I’ve been using ScalaCube for Minecraft hosting, and honestly, it’s a pretty solid option if you’re looking for something affordable and easy to set up.
The biggest thing I like about ScalaCube is the pricing. They have plans starting at around $2–$4 per month depending on the current offer, with larger plans going up as you add more RAM. The 3 GB plan is around $20/month at the standard rate, while bigger 6 GB, 8 GB, and 12 GB plans are available if you’re running a larger server or heavier modpacks. They also have a free option, although it’s obviously much more limited than the paid plans.
As for performance, my experience has been pretty good. The server runs smoothly for normal Minecraft survival and smaller groups, and I haven't had major lag problems. Obviously, performance depends heavily on what you're running — vanilla Minecraft with a few friends doesn't need nearly as much RAM as a huge modpack with hundreds of mods. Some users have reported occasional lag or needing a higher-RAM plan for heavier modpacks, so I wouldn't recommend going for the cheapest plan if you're planning on running something massive.
The control panel is another thing ScalaCube does well. Setting up a server, installing plugins, changing settings, uploading files, and installing modpacks is pretty straightforward. They have one-click modpack installation and support a large number of modpacks, which makes things much easier if you don't want to manually install everything.
There are some downsides, though. The advertised first-month prices can be significantly cheaper than the regular renewal price, so you need to pay attention to what you'll actually be paying after the introductory period. Support also seems to be a mixed bag — plenty of users praise it, while some have complained about slower or unhelpful responses when dealing with more complicated problems.
Overall, I'd say ScalaCube is a good choice if you want a relatively cheap Minecraft server that's easy to manage. It's especially good for small friend groups, vanilla servers, plugins, and lighter modpacks. If you're trying to run a huge modded server with tons of players, I'd spend more on a higher-RAM plan or compare it with some of the more premium hosts.
Overall rating: 8/10
Good prices, easy setup, solid performance, and a pretty beginner-friendly control panel. Just make sure you check the regular renewal price and choose enough RAM for whatever you're actually planning to run.