CurseForge vs packwiz

CurseForge9.0Visit packwiz6.9Visit

Higher score CurseForge #1 in Minecraft Modpack Builders 9.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 4 features Get CurseForge

vs

packwiz #6 in Minecraft Modpack Builders 6.9/10 Free · open source (MIT) Free plan✓ 1 of 4 features Get packwiz

• CurseForge fits best

  Building packs from CurseForge's mod catalogue

• packwiz fits best

  Pack authors and server owners who use git

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Side by side

Feature	CurseForge 9.0/10 Visit ↗	packwiz 6.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.0	6.9
Ranking	#1 in Minecraft Modpack Builders	#6 in Minecraft Modpack Builders
Best for	Building packs from CurseForge's mod catalogue	Pack authors and server owners who use git
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free
Starting price	$2.5/mo	Not published
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Features CurseForge 3/4 · packwiz 1/4
Built-in publishing	✓ (best)	—
Server tools	✓ (best)	—
Share by code	✓ (best)	Not published
Open source	Not published	✓ (best)
Specs
Runs on	Windows, macOS, Linux	Command line
Mod & pack sources	CurseForge	CurseForge, Modrinth
Export formats	CurseForge .zip, Profile code	CurseForge .zip, Modrinth .mrpack
Our review
Pros	Custom profiles on Forge, Fabric, NeoForge or Quilt with one-click installs Shares a pack as a .zip or as a profile code valid for seven days Exports in the format CurseForge accepts for public modpack projects	TOML metadata files version cleanly in git instead of raw JAR files Exports CurseForge and Modrinth packs and imports CurseForge ones packwiz-installer keeps MultiMC or ATLauncher instances auto-updated
Cons	Only mods hosted on CurseForge install in one click; others need manual steps Hosted servers cover listed modpacks first, not yet custom ones Profile codes expire after seven days and need a CurseForge login	Command line only; the docs point GUI users to third-party efforts No installer; builds come from CI artefacts or compiling with Go Auto-updating distribution needs an HTTP server you host
Our verdict	CurseForge, run by Overwolf, is one of the largest homes for Minecraft mods, and its desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux doubles as a modpack builder. A custom profile is created from the Minecraft section by naming it, choosing a… Read the review →	packwiz treats a modpack as source code. Instead of a folder of JAR files, a pack is a set of TOML metadata files describing each mod and where it comes from, so the whole pack can live in a git repository, be reviewed like any other… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• CurseForge — where it wins

  • Custom profiles on Forge, Fabric, NeoForge or Quilt with one-click installs
  • Shares a pack as a .zip or as a profile code valid for seven days
  • Exports in the format CurseForge accepts for public modpack projects

  Where it doesn't

  • Only mods hosted on CurseForge install in one click; others need manual steps
  • Hosted servers cover listed modpacks first, not yet custom ones
  • Profile codes expire after seven days and need a CurseForge login

• packwiz — where it wins

  • TOML metadata files version cleanly in git instead of raw JAR files
  • Exports CurseForge and Modrinth packs and imports CurseForge ones
  • packwiz-installer keeps MultiMC or ATLauncher instances auto-updated

  Where it doesn't

  • Command line only; the docs point GUI users to third-party efforts
  • No installer; builds come from CI artefacts or compiling with Go
  • Auto-updating distribution needs an HTTP server you host

• CurseForge9.0/10 · Free plan

  A huge mod catalogue with a builder built in: custom profiles, share codes and a route to publishing.

  Get CurseForgeFull verdict →
• packwiz6.9/10 · Free · open source (MIT)

  Modpacks as code: TOML metadata in git, auto-updating installs for servers, and exports to both platforms.

  Get packwizFull verdict →