Tools · Hosting
Backup Size Estimator
Underestimating backup storage fills disks until backups fail. Enter world size, frequency, and retention — get total disk needed with headroom guidance.
Rough disk needed for compressed backups. Add 20–30% headroom beyond the total shown for failed runs and temp files.
Single backup
2.34 GB
Daily storage
2.34 GB
Total retention
32.76 GB
Planning backups before your world grows
Fresh SMP worlds start at 500 MB; six months later they are 8 GB. Size storage for projected growth. Check du -sh monthly and adjust retention if disk is tight.
Pair with the cron generator for scheduled backup scripts on Linux hosts.
Typical backup retention by server type
| Server type | Frequency | Retention | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public SMP | Daily | 7–14 days | Balance disk vs recovery window |
| Hardcore / events | Hourly during event | 3–7 days | Higher disk use |
| Creative / test | Weekly | 4 weeks | Lower priority |
| Modded | Daily | 3–7 days | Larger worlds — size up disk |
Include vs exclude from backups
Include: world/, plugins/, server.properties, whitelist.json, config/. Exclude: logs/, cache/, *.tmp, session.lock. Plugin databases in plugins/PluginName/ often matter as much as the world folder.
How to use this tool
- 1
Measure your world folder size
Run du -sh world/ on Linux or check folder properties on Windows. Include plugins with large databases if you back them up too.
- 2
Set compression, frequency, and retention
Estimate zip compression ratio (often 40–60% for worlds). Choose daily/weekly frequency and how many days to keep backups.
- 3
Plan disk with headroom
Use the total retention figure plus 25% for failed runs and temp files. Schedule backups with the cron generator.
Frequently asked questions
How much disk space do Minecraft backups need?
Compressed backup size × retention copies. A 5 GB world with daily backups and 7-day retention needs ~35 GB minimum plus 20–30% headroom.
What should I include in a Minecraft backup?
World folders, server.properties, plugin configs, whitelist.json, plugin databases. Exclude logs, cache, and session.lock.
How often should I backup a Minecraft server?
Daily for active SMPs. Hourly during events. Always backup before plugin updates and version upgrades.
Does compression ratio affect estimates?
Yes. Worlds compress well (40–60%). Plugin SQLite databases compress less. Adjust the ratio if your backups differ.
Should backups stay on the same VPS?
No for production. Same-disk backups fail with disk failure. Copy to S3, B2, or off-site storage.
How big will my world get over time?
Explored terrain drives growth — 500 MB new worlds can reach 5–20 GB after months of SMP play. Re-estimate monthly with du -sh.
Can I backup while players are online?
Yes with plugins like Plan or host panel backup tools that snapshot safely. Raw folder copy while running risks corrupt region files — use save-all or stop server for manual copies.