Factorio Mods vs Thunderstore

Factorio Mods is the Mod Portal and in-game system for finding and managing mods for Factorio. The portal lets users search by title, internal name, summary, or username, then narrow results by categories and tags. Authors can upload mods, while users can access previous versions and discussion threads. In Factorio, the Mods menu handles downloading, installing, checking for updates, and enabling or disabling mods; it also obtains required dependencies.

When joining a modded multiplayer game, Factorio can download and enable the server's mods at their exact versions. Mods can change gameplay, for example by adding machines or informative GUIs. They are written in a modified version of Lua 5.2 and follow a required structure. The Mod Portal API supports browsing and downloading available mods, with basic endpoints that do not require authentication. Factorio runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and mods are distributed through the in-game manager. The listed plan is free. Uploading requires a licensed Factorio copy and a Factorio.com account; portal functionality requires a verified purchase.

Thunderstore is a mod database and API for developers to publish mods and for mod managers to download them. Its catalog lists over 110,000 mods across 300+ games. Thunderstore Mod Manager installs, updates, and manages mods for supported games; it supports profiles, profile export, direct downloads and installs, configuration editing, and updates for outdated mods. The official site directs users to download the manager for Windows, and the app is powered by the Overwolf Client, which is installed with it. Developers can use linked API and package-format documentation, a manifest validator, and a Markdown preview tool. The free plan is listed at free. Thunderstore directs users and developers to Discord for manager support, game requests, and rejected-upload review requests. Its privacy notice says nonessential cookies are applied only with consent and technical and usage data is generally retained for up to 30 days, with stated exceptions. It also says associated GitHub or Discord account details are not made public unless a user requests publication.