How Much Does Minecraft Java Cost in 2026?

Minecraft.net store showing Minecraft Java & Bedrock for PC prices: Standard, Deluxe and Ultimate editions

Screenshot: Minecraft Deluxe Collection for PC (minecraft.net)

If you are asking how much Minecraft Java costs, the short answer is that you cannot buy Java Edition on its own anymore. On PC it is sold as Minecraft: Java & Bedrock Edition for PC, and the cheapest version of that bundle is the Standard Edition. At time of writing, the US price on minecraft.net is $29.99.

The rest of this guide covers the other editions, Game Pass, gift codes, the free demo, and when buying a second account makes more sense than a second copy.

What you actually buy

Since June 7, 2022, Java and Bedrock have been sold together on PC. Mojang's announcement called the bundle "the standard and only offering of vanilla Minecraft on Windows PC". Players who already owned one edition at that point got the other one free through the Minecraft Launcher.

The two editions are still separate games. Java runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Bedrock in this bundle runs on Windows only. If you are on a Mac or Linux machine, Java is the part you will use.

Both editions are tied to the Microsoft account you buy with. You sign in to the Minecraft Launcher with that account, and the games you own show up there. You don't need to buy the game again for a new computer.

If you are unsure which edition matters for you, read Java vs Bedrock Minecraft accounts first. For servers like Hypixel, you need Java.

How much Minecraft Java costs by edition

At time of writing, minecraft.net lists three editions of Minecraft: Java & Bedrock Edition for PC:

| ------------------- | -------------------------- | --------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |

| Standard Edition | $29.99 | Yes | Java, Bedrock, Minecraft Launcher |

| Deluxe Collection | $39.99 | Yes | Adds 700 Minecoins, three Bedrock add-ons, three Character Creator items |

| Ultimate Collection | $49.99 | Yes | Adds 1000 Minecoins, five Bedrock add-ons, five Character Creator items |

All three editions include the same Java Edition, so the Java game is the same whichever one you pick.

The store's own fine print says the add-ons, Minecoins, and Character Creator items require Bedrock Edition and are not supported in Java Edition. If you only plan to play Java, the Deluxe and Ultimate extras do nothing for you. The Standard Edition gets you the same Java game for less.

The extras only make sense if you or someone in your household will also play Bedrock and wants Marketplace content.

Regional pricing

The dollar prices above are US list prices. Other regions are priced in local currency. For example, the UK and German Xbox store pages list the Standard Edition at £29.99 and €29.99 at time of writing. Taxes, sales, and exchange rates mean the number you see at checkout can differ.

Check the price on minecraft.net or the official Microsoft/Xbox store while signed in to your own region. Prices change over time, so treat any number in an article, this one included, as a snapshot.

PC Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass

Minecraft: Java & Bedrock Edition for PC is in Game Pass. Minecraft first joined PC Game Pass in November 2021, with Java and Bedrock together for Windows 10 and 11 players.

At time of writing, the Xbox store lists the bundle as included in three plans:

PC Game Pass, $13.99/month in the US
Xbox Game Pass Premium, $14.99/month in the US
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, $22.99/month in the US

The cheapest tier, Xbox Game Pass Essential, is not listed as including it.

The trade-off is access. Xbox's Game Pass FAQ says that when your subscription ends, or a game leaves the library, you lose access to that game unless you buy it. Game Pass is a rental, not a purchase.

Game Pass is fine if you want to try Minecraft alongside other games for a month or two. If you know you will play Minecraft for years, buying the game once is usually the simpler choice.

Gift codes and prepaid cards

You can buy Minecraft for someone else in two official ways:

Buy as a gift on minecraft.net or the Microsoft Store. The recipient gets an email with a 25-character code.
Prepaid cards for Minecraft: Java & Bedrock Edition for PC. Each card gives one license, redeemed on a new or existing Microsoft account.

Either way, the code is redeemed on the Microsoft account that will play the game, at minecraft.net/redeem or the Microsoft account redemption page. Redeem it while signed in to the right account. Once a code is used, the game belongs to the account that redeemed it.

Only buy cards and codes from the official store or established retailers. A "cheap Minecraft key" from a random reseller is a common way to lose money.

Free trial and demo

You can try Minecraft before buying:

Java Edition demo: sign in to the Minecraft Launcher with a Microsoft account that does not own the game. You get five in-game days, about 100 minutes, in single-player Survival. Commands are off and you cannot join multiplayer servers.
Bedrock Edition free trial: 90 minutes of play in single-player Survival, with multiplayer and Realms unavailable. Availability depends on your platform and region.

The demo is also a good way to check whether your PC can run Java Edition before you pay.

Comparing your options

| --------------------------------- | -------------------------- | -------------------------- | -------------------------------- |

| Standard Edition | One-time, cheapest edition | Yes | Yes |

Second account or second copy?

Some players want more than one Java account. Maybe it's for a sibling, a test profile, a recording setup, or keeping a main account separate from everything else. You can get it two legitimate ways.

Buy another copy. Every Microsoft account needs its own license, so a second account means a second purchase at the full edition price. You are the first owner, the account has no history, and you control everything from day one. If the account is for a family member, this is the right choice. Use the Standard Edition, since the extras don't apply to Java.

Buy a full-access alt. An alt is a second account someone else created and now transfers to you with full Microsoft account access. What are Minecraft alts? explains this in plain terms. An alt can make sense when:

You need a second Java profile for testing, recording, or separation and don't care about being the first owner.
You want something a new copy can't give you, such as account history or a cosmetic that is no longer handed out.
You want an account checked for a specific server at listing time.

The honest trade-off is that a fresh copy has no past, while an alt does. With an alt, you are trusting the seller's description of that past. Only buy accounts where you get full access and can change the password and security info yourself. alts.cool does not sell NFA or SFA accounts. After delivery, follow how to secure a Minecraft account after buying.

If neither of those reasons applies, an official copy is the cleaner purchase.

FAQ

Can I buy Minecraft Java Edition by itself?

Not on the official PC store at time of writing. Java comes in the Minecraft: Java & Bedrock Edition for PC bundle.

Is Minecraft Java free with Game Pass?

It is included with PC Game Pass, Xbox Game Pass Premium, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate while you are subscribed. You lose access when the subscription ends unless you buy the game.

Does the Deluxe Collection give Java players anything extra?

No. The Minecoins, add-ons, and Character Creator items are for Bedrock Edition only.

Do I need to buy Minecraft again on a new PC?

No. Install the Minecraft Launcher and sign in with the Microsoft account you bought it on.

I owned Java before 2022. Do I need to buy Bedrock?

No. When the bundle launched in June 2022, existing Java owners received Bedrock for Windows free, and Bedrock owners received Java.