Shulkerboxes

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How Is Shulkerboxes Free?

Last checked: 3 October 2026

Shulkerboxes is free because gameplay on its servers is recorded and used to build datasets for training and evaluating AI systems, and those datasets are licensed to other companies. Licensed datasets are de-identified. Chat is recorded only if you opt in. There are no ads and no credit card. Every player sees a notice before playing and chooses to play recorded or unrecorded.

The trade, stated plainly

Running game servers costs money. Most free hosts pay for it with ads or paid upgrades. Shulkerboxes pays for it with gameplay data instead. In the words of its privacy policy: "We record gameplay on every Shulkerboxes server. We use the recordings to build datasets for training and evaluating AI systems, and we license those datasets to other companies. That pays for the hosting."

Here is what that means:

  • Gameplay is recorded on every server. The hosting notice says: "We record player positions and actions, blocks placed and broken, inventories and the world files over time, tied to your Minecraft identity."
  • Licensed datasets are de-identified. The notice says: "Licensed datasets are de-identified: you appear under a random id instead of your username or Minecraft id, and they never include your IP address, your skin, or your chat unless you opted in."
  • The datasets are used to train and evaluate AI systems.
  • The datasets are licensed to other companies. The privacy policy adds that "Companies that license a dataset agree by contract not to try to identify anyone in it."
  • Chat is recorded only on opt-in. If you don't opt in, your chat is not recorded.

What you see when you join

Every player sees the hosting notice when they join a Shulkerboxes server, and chooses before they play. You are asked once per notice version. Change your mind any time: /recording on or /recording off.

That choice belongs to each player, not just the server owner. The notice says: "The owner cannot accept for another player."

You can read the full hosting notice, privacy policy and terms of service.

Who can use it

  • US only.
  • Players under the recording age where they live (13 in the US) play unrecorded.
  • Invite-only, with a waitlist. There is no open sign-up.

What you get

  • Free server hosting for Minecraft: Java Edition for a friend group.
  • No ads and no credit card.
  • A server that wakes up when a friend joins and is ready in about a minute.
  • A private Discord channel with the Shulkerboxes team for your group.

If your group needs something this list doesn't mention, such as mods, plugins, or Bedrock, ask before you join or pick a host that says it supports it. Our Aternos alternatives page compares several.

Deletion and how long data is kept

To ask for access, a correction, deletion, or a copy of your data, email support@shulkerboxes.com. The privacy policy says: "Any player can ask us to delete the link between their Minecraft identity and their recordings by emailing support@shulkerboxes.com."

On retention, the privacy policy says:

  • "We keep your account data while your account exists."
  • "When you delete a server, we keep its saved world for 30 days, then delete it, unless you download it or ask us to delete it sooner."
  • "Deleting a server does not remove gameplay already recorded on it. Those recordings go into datasets only in de-identified form, without usernames, Minecraft ids, IP addresses, skins, or chat from players who did not opt in."

How to decide if it's right for your group

  1. Check that everyone is in the US.
  2. Talk as a group about gameplay recording. Each person will see the notice and decide on their own.
  3. Decide whether anyone wants to opt in to chat recording. Chat is recorded only for players who opt in.
  4. Read the hosting notice and privacy policy.
  5. Join the waitlist on shulkerboxes.com.

Troubleshooting

  • I have a question about my data. Email support@shulkerboxes.com.
  • The server didn't let me in the first time. It may have been waking up. Wait about a minute and join again. See the timeout guide.
  • I can't join after a game update. Your version may not match the server. See the outdated client guide.

Where Shulkerboxes fits (and doesn't)

Good fit: a US group who want free, ad-free Java Edition hosting without port forwarding (other ways to skip port forwarding) and are comfortable with gameplay being recorded for AI datasets. Not a fit: groups outside the US.

Have an invite code? Enter it on the home page. No invite yet? Join the waitlist and we will save you a spot.

FAQ

Is Shulkerboxes really free?

Yes. No ads and no credit card. Recorded gameplay, built into de-identified AI datasets that are licensed to other companies, is what pays for it.

Is my chat recorded?

Only if you opt in.

Who gets the data?

The recordings are used to build datasets for training and evaluating AI systems, and those datasets are licensed to other companies in de-identified form.

Can I play without being recorded?

Yes. Choose Play unrecorded. You may wait in line at busy times.

How do I get my data deleted?

Email support@shulkerboxes.com. Any player can ask to delete the link between their Minecraft identity and their recordings.

Who can play?

Anyone invited. Younger players play unrecorded.

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