papermc-docker vs Lichess

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted game servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

Not the right match-up?
Featurepapermc-dockerLichess
CategoryGame ServersGame Servers
LicenseApache-2.0AGPL-3.0
LanguageShellScala
Setup difficultyEasyHard
Min. RAM1,024 MB4,096 MB
Deploymentdocker, kubernetesdocker, source
GitHub stars★ 14,076★ 18,557
First released20142010
ReplacesMinecraft RealmsChess.com

Why pick each one

Choose papermc-docker if…

  • Extremely easy Minecraft hosting
  • Excellent documentation
papermc-docker details

Choose Lichess if…

  • Full-featured chess platform
  • Completely ad-free
Lichess details

Frequently asked questions

Is papermc-docker or Lichess better?

Neither is universally better. Lichess has the larger community, while papermc-docker is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.

Are papermc-docker and Lichess free and open-source?

Yes. papermc-docker is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Lichess under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run papermc-docker and Lichess with Docker?

papermc-docker: yes. Lichess: yes.

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