Vortex vs Zephyr
Vortex
nexusmods.comZephyr
zephyr.prismo-studios.devSide by side
| Figure | Vortex | Zephyr |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Game Mod Managers | 8.8 (#3) | 8.7 (#6) |
| Spec score · Mod managers | 8.7 (#5) | 8.7 (#6) |
| Automatic updates | Yes | Yes |
| Deployment method | link | copy |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Game support | Vortex’s product page says it supports over 30 games, and its list includes titles such as Skyrim, Fallout, and Stardew Valley. | Zephyr supports about 200 games out of the box. |
| Mod profiles | Yes | Yes |
| Mod source access | built-in | built-in |
| Open source | Nexus Mods says Vortex is open source and released under the GNU General Public License. | The desktop application is released under the GPL-3.0 license. |
| Profiles | Users can create and switch between independent mod profiles for different playthroughs. | Users can switch between mod profiles and share a setup with a friend using a code. |
| Purpose | Vortex is an open-source mod manager from Nexus Mods for installing and managing game mods. | Zephyr is a desktop mod manager for browsing, installing, and switching game mod profiles. |
| Support | Nexus Mods directs users to Vortex documentation, introductory videos, and its Vortex forums for help and questions. | The documentation directs users to Discord for documentation issues and to GitHub Issues for app bugs. |
| Supported platforms | windows | multi-platform |
Plans
In their own words
Vortex
Vortex is an open-source mod manager from Nexus Mods for installing and managing game mods. It connects to Nexus Mods so users can find, install, and play mods, while also surfacing new files and site news. Its feature page lists support for more than 30 games. Built-in sorting manages load orders, and plugin management features help address mod conflicts. Users can maintain separate profiles for different playthroughs, install curated collections, or create and share their own. Vortex can show available mod updates and update all mods at once. Its customizable interface brings together games, plugins, downloads, and save games, and community-created extensions and frameworks are supported. Health Check, introduced in Vortex 2.6, uses file-level requirements to identify and fix missing dependencies. Vortex is free and released under the GNU General Public License. The download page requires Windows 10 or later; versions 1.8 and later are unsupported on Windows 7, 8, and 8.1.
Zephyr
Zephyr is a free desktop mod manager for browsing and installing mods, then switching between game mod profiles. It supports about 200 games out of the box and combines Thunderstore and CurseForge browsing in one search. Mods are deployed by copying them, and users can share a profile code or link so friends can reproduce a setup. Optional cloud sync requires signing in with Discord and enabling the feature. Zephyr also includes an Archipelago multiworld randomizer with Python bundled, a BepInEx configuration editor, and gamepad navigation throughout the interface. Customization includes seven themes, custom fonts and colors, and seven language options. The app is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, and is distributed under the GPL-3.0 license. The maker says that without sign-in, personal data stays on the device and mod metadata requests are anonymous. With cloud sync enabled, profile archives and metadata are stored with the maker's hosting provider in France. The Windows build is not code-signed and the macOS build is not notarized.