If you're reading this, there's a decent chance you found us because you love Hermitcraft — and you've probably had the same thought a lot of fans have at some point: "I want to play on a server like that."
You're not alone. Hermitcraft has become one of the most beloved Minecraft communities ever, and it's spawned a whole genre of whitelisted SMP servers inspired by what Hermitcraft does. Blithe is one of them, and we're not shy about it. We're proudly Hermitcraft-inspired, and the entire reason Blithe exists is because we wanted that same kind of experience for players who can't actually join Hermitcraft.
Here's what makes them similar, what makes them different, and why Blithe might be exactly what you've been looking for.
The Core Hermitcraft Formula
Before we get into the comparison, let's break down what actually makes Hermitcraft so special. It's not just "a Minecraft server with content creators" — that doesn't really capture it. The Hermitcraft formula is built on a few specific things:
A whitelisted, vetted community so the player base stays high-quality and conflict is rare
Long seasons that give players months to build, develop their bases, and create lasting projects
An emphasis on creativity and ambitious builds rather than competition or PvP
Genuine community interactions — shops, collaborations, server events, inside jokes
Respect for the world — no griefing, no drama, just people building cool stuff together
That formula is what makes Hermitcraft feel like a place rather than just a server. And it's the formula Blithe was designed around from day one.
Blithe Season One Celebration, 2020
So How Are They Similar?
Pretty similar, honestly — and that's by design. Both are whitelisted. Neither Blithe nor Hermitcraft is a public server. You apply, you go through a process, and if you're a good fit, you're in. This is what protects the community from the chaos that ruins most open SMPs.
Both run seasonal worlds. Hermitcraft does long seasons stretching across many months. Blithe runs two fixed seasons per year — they end on the second-to-last weekends of May and November, with new seasons launching a few weeks after. So if you're used to the rhythm of a season starting fresh and watching everyone build up over time, you'll feel right at home.
Both focus on building, community, and shops. The Hermitcraft economy and shop district is one of the most beloved parts of the format. Blithe has the same structure — players build shops, set up trades, and make their corner of the world part of the larger community.
Both emphasize creativity over competition. Neither server is about PvP, raiding, or grinding to be #1. The point is to build cool stuff, hang out with cool people, and have a place to come back to.
So What's Actually Different?
Here's where it matters. The honest answer is that Hermitcraft and Blithe are different in two main ways: who's playing, and what the access looks like.
Hermitcraft Is for Content Creators
This is the big one. Hermitcraft is invite-only, and the invites go to established Minecraft content creators with significant audiences. That's not a knock on Hermitcraft — it's literally what the server is. It's a creator collective, and the format exists to give those creators a shared world to make content in.
If you're not a big YouTuber or streamer, you can't join Hermitcraft. Period. That's just how it works.
Blithe is for regular players. Our application process isn't about subscriber counts or audience size. It's about whether you're a good builder, a good community member, and someone who'll fit the vibe. We've got teachers, students, software engineers, parents, retirees — basically anyone who loves the same kind of Minecraft experience that makes Hermitcraft great.
If you've ever watched a Hermitcraft season and thought "I wish I could play in a world like that," Blithe is the version of that you can actually join.
Blithe Has More Active Community Touchpoints
Hermitcraft is mostly something you watch. The hermits play together, but most of the community engagement happens through their YouTube videos and the comment sections.
Blithe is something you play. We've got an active Discord with 800+ members, regular community events (creative weeks, anarchy weekends, building competitions, mini-games), and a culture where you actually know the people you're playing with. You're not watching from the outside — you're in it.
Blithe Is Free; Hermitcraft Is... Hermitcraft
Hermitcraft isn't a "thing you buy access to" — it's not for sale at all. Blithe is free to join. We have optional ranks you can purchase to support the server, but those don't give pay-to-win advantages. They're just a way for players who love the server to help fund hosting and maintenance.
If you've been wishing you could pay to play on Hermitcraft, that's not a thing. But you can join Blithe for free and get a similar experience.
Blithe Season 9 Spawn
What Hermitcraft Does Better
Let's be honest. Hermitcraft has a few things going for it that Blithe doesn't try to replicate:
The hermits are some of the best builders alive. People like Mumbo, Grian, Bdubs, Iskall, and Doc have been creating Minecraft content for over a decade. Their builds and contraptions are next-level. Blithe has talented players, but we're not going to claim our community is matching that level of skill across the board.
The production value is unmatched. Watching a Hermitcraft season unfold through thirty-plus YouTube channels is its own art form. Blithe doesn't have that, but we do encourage our players to find their creativity, and stream on the server when they choose!
The brand is iconic. Hermitcraft has been around for over a decade and built a legacy that's hard to compete with.
If you want to watch the most polished, creator-driven Minecraft server experience, Hermitcraft is unbeatable. We're not trying to take that.
What Blithe Does Better
But here's where Blithe wins:
You can actually play. This is the biggest one. No invite required, no audience size threshold. Just apply.
The community is more accessible. You're not interacting with celebrity content creators — you're interacting with regular players who became friends. That makes the social side of the server feel a lot more real.
It's still small enough to feel personal. With 800+ members in our Discord, we're not tiny — but we're small enough that you'll actually know the people you play with, not just see their names in chat.
There's room for you to make your mark. On Hermitcraft, the storylines are driven by established hermits with their own following. On Blithe, you could be the player whose mega-build everyone's talking about this season. The community's still being shaped by the people who join it.
How to Join Blithe
If you've made it this far, you probably already know whether Blithe sounds like your kind of server. If it does, here's how to get in:
Read our rules and join the Discord Server
Apply for whitelist access through our application process
If approved, you're in — log in, start building, meet your new server family
Apply to Blithe
We've been doing this since 2020, and we've built something genuinely special. If you've been searching for the Hermitcraft experience as a player and not just a viewer — this is it.
See you on the server.
— The Blithe Team 
