AntiGuard vs ExploitShield
AntiGuard
github.comExploitShield
github.comSide by side
| Figure | AntiGuard | ExploitShield |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Minecraft Anti-Cheat Plugins | 8.0 (#5) | 7.6 (#13) |
| Spec score · Minecraft anti-cheat plugins | 8.0 (#8) | 7.7 (#13) |
| License | The repository includes an MIT license that grants permission to use, modify, and distribute the software subject to its conditions. | ExploitShield is licensed under GPL-3.0; the README says distributed modified versions or projects incorporating its source must also use GPL-3.0 and make their complete source code public. |
| Purpose | AntiGuard is a self-contained anti-cheat plugin for Minecraft Paper and Purpur servers. | ExploitShield is an open-source Minecraft server plugin for protection against packet exploits, crash attempts, invalid NBT data, malicious payloads, and duplication methods. |
Plans
In their own words
AntiGuard
AntiGuard is a free anti-cheat plugin for Minecraft Paper and Purpur servers. Its checks cover Fly, Speed, Reach, NoSwing, KillAura, AutoClick, NoFall, and FastBreak, with flag, kick, and ban actions. An embedded web dashboard displays flags, bans, and kicks and lets administrators adjust detection settings live. The REST API exposes statistics, flags, bans, kicks, and configuration endpoints; write operations require an API token if one has been set. AntiGuard can use storage configured for LuckPerms and records data in tables prefixed with `antiguard_`. Documented database options are SQLite, H2, MySQL, MariaDB, and PostgreSQL, with bundled SQLite used if LuckPerms storage cannot safely be reused. Installation is a single JAR copied into the server’s `plugins/` folder, followed by a restart. The guide specifies Paper or Purpur 1.20.x and Java 17. The project calls itself an MVP, and its maker recommends adjusting thresholds or check tolerances if legitimate players are flagged.
ExploitShield
ExploitShield is a free, open-source Minecraft server plugin that guards against packet exploits, crash attempts, invalid NBT data, malicious payloads, and duplication methods. It filters and validates packets, limits their rate, detects malformed traffic, and checks payloads and plugin messages. NBT checks cover oversized content, invalid UTF-8, illegal characters, and invalid stack sizes. Listed crash protections address books, signs, payloads, chat overflow, TabComplete, and invalid packet cancellation. Duplication defenses cover inventory, creative, hoppers, containers, pistons, minecarts, boats, and vehicles, alongside chunk detection and item signature tracking. Administrators can configure protection modules, thresholds, packet and rate limits, alert messages, and punishments. Responses include alerts, cancellations, kicks, bans, IP bans, and custom commands. It supports Minecraft 1.17.x–1.21.x on Paper, Spigot, and Folia, and requires Java 17+, PacketEvents 2.13.0+, and ProtocolLib 5.4.0+. The license is GPL-3.0; modified distributions or projects incorporating its source must use that license and publish their complete source code.