CurseForge vs ModWorkshop

CurseForge is a catalog for finding and downloading Minecraft mods and modpacks. Its Minecraft browse page lists Forge, Fabric, NeoForge, and Quilt, and displays more than 10,000 projects. Users can filter by game version and see dependency information, download tracking, and mod collections. The free web catalog provides access to Minecraft mods and modpacks, which the page describes as free. Premium access is available on the web and desktop client. Premium removes ads across CurseForge platforms and the desktop client, enables direct downloads without waiting delays, and includes custom themes and layout customization in the desktop experience. The monthly subscription is $2.99 per month. The annual subscription is $30.00 billed annually, listed from $35.88 with a 16% saving. Subscribers can cancel at any time and retain access through the billing cycle. Refunds are generally not offered, although exceptions may be considered individually. After Premium access ends, an account returns to free membership. CurseForge says mod authors receive 70% of subscription income.

ModWorkshop is a free community platform for sharing and downloading game modifications, with listings for 65 games. Its catalog includes PAYDAY 2, PAYDAY: The Heist, Noita, and Crime Boss. Visitors can browse game pages, news, forums, Discord links, and community comments, while dependency tracking helps relate required components. Downloading does not require an account, and the site says it does not artificially throttle download speeds. The API is available to anyone and currently supports GET requests only. Open-source, community-maintained mod managers, update tools, and downloaders may integrate through it; official integration into games or developers’ first-party tools is forbidden. Uploaded submissions must be open source, with repository links or source code required for compiled or obfuscated code. ModWorkshop began as The Team Mystery in 2012 and adopted its current name in 2016. It runs on the web and offers an API.