you run a plugin-based Minecraft server, the software you pick — Spigot, Paper or Purpur — decides your performance and how much you can configure. They're all compatible with the same plugins, but they're not equal. Here's how they compare and which to run.
Quick answer
Paper, Spigot and Purpur all run the same Bukkit plugins. Paper — a fork of Spigot with big performance patches — is the safe default for almost every server. Purpur is a fork of Paper with extra configuration and gameplay options. There is little reason to run plain Spigot in 2026.
These aren't rivals so much as a chain: Spigot is the base plugin server, Paper is a fork of Spigot with major performance patches and extra config, and Purpur is a fork of Paper with even more gameplay and config options. Plugins written for Spigot generally work on all three.
Paper vs Spigot vs Purpur at a glance
| Spigot | Paper | Purpur | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base | The classic plugin server | Fork of Spigot | Fork of Paper |
| Performance | Okay | Much better (many patches) | Same as Paper + extras |
| Config control | Basic | Extensive (paper-world config) | Most (adds gameplay toggles) |
| Plugin support | Spigot plugins | Spigot + Paper plugins | Spigot + Paper plugins |
| Best for | Legacy/compatibility | Almost everyone | Server owners who want max control |
Which should you run?
- Paper — the modern default. Big performance gains over Spigot, huge config control, and it runs virtually all Spigot plugins. If you're unsure, run Paper.
- Purpur — pick it when you want Paper's performance plus extra gameplay/config toggles (rideable mobs, per-world tweaks, more knobs). Fully Paper-compatible.
- Spigot — only for legacy setups or a specific plugin that needs it. For a new server, Paper or Purpur is the better choice.
Switching from vanilla or Spigot to Paper is usually the single biggest lag fix for a Minecraft server — its patches, entity limits and chunk handling dramatically raise TPS, and your world and plugins carry straight over. Purpur inherits all of that.
Related Minecraft guides
Setting a server up? See how to make a Minecraft server, and if it lags, how to fix Minecraft server lag. Deciding Java vs Bedrock first? See Java vs Bedrock.