Starbound Mod Manager review
A free, focused utility for keeping Starbound mod setups tied to individual saves.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Starbound Mod Manager is a free Windows desktop utility for organizing Starbound mods around individual playthroughs. It is aimed at solo players who want different mod configurations associated with different save files, rather than a general-purpose manager for multiple games. Its core idea is practical: create a profile, link a save, and keep each playthrough's mod setup distinct. That makes it most relevant to players who return to different saves and want a clearer way to track which mods belong with each one.
The standout feature is the connection between profiles and saves. Separate setups can reduce confusion when switching between playthroughs, while automatic export of mod contents and descriptive naming are intended to make Steam Workshop mods easier to identify. This is a narrow set of workflow tools rather than a broad suite of mod management features. The product details describe profile creation, save linking and exporting, but do not describe mod conflict detection or update management; players looking for those capabilities should consider an alternative with a broader management focus.
There are important usability and maturity trade-offs. The current build is console-based, and a graphical interface is described as planned, so it suits users comfortable with a command-line style interface more than those who expect visual controls. The developer says the tool is in development and has had very little testing, with testing limited to Windows. It is free software, with Itch.io listing it as name-your-own-price. Starbound players who value save-linked profiles and can work within those constraints may find the focused approach useful; players who need a graphical interface or more extensive management functions should look elsewhere.
Starbound Mod Manager pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Links save files to custom mod profiles for separate playthrough setups
- Automatically exports mod contents and names them for identification
- Free Windows desktop utility for managing Starbound mods
- Where it doesn't
- Uses a console-based interface; a graphical interface is only planned
- In development, with very little testing reported by the developer
- Windows-only, with testing limited to Windows
Starbound Mod Manager fact sheet, pricing and score →
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