Lunar Client: The Number One Minecraft Client

If you play Minecraft regularly, you’ve almost certainly heard of Lunar Client. It’s a free launcher and modpack for Minecraft Java: you install it once, sign in with your Microsoft account and start Minecraft with more than 65 built-in mods, higher FPS and a customizable HUD. Since Lunar bought its rival Badlion in March 2025, it has been by far the biggest PvP client.

Key facts (as of October 2026):

What is Lunar Client?

Lunar Client is a modpack with its own launcher for the Java Edition. Instead of downloading and updating mods one by one, you get everything in one package that keeps itself up to date. The client isn’t an official product of Mojang or Microsoft, as the website itself points out.

Lunar became famous mainly among PvP players: if you play BedWars or SkyWars on servers like Hypixel, you’ll find keystrokes, a CPS counter, armor status and lots of other helpers that are allowed on big servers. These days Lunar also covers the newest versions and lets you add your own mods.

Which Minecraft versions does Lunar Client support?

According to the official FAQ, Lunar runs on 1.7, 1.8, 1.12, 1.16, 1.17, 1.18, 1.19, 1.20 and 1.21. Since Mojang started numbering versions by year and “drop”, the new versions have been added too: according to Lunar’s monthly recap, Minecraft 26.3 (released September 15, 2026) was supported from day one.

For PvP, 1.8.9 matters most, because many combat servers still use the old combat system. For survival with friends, the newest version is usually the best pick.

What can Lunar Client do? The main features

• More FPS: Lunar bundles optimizations and can use optional modules with Sodium or OptiFine. According to the developer, frame rates often double. How much you gain depends on your PC. More tips are in How to adjust your Minecraft settings.
• 65+ built-in mods: for example Keystrokes, Coordinates, Freelook, Toggle Sprint, Zoom and an extensive Hypixel SkyBlock mod.
• HUD editor: move, scale and recolor on-screen displays however you like.
• Your own mods: from 1.16 you can add Fabric mods. The Explore page in the launcher searches Modrinth and CurseForge and installs dependencies for you. Since September 2026, your own Forge mods also work on 1.8.9 and 1.12.2. How to install mods without a client is covered in How to install Minecraft mods.
• Hosted Worlds: share your single-player world with friends without setting up a server. According to Lunar, even friends on Bedrock Edition can join. For worlds that stay online around the clock, take a look at free Minecraft servers.
• Textures and shaders: any normal resource pack works; Lunar blocks X-ray packs. Guide: How to install a texture pack or shader pack.
• Friends and chat: a friends list and group chats right in the game and the launcher.
• Badlion in the same launcher: since 2025 you can also start Badlion Client from the Lunar launcher.

How much does Lunar Client cost?

The client itself is free, and according to Lunar you don’t miss out on any feature without paying. Moonsworth makes money from:

• Cosmetics in the store: cloaks, wings, pets, emotes and more. In Europe, single items mostly cost between about 4 and 18 euros, bundles more. Some of them are creator cosmetics sold by partners such as Fabo.
• Coins: a store currency you can use to pay for cosmetics.
• Lunar+: a subscription (from 6.24 euros a month in the European store as of October 2026) with exclusive cosmetics, a 10% store discount, a monthly emote, an unlimited friends list, bigger group chats and an ad-free experience. It renews automatically until you cancel.

Which YouTubers/Streamers Use Lunar Client?

Lunar works with lots of creators who sell their own cosmetics in the store. From Germany, the partner page lists German Twitch streamer LetsHugo and German streamer Fabo among others; both create content in German. If you want to support a creator, you can buy their cosmetics, and part of the money goes to them.

How do I download Lunar Client?

1. Open the official page lunarclient.com/download.
2. Pick your system: Windows (Windows 10 or later), macOS (Intel or Apple Silicon) or Linux (AppImage).
3. Run the installer and follow the instructions.
4. Open the launcher and sign in with the Microsoft account that owns Minecraft Java.
5. Choose the Minecraft version on the left and click Launch.

A tip from Lunar’s FAQ: with accounts belonging to kids and teens under 18, sign-in only works if the account is in a Microsoft family group with an adult, or if an adult account owns the game.

For parents: Is it safe?

Lunar is one of the most widely used clients and is considered trustworthy when it comes from lunarclient.com. It isn’t a cheat client: the mods show information or make the game run more smoothly, but they don’t give unfair advantages like flying or X-ray. Still, there are a few things you should know:

• Official download only: fake sites and “cracked” Lunar versions are out there. They can contain malware or steal the account.
• Purchases: cosmetics and Lunar+ cost real money, and Lunar+ renews automatically. Agree on a limit, and ideally use gift cards rather than a saved credit card.
• Ads: the fact that Lunar+ explicitly promises an “ad-free experience” tells you that the launcher shows ads without a subscription. Take a look at them together with your child.
• Friends and chat: Lunar has its own friends list with chat. Talk about who your child accepts as a friend.
• Microsoft Family: you manage kids’ accounts in the Microsoft family group. That’s also where you decide whether multiplayer and chat are allowed.
• Age rating: Minecraft is rated USK 6 in Germany (PEGI 7 in Europe/UK, ESRB E10+ in the US); the client itself has no rating of its own. Our parenting guide explains what age suits Minecraft.

For relaxed single-player building, the normal Minecraft Launcher is perfectly fine. Lunar is worth it if your child plays on big servers or the PC struggles with frame rates.

Frequently asked questions

Is Lunar Client free?

Yes. Lunar Client is completely free, and every mod and feature works without paying. The only costs are optional cosmetics from the store and the Lunar+ subscription (from roughly 6 euros a month in Europe), which adds exclusive cosmetics, discounts and an ad-free experience.

Which Minecraft versions does Lunar Client support?

Lunar Client supports Minecraft Java 1.7, 1.8, 1.12 and 1.16 to 1.21, plus the new year-based versions. Minecraft 26.3 was supported from day one in September 2026.

Is Lunar Client a hacked client?

No. Lunar Client comes with convenience and display mods such as an FPS counter, keystrokes or coordinates, but no cheats. It works on any server that allows the vanilla game, including Hypixel. It even blocks X-ray texture packs. What real cheating looks like is explained in Gamer slang: cheating explained.

Is Lunar Client safe?

Downloaded from the official site lunarclient.com, it is considered safe. It is run by the US company Moonsworth, LLC, and you sign in with your Microsoft account. Parents should know about the store, the friends list and the ads in the launcher, and agree on a spending limit.

Can you add mods to Lunar Client?

Yes. From version 1.16 you can use Fabric mods, and the Explore page in the launcher installs mods from Modrinth and CurseForge in one click. Since September 2026, your own Forge mods also run alongside Lunar’s features on 1.8.9 and 1.12.2.

Conclusion

In 2026, Lunar Client is the standard among PvP clients: free, with more than 65 built-in mods, support from 1.7 up to the current 26.3, and now your own Fabric and Forge mods as well. Since the Badlion takeover, both live in one launcher. Parents should know about the store with its Lunar+ subscription and the ads in the launcher, and only download the client from lunarclient.com. Alternatives with a different focus are the German-made NoRisk Client and LabyMod; you’ll find them all compared in The 5 best Minecraft clients.

Sources

• Official website, FAQ and features: lunarclient.com/faq, lunarclient.com/features (accessed October 15, 2026)
• Lunar+ and prices: store.lunarclient.com/category/plus (accessed October 15, 2026)
• Support for 26.3 and Forge mods: Lunar Client Monthly Recap – September 2026
• Hosted Worlds: Maximizing Fun in Lunar Client Hosted Worlds
• CurseForge mods: How To Add CurseForge Mods To Lunar Client
• Badlion acquisition: Lunar Client acquires Badlion Client