Head-to-head · Game Mod Repositories
Nexus Mods vs Thunderstore
Nexus Mods leads on 0 checks, Thunderstore on 3, and 1 is even. Who comes out ahead on the 4 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreNexus Mods · 7.7/10
- Free planboth
- Most featuresThunderstore · 3 of 4
Nexus Mods scores higher on our rubric for game mod repositories: 7.7 against 7.4 out of 10; our editors rank them #3 and #4.
Thunderstore offers dependency tracking; Nexus Mods doesn't publish it. Thunderstore offers version history; Nexus Mods doesn't publish it. Thunderstore offers mod collections; Nexus Mods doesn't publish it.
Nexus Mods is the better fit for established mod catalog users. Thunderstore is the better fit for players managing mods across many games.
- Nexus Mods fits best
Established mod catalog users
- Thunderstore fits best
Players managing mods across many games
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Side by side
| Feature | Nexus Mods 7.7/10 Visit ↗ | Thunderstore 7.4/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 7.7 | 7.4 |
| Ranking | #3 in Game Mod Repositories | #4 in Game Mod Repositories |
| Best for | Established mod catalog users | Players managing mods across many games |
| Pricing model | Free plan + paid | Free plan + paid |
| Starting price | Not published | Not published |
| Free plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Deployment | Cloud | Cloud, Desktop |
| Platforms | Web | Web, Windows |
| Features Nexus Mods 0/4 · Thunderstore 3/4 | ||
| Dependency tracking | Not published | ✓ (best) |
| Version history | Not published | ✓ (best) |
| Mod collections | Not published | ✓ (best) |
| Community comments | Not published | Not published |
| Specs | ||
| Games covered | Not published | 300 games |
| Upload size limit | Not published | 5 GB |
| Our review | ||
| Pros |
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| Cons |
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| Our verdict | Nexus Mods is a web-based catalog and community platform for discovering, downloading, and sharing game modifications. It serves players and mod creators who want game-specific listings, downloadable files, version history, upload history,… Read the review → |
Thunderstore is a mod repository and API for PC games, with a website organized into game communities and a Windows-based mod manager. It serves individual players, mod creators, and gaming communities that need to find, publish, organize,… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
Nexus Mods — where it wins
- Game-specific catalogs include files, versions, tags, descriptions, and media.
- Collections support curated mod lists and Vortex installation.
- Free access includes download statistics and an open API.
Where it doesn't
- Platform coverage is primarily web and API.
- Premium benefits require paid membership for uncapped speeds and ad-free browsing.
- Catalog pages do not clearly document loader- or game-version filters.
Thunderstore — where it wins
- Supports mods for 300+ games
- Installs declared dependencies through the mod manager
- Profiles, modpacks, version history, and configuration editing
Where it doesn't
- The full manager experience is Windows-based
- Creator uploads are limited to 5
- The package size limit is roughly 5 GB, though it is a soft limit
- Nexus Mods7.7/10 · Free plan
A mature mod repository with broad catalogs, Collections, Vortex, and an open API.
Visit Nexus ModsFull verdict → - Thunderstore7.4/10 · Free plan
A free mod repository and Windows manager for organizing mods across 300+ games.
Visit ThunderstoreFull verdict →
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Sep 2026
Last updated · How we research and update