What Vault works with.
| Platform | Java Edition |
|---|---|
| Loaders | Bukkit, Folia, Paper, Purpur, Spigot |
| Minecraft versions | 1.12.2, 1.16.5, 1.18.2, 1.20.1, 1.21.1, 1.21.8, 26.1, 26.2 |
Vault is not a plugin with features of its own. It is a common API that lets economy, permission, and chat plugins on Bukkit-based servers talk to each other, so a shop plugin can charge in the currency your server's economy plugin tracks and a chat plugin can show the rank your permissions plugin assigns. That is why nearly every economy plugin for Paper, Spigot, Purpur, Bukkit, and Folia still lists Vault as a requirement.
From Vault to VaultUnlocked
The original Vault, built by MilkBowl and long listed on SpigotMC as resource 34315, has not had a code change since March 2024. VaultUnlocked is a drop-in fork of that same API, maintained by TheNewEconomy under developer creatorfromhell, that keeps shipping for current Minecraft releases and adds Folia support plus multi-currency handling. It stays backward compatible with plugins written against the original Vault, so nothing that already hooks into Vault breaks when a server switches. Every fact, version number, and download link on this page describes VaultUnlocked, the maintained fork, not the stalled original.
What Vault actually does
Vault has no commands, no GUI, and no storage of its own. Plugin developers call its Economy, Permission, and Chat interfaces instead of writing a separate integration for every economy or permissions plugin on the market, which is why one Vault install lets dozens of unrelated plugins cooperate. That makes it a different kind of thing entirely from a plugin like AxVaults, which gives players a personal item-storage container. If you came here looking for a place to stash items, this is the wrong page. If you want your shop, permissions, and economy plugins to work together, this is the one you need.
Supported server software and Minecraft versions
VaultUnlocked ships one build across every server platform it supports. The current release, 2.20.2 from June 2026, reaches Minecraft 26.2 on Bukkit, Paper, Purpur, Spigot, and Folia alike, so Folia servers are not left behind the way they are on some multi-platform plugins.
- Bukkit, Paper, Purpur, Spigot, Folia: all current to Minecraft 26.2 (build 2.20.2, released June 22, 2026).
- No separate Velocity or BungeeCord build. VaultUnlocked runs on the backend server, not a proxy.
- Legacy builds exist back to Minecraft 1.1 for older Bukkit servers still tracking pre-1.8 releases.
Installing VaultUnlocked
- 1.Download the VaultUnlocked jar from its Modrinth page.
- 2.Drop the jar into your server's plugins folder.
- 3.Restart the server. Avoid /reload, since plugin reloads can leave the API partially registered.
- 4.Run /plugins in console to confirm VaultUnlocked loaded, then install any economy, permission, or chat plugin that lists Vault as a dependency.
Which plugins depend on Vault
Vault's job only matters once another plugin calls it. EssentialsX needs Vault to show rank prefixes and suffixes in chat, and LuckPerms implements Vault's Permission and Chat interfaces so other plugins can read its ranks without a direct integration. Towny works with any Vault-compatible economy plugin for taxes, plot prices, and nation upkeep. Not every plugin needs it: some crate and kit plugins track their own virtual currency and skip Vault entirely, so check a plugin's own dependency list before assuming it requires Vault.
Watching Vault and VaultUnlocked in action
Vault versus VaultUnlocked and setting up a server economy
Questions about Vault.
5 questions
What does the Vault plugin actually do?
Vault is a bridge API, not a plugin with its own commands or menus. It lets economy, permission, and chat plugins on Bukkit-based servers call a shared interface instead of integrating with each other directly, which is why installing it alone does nothing visible until another plugin that requires it is added.
Is VaultUnlocked the same as the original Vault plugin?
VaultUnlocked is a drop-in fork of the original MilkBowl Vault, maintained by TheNewEconomy. The original has not shipped a code change since March 2024. VaultUnlocked keeps the same API working on current server builds, adds Folia support and multi-currency handling, and stays backward compatible with plugins written for the original.
Does Vault work on Folia?
The original Vault predates Folia and was never updated for it. VaultUnlocked adds Folia support directly, and its current release reaches the same Minecraft 26.2 ceiling on Folia as it does on Bukkit, Paper, Purpur, and Spigot, so Folia admins are not left on an older build.
Is the Vault plugin the same as a storage vault plugin?
No. Vault and VaultUnlocked are economy and permissions bridge APIs with no storage feature of their own. A plugin like AxVaults, which gives players a personal item-storage container, is an unrelated project that happens to share the word vault in its name.
Do I need Vault to run an economy plugin?
Only if that economy plugin, or another plugin reading its balances, was built against the Vault API. Many popular economy, shop, and permissions plugins list Vault or VaultUnlocked as a soft dependency, so check the plugin's own page before assuming you need it.
