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Head-to-head · Minecraft Permissions Plugins

GroupManager vs ThunderPerms

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 3 checks side by side
Higher score GroupManager #3 in Minecraft Permissions Plugins 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 4 features Visit GroupManager
ThunderPerms #5 in Minecraft Permissions Plugins 8.5/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 4 features Visit ThunderPerms

GroupManager leads on 0 checks, ThunderPerms on 0, and 3 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 3 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreGroupManager · 8.7/10
  • Free planboth

GroupManager scores higher on our rubric for minecraft permissions plugins: 8.7 against 8.5 out of 10; our editors rank them #3 and #5.

GroupManager is the better fit for established Bukkit and Spigot servers. ThunderPerms is the better fit for paper servers needing auditing and recovery.

  • GroupManager fits best

    Established Bukkit and Spigot servers

  • ThunderPerms fits best

    Paper servers needing auditing and recovery

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Side by side

Feature GroupManager 8.7/10 Visit ↗ ThunderPerms 8.5/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.7 8.5
Ranking #3 in Minecraft Permissions Plugins #5 in Minecraft Permissions Plugins
Best for Established Bukkit and Spigot servers Paper servers needing auditing and recovery
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Free plan Free plan
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Self-hosted Self-hosted
Integrations 1 integrations 6 integrations
Built for Small business, Mid-market Small business, Mid-market
Features GroupManager 2/4 · ThunderPerms 2/4
Group inheritance ✓ ✓
Network support Not checked yet Not checked yet
Web editor Not checked yet Not checked yet
Temporary permissions ✓ ✓
Specs
Storage backends YAML, H2, MySQL, SQLite, PostgreSQL, MariaDB YAML, SQLite, MySQL, MariaDB
Supported platforms Bukkit, Spigot Paper
Our review
Pros
  • Inherited groups with promotion, demotion, subgroups, and temporary permissions
  • YAML and SQL storage, including MySQL, SQLite, PostgreSQL, and MariaDB
  • Wildcard, negative, exception nodes, multi-world mirroring, and PlaceholderAPI support
  • Free and open-source with inheritance and temporary grants
  • Supports YAML, SQLite, MySQL, and MariaDB storage
  • Includes audits, backups, verification, and repair tools
Cons
  • Verified platform coverage centers on Bukkit and Spigot
  • Configuration spans many permission, storage, and group-management options
  • The published release is v3.2 for Minecraft 1.8 to 1.20+
  • Verified platform coverage is limited to Paper
  • Storage and permission administration require server configuration
  • Its feature set is focused on permissions rather than broader server management
Our verdict

GroupManager is a free, open-source permissions plugin for self-hosted Minecraft servers running Bukkit or Spigot. It is designed for administrators who need structured group-based access rather than isolated permission assignments. Groups…

Read the review →

ThunderPerms is a free, open-source permissions-management plugin for Paper Minecraft servers. It is intended for small and medium servers that need structured control over players, groups, inherited permissions, temporary grants, and…

Read the review →
  1. GroupManagerMinecraft Permissions Plugins 8.7Free plan
  2. ThunderPermsMinecraft Permissions Plugins 8.5Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • GroupManager — where it wins

    • Inherited groups with promotion, demotion, subgroups, and temporary permissions
    • YAML and SQL storage, including MySQL, SQLite, PostgreSQL, and MariaDB
    • Wildcard, negative, exception nodes, multi-world mirroring, and PlaceholderAPI support

    Where it doesn't

    • Verified platform coverage centers on Bukkit and Spigot
    • Configuration spans many permission, storage, and group-management options
    • The published release is v3.2 for Minecraft 1.8 to 1.20+

  • ThunderPerms — where it wins

    • Free and open-source with inheritance and temporary grants
    • Supports YAML, SQLite, MySQL, and MariaDB storage
    • Includes audits, backups, verification, and repair tools

    Where it doesn't

    • Verified platform coverage is limited to Paper
    • Storage and permission administration require server configuration
    • Its feature set is focused on permissions rather than broader server management

More comparisons

All minecraft permissions plugins comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update