Overview

Modrinth is a Minecraft: Java Edition platform for players seeking community-made projects and creators who want publishing and audience tools. Its free project catalogue is the clearest reason to choose it; the separate desktop launcher remains in public beta.

Key features

Project discovery and compatibility

Search and filters, including game-version filters, help players narrow the catalogue to projects suited to their setup. Support for Fabric, Forge, NeoForge, and Quilt, plus dependency information, makes compatibility easier to assess before installing. Download tracking and collections help users follow and organize projects. The focus is specifically Minecraft: Java Edition, not mods for games generally.

Launcher and integrations

The open-source Modrinth App can install, uninstall, and update mods, and share modpacks. It gives players a dedicated way to manage a modded setup, though public-beta status makes it a less certain choice for anyone who needs a mature launcher as a dependable daily tool. The app runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux; Linux versions may have issues on some systems and configurations.

Modrinth's open-source API enables integrations with ATLauncher, MultiMC, and Prism Launcher. That matters to players who prefer an existing launcher workflow rather than switching to Modrinth App.

Creator tools and hosting

Creators can manage team roles and permissions, receive ad revenue, and review page-view, download, and revenue reports. Minotaur, a Gradle plugin, automates publishing artifacts to Modrinth, making the platform relevant to developers with a Gradle-based publishing process.

Modrinth Hosting supports Minecraft Java versions back to 1.2.5 and loaders including Fabric, Quilt, Forge, NeoForge, Paper, and Purpur, subject to version support. A free 3 GB server is offered for five days in the US, with no credit card required. That is a useful short trial, not a substitute for ongoing hosting.

Pricing

The Modrinth platform is free and hosts user-created Minecraft: Java Edition projects. Modrinth+ costs 4.99 USD per month, billed $4.99/mo; annual billing saves 16%. It adds ad-free browsing, creator support, and a profile badge, so it suits users who want those extras rather than access to the core project platform.

Hosting offers a customized plan starting at $5 / month for customized server specifications. The Small plan is $10 / month, billed quarterly, for 4 GB RAM, 32 GB storage, and 2 shared CPUs (bursts up to 4); Medium is $15 / month, billed quarterly, for 6 GB RAM, 48 GB storage, and 3 shared CPUs (bursts up to 6); Large is $20 / month, billed quarterly, for 8 GB RAM, 64 GB storage, and 4 shared CPUs (bursts up to 8). The Small, Medium, and Large plans are out of stock, so they are not current choices to rely on.

Platforms

The service spans web and API access, with desktop app support for Windows, macOS, and Linux. The Linux caveat applies to the app, not a general claim about the website.

Who it's for

Modrinth is best for Minecraft Java players who want version-aware project discovery and a free place to find community-made content, as well as creators who need team controls, analytics, and publishing tools. Players committed to a stable launcher or those seeking long-term server capacity should weigh the beta status and hosting plan availability before building around those products.

Pros and cons

Pros: Free project hosting and focused discovery, with version filters, loader support, dependency information, and collections that help players choose and organize compatible projects.
Pros: Creator permissions, revenue reporting, and the Minotaur publishing plugin serve both collaborative teams and Gradle workflows.
Cons: The Modrinth App is in public beta, and Linux builds may have issues on some configurations.
Cons: The listed standard paid hosting plans are out of stock, limiting the usefulness of their published specifications for a purchase decision.

Alternatives

For broader browsing choices, see Minecraft Mod Browsers; for launcher-focused options, see Minecraft Launchers.

ModDex is a free web and API option for people who want to rate, review, vote, manage a library, create stacks, follow projects, and receive notifications through a free account. FreeMinecraftMods suits users looking for a web workflow with no build cap, where generation and export do not require a plan but saving and publishing require sign-in. MineSpecs is a free browser-based option with no account or sign-in, no ads, and tools and downloads.

Agora Minecraft Mod Launcher, MC百科, NetherChest, Minecraft Inside, and MinecraftHub.io are other free options.

Verdict

Choose Modrinth if you want a free, Minecraft Java-focused catalogue with useful compatibility signals and creator tools in the same ecosystem. Look elsewhere if a public-beta launcher or the current lack of stock in its standard hosting plans does not fit your needs.

	Modrinth	r2modman
Free plan	Yes	No
Free trial	Yes	No
Paid from	$4.99/mo	—
Open source	No	No
Platforms	api, Linux, macOS, Web, Windows	Windows, Linux
Free plan	Yes	—
Paid from	$4.99/mo	—
Mod profiles	—	Yes
Automatic updates	—	Yes
Mod source access	—	built-in
Supported platforms	—	multi-platform

Modrinth vs r2modman

Modrinth

r2modman