Best Plugins to Reduce Minecraft Server Lag
Curated list of performance plugins to reduce lag, monitor TPS, and optimize your server.
These plugins help identify and reduce lag on your Minecraft server. Install only what you need — more plugins means more overhead.
Essential Performance Plugins
| Plugin | Purpose | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Spark | Performance profiling, TPS monitoring | spark.lucko.me |
| ClearLag | Remove dropped items and entities | SpigotMC |
| ViewDistanceTweaks | Dynamic view distance based on TPS | SpigotMC |
| FarmLimiter | Limit entities in farms | SpigotMC |
| EntityTrackerFixer | Optimize entity tracking | SpigotMC |
What Each Plugin Does
Spark
Diagnoses what's causing lag. Start here — always profile before adding optimization plugins. See Install Spark.
ClearLag
Periodically removes dropped items and excess entities. Essential for survival servers with lots of players. See Install ClearLag.
ViewDistanceTweaks
Automatically reduces view distance when TPS drops and increases it when the server is healthy. Transparent to players.
FarmLimiter
Caps the number of animals/mobs in a chunk. Prevents massive farms from tanking TPS.
EntityTrackerFixer
Optimizes how the server sends entity data to players. Reduces network load.
Non-Plugin Optimizations
Before adding plugins, try these free optimizations:
- Apply Aikar's Flags
- Pre-generate your world
- Reduce view-distance in
server.properties - Enable Paper's anti-xray engine mode 2 (minimal cost)
- Optimize bukkit.yml and spigot.yml settings
💡 Tip: Always profile with Spark FIRST to identify the actual cause of lag. Don't blindly install optimization plugins — they may not address your specific issue.
See also: Performance Guide | Types of Server Lag
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