CurseForge vs Modrinth: Which One Should You Use?

Updated July 28, 2026

CurseForge has the bigger catalog (over 226,000 projects) and hosts most of the big modpacks, often exclusively; Modrinth (over 100,000 projects) is the open-source platform — faster pages, an open API, and better per-download payouts for creators. The good news: you do not have to pick a side. Both are free, most current mods ship on both, and a launcher like Prism installs from either one interchangeably.

Still, the two platforms have very different personalities — legacy versus modernity, ad-funded versus open source — and depending on your profile (modpack player, pack tinkerer, mod creator), one of them will be your natural home base. Here is what actually matters in 2026.

Two platforms, two philosophies

CurseForge descends from the historic Curse network and has been owned by Overwolf since 2020: a multi-game platform (Minecraft, but also The Sims 4 and World of Warcraft), funded by advertising, sitting on fifteen years of mod archives. Modrinth launched in 2020 on the opposite bet: a platform built first for Minecraft, fully open source — site, API and launcher — and designed to be fast and transparent.

CurseForge: the largest catalog, the flagship modpacks, seniority and maximum audience.
Modrinth: open source, speed, a frictionless open API and more direct creator payouts.
Both: free for players, with an official desktop app and screening of uploaded files.

Catalogs and exclusives: advantage CurseForge

On raw volume CurseForge leads clearly: over 226,000 projects against Modrinth’s 100,000+. Part of the gap is history — fifteen years of archives, including plenty of abandoned mods — but not all of it: the biggest modpack series (All The Mods, RLCraft and many others) are still distributed exclusively on CurseForge. If you mostly play large established packs, CurseForge is where you will end up, full stop.

Modrinth is closing the gap fast on current mods: virtually every active 1.21+ mod publishes there, often first, and its pack catalog keeps growing. By 2026, checking Modrinth first for a recent mod has become second nature for many players — pages load faster, without intrusive ads, and files are cleanly labeled by loader and version.

The desktop apps

Both platforms ship a free official launcher. The CurseForge app (Windows, macOS, Linux) installs modpacks and mods in one click; historically tied to Overwolf, it also exists standalone, with an optional subscription that removes ads. The Modrinth App is its open-source counterpart: lightweight (around 150 MB of RAM), quick, and able to import profiles from other launchers.

The third path power users love: Prism Launcher, open source and independent, which installs packs and mods from both platforms at once — living proof that CurseForge and Modrinth add up rather than cancel out.

Creator payouts

This is the deepest divide. CurseForge pays creators through its points-based rewards program, funded by advertising and tied to downloads: simple and proven, but dependent on the health of the ad market. Modrinth hands creators all of the ad revenue generated on their own project pages, and on top of that redistributes half of every Modrinth+ subscription to creators based on the audience their projects draw.

Active modders consistently report that, download for download, Modrinth often pays out noticeably more. That is why most serious creators now publish on both platforms — and why choosing where you download is also a small way of choosing how the modder gets paid.

API, open source and the launcher ecosystem

Modrinth is open source end to end: the site, the API and the launcher are all public, and the open API is frictionless to use — it powers much of the modern modding toolchain. CurseForge offers an API too, but access requires a key, and some authors opt out of third-party downloads for their files: a CurseForge pack installed outside the official app may therefore ask you to fetch a few files manually.

For players the difference boils down to this: anything on Modrinth installs anywhere without friction; anything on CurseForge installs perfectly through the CurseForge app, and almost always everywhere else.

Verdict: which one for everyday use?

You play the big modpacks (ATM, RLCraft, Create packs…): the CurseForge app, because that is where the packs live — sometimes exclusively.
You build your own packs or play light on 1.21+: Modrinth first — current catalog, speed, clean labeling by loader.
You want one tool for everything: Prism Launcher, which installs from both platforms.
You create mods or packs: publish on both — maximum reach on CurseForge, better per-download revenue on Modrinth.
Either way: both platforms screen hosted files — avoid third-party rehosting sites, the classic malware vector.

Mods & Tools Mentioned

CurseForge (Minecraft mods) ↗ — the CurseForge Minecraft catalog
CurseForge app ↗ — Windows, macOS, Linux
Modrinth ↗ — mods, packs, shaders and resource packs
Modrinth App ↗ — the official open-source launcher
Prism Launcher ↗ — open-source launcher that installs from both platforms

Frequently Asked Questions

› Can I use both platforms at the same time?

Yes — that is in fact the most common setup: a pack installed from CurseForge, extra mods pulled from Modrinth, or everything managed in Prism Launcher drawing from both. The files are ordinary Minecraft mods; where they came from makes no difference in game.

› Why are some mods or packs missing from Modrinth?

Some creators — notably of flagship modpacks like All The Mods or RLCraft — distribute exclusively on CurseForge, out of habit, promotional deals or to concentrate their rewards. The reverse exists but is rarer. Hence the value of keeping a foot on each platform.

› Are mods from these platforms safe?

Both platforms review submitted files and block malicious uploads — no system is perfect, but the real danger lies elsewhere: third-party sites that rehost popular mods with infected installers. Always download from curseforge.com, modrinth.com or their official apps.

› What is Modrinth+?

Modrinth’s optional subscription: it removes ads, and half of it goes into the shared creator pool, split according to each project’s audience. It is a simple way to fund the modders you rely on without paying for individual mods.

› Can the Modrinth App install a CurseForge pack (or vice versa)?

Not natively: each app installs from its own platform. To mix, use Prism Launcher, which understands both pack formats. Note that CurseForge files whose authors blocked third-party distribution will need a manual download.

› Do I have to pay to download mods?

No, never: mods and modpacks are free on both platforms. The subscriptions (ad-free CurseForge, Modrinth+) are optional comfort and creator-support features. The only thing you buy is Minecraft Java Edition itself.