Best Minecraft Mod Development Tools in 2026
Updated
In short: Blockbench is ranked #1 of 31 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Visual Studio Code and Architectury Loom. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Visual Studio Code. The lowest first paid tier on this page is IntelliJ IDEA at $8.33/mo.
Minecraft mod development can involve editing code, managing dependencies, and packaging artifacts. Compare supported Minecraft versions, loaders, and platforms to see how the tools align with your intended setup; debugging and visual editor support offer further points to consider. The entries include ModDevGradle, Architectury Loom, and IntelliJ IDEA. Dependency management and artifact packaging are also part of the comparison, alongside free-plan availability and paid-from pricing. The ranking continues from those first entries with Gradle, ForgeGradle, Minecraft Forge, NeoForge, and Fabric, giving you listed details to weigh against the versions and workflow you have in mind.
31 Minecraft mod development tools ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
11 of the 25 here have a free tier you can use, 0 have open-source code on record, and 0 have full bars: free, open, on most of your devices and documented.
| # | App | Signal | Free tier | Open code | Devices | From | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BlockbenchWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | Free | 6.7 | |
| 2 | Visual Studio CodeWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 6.7 | |
| 3 | Architectury LoomWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.6 | |
| 4 | Eclipse IDEWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 5 | FabricWindows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 6 | ForgeGradleWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 7 | GradleWindows · Mac · Linux · API | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 8 | IntelliJ IDEAWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | $8.33/mo | 6.5 | |
| 9 | Minecraft ForgeWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 10 | ModDevGradleLinux | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 11 | RetromWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted | Two bars | — | — | 4 of 6 | — | 5.6 |
| 12 | RecafWindows · Mac · Linux | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.5 |
| 13 | McDeobWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.4 |
| 14 | Minecraft Development MCP ServerWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 15 | CurseForge Gradle Publish PluginWindows · Mac | No signal | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 16 | NeoForgeWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 17 | Ravel RemapperWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 18 | mc-publishNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 19 | MixinExtrasNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 20 | Mod Publish PluginNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 21 | Neo-LoomNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 22 | Tiny RemapperNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 23 | CurseForgeGradleNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.0 |
| 24 | ForgeFlowerNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.0 |
| 25 | MCreatorWindows · Mac · Linux | Two bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 5.0 |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which Minecraft mod development tool is ranked first on Freedom251?
Blockbench is ranked #1 of 31 with a score of 6.7. Visual Studio Code is second and Architectury Loom third.
How many of these have a free plan?
11 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, IntelliJ IDEA has the lowest first paid tier we found: $8.33/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked free-and-open first: a usable free tier and open-source code, then the platforms it runs on and its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.