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Proxy Software Comparison
Compare Velocity, BungeeCord, and Waterfall to choose the right proxy for your network.
2 min read
Brian Neumann-Fopiano
Updated Jan 15, 2026

Proxy Software Comparison#

Proxy servers enable linking multiple Minecraft servers under a single IP address. This guide compares available options.

Quick Recommendation#

Use Velocity. It's the only proxy software recommended for new networks in 2025.

Velocity is a modern, high-performance proxy designed for reliability and speed.

Advantages#

  • Excellent performance: Handles 1,000+ concurrent players with minimal overhead
  • Modern security: Secure player data forwarding by default
  • Active development: Regular updates and improvements
  • Wide compatibility: Supports Paper servers, modded servers (with mods), and Minecraft 1.7+
  • Geyser support: Built-in Bedrock Edition crossplay capability
  • Easy configuration: Straightforward setup process

Plugin Availability#

Find Velocity plugins on:

Most popular proxy plugins support Velocity.

BungeeCord / Waterfall (Not Recommended)#

BungeeCord was the original Minecraft proxy. Waterfall was its maintained fork.

Why Avoid Them#

  • No longer actively developed: Waterfall has reached end-of-life
  • Security concerns: Uses insecure player data transmission by default
  • Inferior performance: Cannot match Velocity's efficiency
  • Outdated architecture: Designed for an older era of Minecraft networking

Legacy Use Cases#

If you absolutely must use legacy proxy software for compatibility:

  • Waterfall is more stable than original BungeeCord
  • Consider migrating to Velocity instead

Large Network Example#

Major networks like Hypixel demonstrate enterprise-scale proxy deployment:

  • Multiple load-balanced Velocity proxies
  • DDoS protection via Cloudflare
  • Thousands of individual game mode servers
  • Separate lobbies for different games

While most servers won't need this scale, Velocity can grow with your network.

Migration from BungeeCord#

If you're currently using BungeeCord or Waterfall:

  1. Install Velocity on a new proxy server
  2. Update velocity.toml with your server configuration
  3. Configure backend servers for Velocity forwarding
  4. Update plugins to Velocity-compatible versions
  5. Switch DNS/connection to the new proxy

Most plugins have Velocity versions or alternatives available.

See Also#

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