Frequently Asked Questions
File sizes, how long a banner takes, what paid banners will include: the questions server owners ask most, answered in one place.
Making a banner
How do I make a banner?
Pick a design from All banners, type your text (usually your server name and address), then press Make my banner. The page shows your place in the queue and then your finished banner.
Do I need an account or a card?
No. Every banner is free right now, and there are no accounts: no sign-up, no card and no email address.
How long does a banner take?
Usually under a minute. Every banner is rendered to order, so when lots of people are making one at the same time it can take a little longer.
The page shows your place in the queue, and there is a small game to play while you wait.
What can I change on a banner?
The text, and the colours where a design allows it. Your text is animated into the design itself rather than stuck on top, so each box has a length limit to make sure it fits. The typeface and layout are part of each design.
Can I use my own logo or image?
Not yet. Designs that need an image upload can't be made for now, so banners are text and colour only.
Your files
What do I get?
A real animated GIF. Each banner gives you every version it comes in, usually a standard one and a smaller one, all made from the same render. Download the one you need.
Some server list sites only accept small files. If yours does, use the smallest version.
What size are the banners?
Server banners are 468 × 60, the standard size for server lists. Each banner's page shows its exact size, and Discord avatars and banners use their own sizes.
Why a GIF and not a video?
GIF is the format that server lists, forums and Discord all accept for animated images, and it plays anywhere without a video player.
Free and paid banners
Are the banners really free?
Yes. Every banner is free at the moment. Paid banners are planned for later and will be introduced gradually, one design at a time, and each banner is marked FREE or PAID so you always know which you are getting.
What will paid banners include?
Nothing is on sale yet, so the details are not final. The plan is for paid banners to be kept for you rather than deleted after a day, with the option to re-render if you want to change your text. This page will be updated once prices and details are settled.
Is my free banner saved or emailed to me?
No. Free banners are not emailed or saved to an account, so download yours as soon as it is ready. The page stays at the same address for 24 hours if you refresh or come back to it, then the files are deleted.
Can I change my text and make it again?
Yes. Go back to the banner, change your text and make a new one. It is free, so there is no limit apart from a short wait if you make a lot in a row.
About Playermade
Who makes the designs?
Every design is drawn and animated by a person. Your banner is then rendered to order, with your text built into the animation.
Which games and communities is it for?
Banners for Minecraft and FiveM servers, and avatars and banners for Discord. Anything else in the catalogue is under All banners.
Is Playermade new?
The animated banners behind it have been made since 2014. This is the rebuilt version: the same craft, now rendered to order in minutes.
If something goes wrong
My banner failed. What now?
The page tells you when a render fails. Nothing is lost by trying again, since banners are free. If it says we are busy, wait a minute and press Make my banner again.
My banner says it has expired.
Free banners are deleted after 24 hours. Go back to the design and make it again; it takes about a minute.
My text is cut off or looks cramped.
Each text box has a length limit so the text fits the design. If it looks tight, try a shorter version of your name, or pick a design with more room.