MelonLoader vs Northstar

MMelonLoader9.4Visit Northstar8.7Visit

Higher score M MelonLoader #1 in Game Mod Loaders 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 4 features Visit MelonLoader

vs

Northstar #4 in Game Mod Loaders 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit R2Northstar

• MelonLoader fits best

  Broad Unity mod loading

• Northstar fits best

  Titanfall 2 modding and custom servers

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Side by side

Feature	MMelonLoader 9.4/10 Visit ↗	Northstar 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.4	8.7
Ranking	#1 in Game Mod Loaders	#4 in Game Mod Loaders
Best for	Broad Unity mod loading	Titanfall 2 modding and custom servers
Pricing model	Free	Free
Starting price	Free plan	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop, Self-hosted	Desktop, Self-hosted
Platforms	Windows, Linux, macOS, Android	Windows, Linux
Support	Community, Docs	Community, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business	Solo, Small business
Features MelonLoader 3/4 · Northstar 4/4
Plugin support	✓	✓
Load-order control	✓	✓
Mod profiles	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Dependency handling	✓	✓
Specs
Supported games	Unity games using Mono or Il2Cpp	Titanfall 2
Supported platforms	Windows, Linux (WINE/Steam Proton/native), macOS, Android and Oculus Quest (WIP)	Windows; Linux
Mod loading method	Injection	Injection
Our review
Pros	Supports Unity Mono and Il2Cpp games Offers plugin loading, dependencies, and load ordering Runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, and Android	Supports code injection, native DLL plugins, and custom game content Offers load priorities, dependencies, and independent mod profiles Includes a server browser with mod auto-download support
Cons	Android and Oculus Quest support is work in progress Requires game-installation folder and loader setup Focused on Unity games rather than broader game engines	Supports only Titanfall 2 Desktop support is limited to Windows and Linux Manual installation and third-party installers may require setup effort
Our verdict	MelonLoader is an open-source mod loader for Unity games built with Mono or Il2Cpp. It is designed for game modders and plugin developers who need to load mods from a game's installation directory, manage plugins, and control how… Read the review →	Northstar is an open-source modding framework and launcher for Titanfall 2. It attaches to the game to inject custom code and scripts, extending it with custom game modes, weapons, maps, skins, native DLL plugins, and community-hosted… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• MelonLoader — where it wins

  • Supports Unity Mono and Il2Cpp games
  • Offers plugin loading, dependencies, and load ordering
  • Runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, and Android

  Where it doesn't

  • Android and Oculus Quest support is work in progress
  • Requires game-installation folder and loader setup
  • Focused on Unity games rather than broader game engines

• Northstar — where it wins

  • Supports code injection, native DLL plugins, and custom game content
  • Offers load priorities, dependencies, and independent mod profiles
  • Includes a server browser with mod auto-download support

  Where it doesn't

  • Supports only Titanfall 2
  • Desktop support is limited to Windows and Linux
  • Manual installation and third-party installers may require setup effort

• MMelonLoader9.4/10 · Free plan

  A flexible Unity mod loader with plugins, dependencies, debugging, and cross-platform support.

  Visit MelonLoaderFull verdict →
• Northstar8.7/10 · Free plan

  A focused, free loader for Titanfall 2 mods, plugins, profiles, and custom servers.

  Visit R2NorthstarFull verdict →