Pick BSL Shaders if you want a bright, colourful look with a long list of optional effects such as depth of field and cel shading. Pick Complementary Reimagined if you want a look that keeps vanilla's character, with profiles from Potato to Ultra. Both are Java only and run on Iris or OptiFine.
This comparison reads the creators' own pages and our catalogue entries. We did not play, benchmark or screenshot either pack, so we give no frame rates and no verdict on which looks better.
BSL and Complementary side by side
| Fact | BSL Shaders | Complementary Reimagined |
|---|---|---|
| Creator on Modrinth | CaptTatsu | EminGT |
| Edition | Java Edition only | Java Edition only |
| Shader loaders listed | Iris and OptiFine, Minecraft 1.7.10 to 26.3 | Iris and OptiFine, Minecraft 1.7.10 to 26.3 |
| Newest release | 10.1.8 (2026-09-21) | r5.9.3 (2026-09-15) |
| Side | Needed on the player's own game, unsupported on servers | Needed on the player's own game, unsupported on servers |
| Licence label on Modrinth | All Rights Reserved | Custom, linking a License.txt on GitHub |
| Source code | No repository linked | github.com/ComplementaryDevelopment/ComplementaryReimagined |
| Visual styles | Described as bright, colorful and distinct | Two default styles, Reimagined and Unbound |
What each shader pack aims for
BSL's Modrinth page calls it bright, colorful and distinct, and says it is made exclusively for Java Edition. Its listed core effects are realtime shadows, volumetric light, ambient occlusion, bloom, customizable clouds and water, and built-in anti-aliasing.
BSL Shaders
@CaptTatsu · Shader
Checked Source and install notes
Complementary describes itself as having exceptional attention to detail and top tier optimisation, and as designed never to be obstructive during play. Reimagined is one of its two default styles, and its page says that style focuses on preserving Minecraft's unique visual elements with a reworked vanilla feel.
Complementary Reimagined Shaders
@EminGT · Shader
Checked Source and install notes
The two are related. Complementary's own site says it started as an edit of BSL Shaders in 2019, while its Modrinth page gives 2018. After that it received a complete rewrite and, by its own account, is shaped by user feedback.
Licence and permissions
BSL's page carries an agreement. You may use the pack for screenshots and videos, modify it for personal use, and publish a heavily modified version with the creator's permission. You may not redistribute it without permission, rename it as your own, or use monetized URL shorteners to the creator's site or files. Modrinth labels it All Rights Reserved, and the project links no source code, so we found no licence file to read.
Complementary Reimagined links a public repository, and Modrinth's label is a custom licence pointing to a License.txt in it. Our check of the repository found no licence file, so we cannot tell you what that text allows. Read it yourself before reusing any code or assets.
Loaders and supported Minecraft versions
On paper the two match. Both list Iris and OptiFine builds covering 1.7.10 to 26.3, and neither newest release requires another mod. Neither works on Bedrock Edition, and the Bedrock shader guide covers that route instead.
Steps for setup live in our shader install guide, and fixing shaders that will not load is a separate page.
Options and settings
BSL lists extras beyond its core set, including depth of field, motion blur, specular and normal mapping, cel shading and world curvature. Its page points to the creator's own site for the detailed description and FAQ.
Complementary lists custom effects for almost every block and profiles ranging from Potato to Ultra. The two styles differ only in default settings, so you can switch to blocky clouds on Unbound or realistic water on Reimagined. All settings sit in Shader Options. Its Modrinth categories also include potato, low, medium and high, while BSL's include low but not the others. That is a labelling difference, not a measurement.
How the look differs
By the creators' descriptions, BSL aims for a vivid, stylised look and Complementary Reimagined aims to stay close to vanilla. If you want Complementary's more realistic default, that is the Unbound style, covered in Complementary Reimagined vs Unbound and on the Unbound page. We do not repeat that comparison here.
When the choice is already made
- You play on Bedrock Edition, where Iris and OptiFine cannot run, so neither pack is an option.
- You want a profile named Potato as a ready-made starting point, so Complementary lists profiles from Potato to Ultra.
- You want cel shading or world curvature in the pack's own settings, so BSL lists those.
- You need source code you can read, so only Complementary links a repository.
Trade-offs and which one suits which player
BSL's trade-off is permission. It is All Rights Reserved with no public source, so modifying it is limited to personal use unless the creator agrees. Complementary's trade-off is that its licence text is custom and we could not confirm its terms from a licence file in the repository.
Both must run on the player's own game, and neither works on a server. No source we hold gives frame rates, so see boosting FPS if performance worries you. For more shader packs, see our Minecraft shaders article.
Choose BSL for a vivid look with many optional effects. Choose Complementary Reimagined for a vanilla-keeping look with ready profiles.
