On this page
- Choose how players collect their rewards
- 1. XyPlaytimeRewards
- What it offers
- Who it suits and what to check
- 2. SmartPlaytimeRewards
- What it offers
- Who it suits and what to check
- 3. StarPlaytime
- What it offers
- Who it suits and what to check
- 4. PlaytimeRewards
- What it offers
- Who it suits and what to check
- 5. PlaytimePlus
- What it offers
- Who it suits and what to check
- 6. PlayRewardZ
- What it offers
- Who it suits and what to check
- 7. Playtime Levels: A DeluxeMenus config
- What it offers
- Who it suits and what to check
- 8. Playtime Rewards | 60-Level Ladder
- What it offers
- Who it suits and what to check
- Understand what the DeluxeMenus route needs
- Test AFK handling and repeated claims before launch
Key takeaways
5- XyPlaytimeRewards offers free automatic milestone rewards through console commands.
- SmartPlaytimeRewards combines manual claiming, auto-claim and a playtime leaderboard.
- StarPlaytime requires Vault for money rewards and displays locked, claimable and claimed milestones.
- Check a ready-made config's dependencies and claim tracking before choosing the menu route.
- Test idle time, repeated claims, full inventories and player permissions before expanding your reward ladder.
For server owners planning playtime rewards, the first choice is how players earn and collect them: automatic payouts, a claim menu or a configurable menu route. This comparison covers six dedicated plugins and two ready-made configs, with practical checks to help you choose and test a reward ladder.
Choose how players collect their rewards
Start with the player experience you want. Automatic rewards suit a system that needs little interaction; manual claiming gives players a reason to open a progress menu. A menu config deserves a separate dependency check because it is not itself a dedicated reward plugin.
| Option | Free or paid | Main reason to consider it | Requirement or limit to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| XyPlaytimeRewards | Free | Automatic console-command rewards | Listed for Spigot, Paper and Purpur, Minecraft 1.8 to 1.21+ |
| SmartPlaytimeRewards | Paid | Manual claims, auto-claim and a leaderboard | Lists Paper 1.21.x |
| StarPlaytime | Not confirmed | Claimable money and item milestones | Money rewards require Vault |
| PlaytimeRewards | Free | Progress GUI and translated language files | Lists Paper, Minecraft 1.21 to 1.21.8 |
| PlaytimePlus | Free | A long progression ladder and rewards GUI | Lists Minecraft 1.16.x to 1.21.x |
| PlayRewardZ | Not stated | A claim interface and in-game milestone management commands | Check the exact release for your server version |
| Playtime Levels | Paid | A ready-made DeluxeMenus playtime config | No written description was available |
| Playtime Rewards | 60-Level Ladder | Paid | A prepared ladder with several reward types | Its required plugin was not confirmed |
1. XyPlaytimeRewards
XyPlaytimeRewards is a free plugin that tracks playtime automatically and executes configured console commands at milestones.
What it offers
Its command-based rewards can deliver currency, ranks or items. The listing includes Spigot, Paper and Purpur support, with PlaceholderAPI, LuckPerms and Vault described as optional integrations. Players can see their total playtime and progress towards their next reward.
Who it suits and what to check
Consider it when automatic milestone payouts are the main requirement. Check that each command matches your intended reward system, then test whether a milestone pays once and records the result correctly. Its page had no reviews when checked, so allow time for your own trial.
2. SmartPlaytimeRewards
SmartPlaytimeRewards is a paid Paper 1.21.x plugin with manual claiming, auto-claim and a paginated rewards GUI.
What it offers
The listing describes unlimited milestones, console-command rewards, a playtime leaderboard and persistent YAML storage. Administrative tools can adjust playtime and reset claims. It lists no required dependencies.
Who it suits and what to check
Shortlist it if you want a claim interface and leaderboard in the same plugin. Its separate permissions for rewards, claiming, viewing other players and administration deserve a careful access check. Test with an ordinary player account, especially after using administrative claim-reset tools. Its page also had no reviews when checked.
3. StarPlaytime
StarPlaytime uses a paginated milestone menu with distinct locked, claimable and claimed states.
What it offers
Players click to collect money and item rewards. Its page targets Paper 1.21.x and forks, and advertises Folia support. Vault is required for money rewards; PlaceholderAPI is optional.
Who it suits and what to check
Consider it when clearly showing claim status is central to your design. Check the money-reward dependency before building the ladder, and test the three menu states with a normal account. If you are still choosing the balance provider behind money rewards, our economy plugin comparison explains the available approaches and Vault's role.
4. PlaytimeRewards
PlaytimeRewards is a free Paper plugin with configurable reward tiers and a GUI for tracking progress.
What it offers
Its page lists permission controls, persistent data and language files for English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Croatian and Simplified Chinese. Listed Minecraft support runs from 1.21 to 1.21.8, and no dependencies are listed.
Who it suits and what to check
It is worth considering when translated messages and a progress display matter to your community. Check the specific server version rather than treating the 1.21 label as unrestricted support. During testing, verify that your selected language covers the messages players actually encounter while progressing and collecting rewards.
5. PlaytimePlus
PlaytimePlus is a free plugin advertising automated playtime rewards, a rewards GUI and more than 1,000 scalable progression levels.
What it offers
Its listing covers Bukkit, Folia, Paper, Purpur and Spigot, with Minecraft versions from 1.16.x to 1.21.x. No dependencies are listed. It combines a long progression ladder with an interface for viewing rewards.
Who it suits and what to check
Consider it when you want progression to extend beyond a handful of milestones. Before committing to a long ladder, review the early, middle and late rewards separately. Test the build intended for your platform, then check whether the spacing between rewards matches the pace you want for your server.
6. PlayRewardZ
PlayRewardZ is a milestone reward plugin with a claim interface and in-game milestone management commands. Its page does not state whether it is free or paid.
What it offers
Its page lists Bukkit, Paper, Purpur and Spigot. Listed versions include 1.20.x, 1.21.x, 26.1.x, 26.2 and 26.3. No dependencies are listed.
Who it suits and what to check
It is another option for owners who want players to collect milestone rewards through an interface. Check that a release file matches your server version. Test in-game milestone management commands and player claiming separately before preparing a full reward schedule.
7. Playtime Levels: A DeluxeMenus config
Playtime Levels - 3000 Hours of Rewards is a paid config made by our team. Its listing describes rewarding players for their playtime through DeluxeMenus.
What it offers
This is a ready-made config option for owners considering the DeluxeMenus route. The listing was released and last updated on 1 April 2025.
Who it suits and what to check
Consider it if you want to assess a prepared menu config alongside dedicated plugins. No written description was available, so we cannot confirm its reward types, claim tracking or compatibility. Check those details before choosing it; the title alone does not establish how its reward ladder works.
8. Playtime Rewards | 60-Level Ladder
Playtime Rewards | 60-Level Ladder is a paid config made by our team, with a listed ladder of 60 playtime reward tiers.
What it offers
Its tag line describes milestones from one hour to two months, with money, XP, items and milestone bundles. It was released on 27 July 2026.
Who it suits and what to check
Consider it when a prepared reward schedule is what you need. No written description or dependency list was available, so its required plugin could not be confirmed. Establish that requirement and its compatibility first. Do not assume it uses the same menu system as the preceding config.
Understand what the DeluxeMenus route needs
DeluxeMenus is an open-source inventory menu plugin that requires PlaceholderAPI. Its menus can display different items or run different actions according to requirements.
The PlaceholderAPI Statistic expansion supplies Minecraft statistics as placeholders, including %statistic_hours_played% and %statistic_time_played%.
These are building blocks to assess when choosing a playtime menu. Ask how the complete configuration checks eligibility, issues rewards and records previous claims. The confirmed facts about the menu plugin and expansion do not establish those behaviours for every ready-made config.
If a menu displays the placeholder text instead of a value, follow our PlaceholderAPI expansion and raw-placeholder troubleshooting guide before changing the reward ladder.
Test AFK handling and repeated claims before launch
AFK behaviour is not confirmed for every option compared here. PlayRewardZ's page describes optional AFK detection integration and an option to exclude idle time. Test your chosen setup instead of assuming that recorded playtime means active participation.
- Check ordinary progression. Use a normal player account and compare its displayed progress before and after a measured play session.
- Repeat while idle. Leave the test account inactive for a measured period and compare the result. Decide whether that behaviour meets your reward policy.
- Collect one milestone twice. Claim it, reopen the interface where one exists, then disconnect and rejoin. Attempt the same claim again.
- Check a full inventory. For item rewards, test what happens when the player has no space. Confirm the outcome before promising those rewards to players.
- Review access. Verify that ordinary players can use the intended reward features and cannot reach administrative controls.
- Compare payout totals. Review what a player receives across the whole ladder, including any milestone bundles, rather than judging each reward alone.
Choose the option that passes those checks and matches your intended claim experience. Automatic command payouts, a dedicated claim GUI and a prepared menu config each answer a different setup need; dependency clarity and a successful trial should decide your shortlist.
Frequently asked questions
Which free Minecraft plugins give playtime rewards?
XyPlaytimeRewards, PlaytimeRewards and PlaytimePlus are listed as free. They differ in automatic payouts, progress displays and claim interfaces, so check the exact build and reward workflow before choosing. PlayRewardZ's page does not state whether it is free or paid.
Can playtime milestones run console commands?
XyPlaytimeRewards runs administrator-defined console commands when players reach milestones. SmartPlaytimeRewards also supports console-command rewards, alongside manual claiming and auto-claim.
Can I make a playtime rewards menu with DeluxeMenus?
DeluxeMenus provides inventory menus with requirements and actions, and requires PlaceholderAPI. The Statistic expansion supplies playtime placeholders, but you still need to check how the complete configuration handles eligibility, reward delivery and previous claims.
Which PlaceholderAPI placeholders show Minecraft playtime?
The Statistic expansion lists %statistic_seconds_played%, %statistic_minutes_played%, %statistic_hours_played%, %statistic_days_played% and %statistic_time_played%. Its documentation notes that Minecraft stores ticks played. Those placeholders alone do not confirm AFK exclusion.
How do I stop players farming playtime rewards while AFK?
First test whether your chosen option advances progress while a player is idle. PlayRewardZ's page describes optional AFK detection integration and an option to exclude idle time, but verify the behaviour in your setup. Require a verified way to exclude idle time if that is part of your reward policy, and test repeated claims separately.
