I found AurumMC and it is a brand new towny earth server that just released today.
It is semi vanilla but it has a fully custom skills system that the server coded. It is like mcmmo but they say it is more balanced and easier to use.
The economy is player run and it uses gold. There are also quality of life features like custom fishing crates so fishing feels fun again plus brewery graves and bluemap.
It runs on Java 1.21.11.
Hardcore SMP is a hardcore survival multiplayer server that works on both Java Edition and Bedrock Edition. It is meant to feel like vanilla hardcore with multiplayer stuff added to make players interact more.
The server says it has no world resets and it is non pay to win. There is a VIP rank but it is only cosmetic so it does not give you an advantage. There is also a revive in the store and it is like doing a full account reset so you can play again without buying a new Minecraft account.
The economy is coin based and it is fully player driven. There are no normal item shops run by the server. Players trade with each other using a trading system and an auction house. Coins enter the world from killing mobs and looting chests.
There is land claiming so you can protect bases and farms from griefing. The twist is if you die your claims get deleted so your land is no longer protected.
Teleporting is very limited. There is a one time use randomtp that can send you and friends you invite to a random overworld spot. There is also home to your respawn point and spawn to get back to Spawn.
I found a Survival Bedrock Realm that is mostly vanilla but it has extra stuff to keep it interesting.
It has an economy plus player shops. There is a TPA system so you can meet up easier. It also has ranks and auctions so trading feels more active.
The season started about two weeks ago so it still feels fresh. The community is big and still growing with a Discord that has over 1000 members. They also do daily updates and giveaways.
This is a classic prison server that goes for that old school grind where you start basic and you earn everything. It feels barebones and nostalgic and it pushes you to work for better gear instead of getting stacked fast.
The main path is the rank ladder from A through H then Parolee then Citizen. After you hit the top you can prestige for special rewards. Money comes from mining and smelting your ores then walking through PvP zones to sell at the Commissary so it is not just instant selling.
Guards are a big part of the server. They help protect new players and they enforce contraband rules. Swords and potions are illegal and guards will PvP you if they catch you with them. If you act up you can get sent to solitary confinement.
There are extra things to do like quests for cash or special items custom fishing parkour around the prison and bounties you can place on enemies. You can rent a cell or a plot to store items build shops or grow special illegal plants for profit if you can avoid getting caught.
Realm of Thrones is a small crossplay server where people build kingdoms and try to grow into the strongest empire. It is all about civilization building and community stuff so you can make allies and trade or you can go to war if you want to fight.
You level up your kingdom and rise through the ranks using in game money and play time. The server also has configurable tech parts so players can build factories and try to become a big industry power.
There are lots of quality of life improvements so it stays fun. You can catch and sell legendary fish try your luck with crates sell items in the server shop or run your own shop. You can also take jobs to get paid for playing and level them up while you level your McMMO too. They also just added around 25 new quests as a test and more is planned later.
SixStack is a survival server that lets Java and Bedrock players play together. It feels like it is built for people who want to build big and stick around.
You can claim land so your builds stay safe. There are jobs to earn money and a balanced economy that makes trading worth it.
There are player shops for buying and selling and McMMO skills so you can level up while you play. It also has virtual spawners and upgradable hoppers so you can automate farms and make your setup stronger over time.
Starfell is a Vanilla SMP that feels like a close community server. It used to have like 20 to 30 active players at a time and now a new season is starting in about a week.
The server has a thought out economy and there are multiple groups to join up with. It also uses plugins but it still tries to keep things feeling normal and there is very very little pay to win.
The staff seem friendly and the post says they do not go on power trips. It sounds like a good place if you want survival with people to talk to and trade with.
EchelonMC is a Minecraft Java survival server that is built from the ground up with custom coded systems. It is meant for long term building and teamwork and community progress. It is not trying to be a sweaty PvP place and it is not for stealing or griefing.
It runs on Java 1.21.11 and older versions are supported too. The server is hosted in Canada and it has been in active development for about a month with frequent patches. It also says there is no pay to win.
While you play you can earn a currency called Echelites and use it for progression and useful quality of life stuff. There is advanced land claiming with visual borders and lots of protection settings like mob controls and TNT and fire spread and raids and fluids.
One of the weirdest cool features is auto pathing. You walk and paths form under you and you can get speed bonuses on them and you can toggle it. You can also publish chunks so people can visit your builds and you can get rewards from visitors and show up on build rankings.
There are teams with invites shared utilities and custom team nametags. Deaths create timed graves that hold your items and there is a back command to help you recover after teleports. It also has voting rewards Discord linking with a chat bridge anti x ray and a spawn hub with custom NPCs and utilities.
Garconia is a Minecraft server trying to build a real democratic state inside the game. The world is meant to keep changing because players get involved and push things in new directions.
People join to chase big goals. You can try to become a politician. You can also go the entrepreneur route and build up your own business life.
If you want something calmer you can make a homestead out in the countryside. If you want the city life you can manage lots of buildings and even stacks of skyscrapers. There is also a party you can join if you want to be part of political change.
CaveMC is a semi anarchy survival server that feels like vanilla but tougher. The whole overworld is underground so there is no surface at all. It is all caves with biomes resources and structures and it is made with custom world generation.
Season 2 is live with a fresh start. Survival is brutal and you have to be smart to keep going.
There is also a big expansion called the Wasteland Dimension. It adds new gear to fight for plus huge mega structures with secrets. It also has its own currency so players can trade and build a new economy. The dimension comes with a new spawn and a custom generated map with special features.