The Most Popular Minecraft Mods: Live Ranking from Modrinth

The most popular Minecraft mods are the ones downloaded most often on Modrinth. Our ranking below fetches those numbers automatically every day. Further down you’ll learn what the leaders actually do, why so many invisible “libraries” are on the list and what to check regarding version and mod loader.

In short: The top spots don’t go to adventure mods but to building blocks and performance mods: Fabric API, Sodium for more FPS and Iris for shaders. Almost every entry needs the Fabric mod loader, and some also run on Forge or NeoForge. All mods here are for Minecraft Java Edition on PC, not for Bedrock, mobile or console.

The top 20 Minecraft mods on Modrinth

How to read the table: Below each name you’ll see which mod loader it runs on. “Downloads” counts every download since the project started, “Δ 30 days” only those from the last month, so you can spot which mod is on the rise. “Latest Minecraft version” is the newest version that has a file. The current full release of Minecraft Java is 26.3.

Why so many libraries are at the top

Many entries on the list add nothing to the game themselves. Fabric API, Cloth Config API, YetAnotherConfigLib and Architectury API are libraries: toolboxes that other mods need in order to run. When you install a mod that requires a library, you download the library along with it. That’s why these building blocks collect so many downloads.

What this means for you: a library on its own does nothing. You only install it when another mod asks for it. Every mod’s page on Modrinth lists the extra files you need under “Dependencies”. The Modrinth App and other launchers handle this for you.

The three leaders up close

When we pulled the data for this article on 29 October 2026, three projects were in front. The order can shift, so the table above always shows the latest standings.

Fabric API: the foundation

Fabric API (294.6M downloads) describes itself on its project page as the library of “essential hooks” for Fabric mods. Among other things, it lets mods add biomes, particles or their own dimensions without getting in each other’s way. If you use Fabric mods, you almost always need it. Fabric API has been on Modrinth since January 2021, is open source (GitHub) and uses the Apache 2.0 licence. It requires the Fabric Loader, the actual mod loader.

Sodium: more frames per second

Sodium (258.1M downloads) replaces the part of Minecraft that draws the world on your screen with a faster version. The game runs more smoothly, especially on older laptops, but looks exactly the same as before. Sodium works with Fabric, NeoForge and Quilt and runs only on your computer, not on the server. Installation, hardware and safety are all covered in our profile Sodium: the FPS mod for Minecraft.

Iris: shaders with Sodium

Iris Shaders (199.6M downloads) loads shader packs, graphics packs for light, shadows, water and clouds. According to Modrinth, Iris is compatible with existing OptiFine shader packs. Iris builds on Sodium: the current Fabric file for Minecraft 26.3 lists Sodium as a required dependency. Iris is open source (GitHub), has been on Modrinth since May 2021 and uses the LGPL 3.0 licence. Our guide How to install a texture pack or shader pack shows you how to add a shader pack.

What to check: versions and mod loaders

Before you download a mod from the ranking, check these points:

Which mod loader is right for you and how to install mods step by step is explained in How to install Minecraft mods. Prefer a ready-made package without tinkering? Clients like Lunar Client come with many improvements built in, and The 5 best Minecraft clients gives you an overview.

Other popular kinds of mods on the list

Apart from libraries and performance mods, these groups show up most in the ranking:

• Performance: Besides Sodium, for example Lithium (game logic), FerriteCore (memory), Entity Culling and ImmediatelyFast. They don’t change how the game plays.
• Maps: Xaero’s Minimap and Xaero’s World Map show a map in the corner of the screen or full screen and save waypoints.
• Convenience: Mod Menu lists your installed mods in the main menu, AppleSkin shows how filling a food is.
• Looks: Entity Texture Features and Entity Model Features let resource packs use custom mob textures and models, like OptiFine used to.

Is it safe? Tips for parents

The mods on this list are well known and used by lots of people, and the three leaders are open source. The risk usually lies elsewhere: with fake download sites that copy famous names, and with links from video descriptions or chats. In June 2023, the malware fractureiser was even found in mods on CurseForge and BukkitDev, as documented by the investigation team on GitHub.

How to recognise a genuine source:

• The address is modrinth.com, curseforge.com or the project page linked on Modrinth, not a similar-sounding domain.
• There is no “download manager” and no .exe file. Mods are .jar files and go into the mods folder.
• Nobody asks for money, a sign-in with your Microsoft account or for you to switch off your antivirus.

Tip: The easiest way is a launcher like the Modrinth App. You search for mods right inside the app, and it fetches the matching versions and dependencies from the real project page. If you’re starting out together with your child, begin with performance and map mods: they bring no chat and no new content.

Frequently asked questions

Which Minecraft mods are the most popular?

At the end of October 2026, Fabric API, Sodium and Iris were at the top on Modrinth. The exact order changes, and our ranking refreshes the downloads every day.

Why are there so many libraries in the ranking?

Many mods need a library such as Fabric API or Cloth Config. Anyone who installs one of those mods downloads the library too. They change nothing visible, but end up high on the list.

Are mods from Modrinth safe?

Modrinth reviews new projects, and well-known mods like Sodium and Iris are open source. There is no guarantee, though. Only download mods from Modrinth, CurseForge or the official project page.

Are these mods available for Bedrock, mobile or console?

No, the mods on Modrinth are for Minecraft Java Edition on PC. For Bedrock there are add-ons and Marketplace content.

Which mods are good for beginners?

Mods that improve the game rather than change it: Sodium for more FPS, Iris for shaders and a map like Xaero’s Minimap. All of them run on Fabric.