In the Modrinth vs CurseForge choice, pick Modrinth if you want a Java-only platform with published review times, mostly open code and a desktop app in beta. Pick CurseForge if the modpack you want is listed there, because its modpacks are built with the CurseForge App. Both host mods, so neither choice locks you in.
What we compared and what we left out
We read three help pages and compared only what each platform says about itself: what it hosts, how a project is reviewed, its desktop app and its modpack format. We did not install either app, upload a project or time a review. Rows are left out where one side has no first-hand page. That covers how creators are paid, and how open the code or API is, where only Modrinth has a page. We also give no safety verdict here.
| Fact | Modrinth | CurseForge |
|---|---|---|
| Games covered | Minecraft: Java Edition only for now. Modrinth says it will host other games in the future. | Its moderation policies cover Minecraft, Hogwarts Legacy, The Sims 4, Ark: Survival Ascended and inZOI. |
| Minecraft content types | Mods, plugins, data packs, shaders, resource packs and modpacks. | Its Minecraft policies cover mods, texture and resource packs, modpacks and server packs. |
| Review before listing | Moderators check projects against Modrinth's Rules and Terms of Use. An in-house malware scanner can flag a project for manual code review. | Projects go through processors, automated checks and manual reviewing. |
| Published review time | Aims for 24 to 48 hours, 72 to 96 hours for modpacks. Currently averages two to four weeks, sometimes longer. | No review time is published on its moderation page. |
| Desktop app | Modrinth App, in public beta for Windows, macOS and Linux. | CurseForge App. Its moderation page lists no platforms. |
| Modpack format | Modrinth Modpack Format (.mrpack), read by the Modrinth App, Prism Launcher and other launchers. | Modpacks must be created with the CurseForge App, in the correct format. |
What each platform says it hosts
Modrinth's help center describes a place to host user-created projects, each with versions that contain at least one file to download. It is currently focused exclusively on Java Edition content and lists six project types. It also describes the Modrinth App, a hosting service called Modrinth Servers, and a REST API behind both the site and the app.
CurseForge describes a large collection of mods across several games. Its Minecraft rules mention mods, texture and resource packs, modpacks and server packs, with server packs uploaded as an additional file on the matching modpack file. Its page does not list project types the way Modrinth's does, so we make no claim about shaders, plugins or data packs there.
If you are new to mods, the Java mod install guide applies whichever site the file comes from. Loader choice is a separate decision, covered in Fabric vs Forge vs NeoForge.
How a project is reviewed before it is listed
Modrinth says its content moderators review every submitted project against its Rules and Terms of Use. It tries to finish within 24 to 48 hours, and 72 to 96 hours for modpacks. A page dated 28 August 2026 warns that review times fluctuate while new moderators are trained. It says projects may take upwards of two weeks, sometimes over a month. It shows no queue position or wait estimate. Its in-house malware scanner can send a project to a technical moderator, which may lengthen the wait.
CurseForge says every mod goes through a series of processors, automated checks and manual reviewing. Its moderation policies set concrete rules, among them a clear description of what a project changes, English names, no external download links and a change log for each file. It publishes no review time. CurseForge calls this process what makes it the safest and most trusted source for mods. That is its own claim, and we have not checked it.
Where the platforms differ in practice
Modpacks are where the two diverge most. A Modrinth modpack is installed through a launcher that imports Modrinth packs, such as the Modrinth App or Prism Launcher. CurseForge requires modpacks to be created with the CurseForge App, forbids edits to the manifest the app generates, and allows only mods with the matching loader inside a pack.
CurseForge also limits what a pack may contain. Every CurseForge-hosted file in a modpack must still exist and be approved there, and deleted or archived files cannot go into new packs. Mods hosted elsewhere need a place on its Non-CurseForge Approved list. Modrinth's pages we read set no matching rule, so we say nothing about its pack contents beyond the format.
On openness, Modrinth says most of its code is public to use, audit and contribute to, mainly under the GNU Affero General Public License, version 3, though some parts use other licences. API documentation is at docs.modrinth.com. We found no equivalent first-hand page for CurseForge, so we do not compare the two on this.
Which one to use for what
The choice is often made for you. If a modpack or mod is only listed on one platform, use that platform for it. Installing a modpack from either site is covered in How to Install a Minecraft Modpack. Mixing is normal, since a mod folder does not care where a file came from.
- Modrinth gives you a Java-only catalogue, open code under mostly one licence and stated review targets. The trade-offs are an app still in public beta and review waits that Modrinth itself says currently run to weeks. Our walkthrough is How to Use the Modrinth App.
- CurseForge gives you a catalogue shared with other games and a defined set of moderation rules. The trade-offs are that modpacks must go through its own app, that no review time is published, and that its page lists no app platforms. If its app fails to start Minecraft, see Fix CurseForge Not Launching Minecraft.
Whichever you pick, check whether a mod must also be installed on a multiplayer host. How client-side and server-side mods differ explains that.
Related guides
Start with How to Install Minecraft Mods on Java Edition, then the modpack guide above if you want a ready-made pack. Safety questions about each platform get their own articles rather than a verdict here.