The 5 Best Minecraft Clients

If you play Minecraft, you’ve probably heard of so-called clients. A client is a program you use to start Minecraft Java that already has lots of useful mods built in: more FPS, FPS and coordinate displays, keystrokes, a minimap, zoom or a chat with friends. Some clients are tuned for PvP, others for mods and playing together. All of the clients covered here only work with the Java Edition, not with Bedrock.

A lot happened in the client world in 2025 and 2026: Lunar bought Badlion, Feather is now called Dawn after a takeover, and since October 14, 2026, LabyMod has been called Laby Client. Here’s where things stand now.

What is the best Minecraft client?

For most players, Lunar Client is the best choice. It’s free, comes with more than 65 mods, runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, and supports everything from the PvP versions 1.7/1.8 up to the current Minecraft 26.3 (released September 15, 2026), which it supported from day one. It’s allowed and very popular on big servers like Hypixel.

Depending on what you want to do, though, a different client may suit you better:

• Playing with friends a lot, voice chat: LabyMod / Laby Client
• Current versions with lots of your own mods, German developer: NoRisk Client
• PvP on 1.8 with a huge number of built-in mods: Badlion Client
• Your own servers via Aternos right in the launcher: Dawn, the successor to Feather Client

The 5 clients at a glance

All details as of October 2026, according to the official websites.

The top 5 Minecraft clients

1. Lunar Client – the king of PvP

Lunar Client is the best-known client among PvP players and, since taking over Badlion in March 2025, the biggest of all; at the time, Lunar said the two together had more than three million monthly active players.

• Versions: 1.7, 1.8, 1.12, 1.16 to 1.21 and the new year-based versions, with 26.3 supported from day one.
• Features: 65+ built-in mods (Keystrokes, Coordinates, Freelook, Toggle Sprint, Hypixel SkyBlock helpers), HUD editor, FPS optimizations. From 1.16 you can use Fabric mods, and since September 2026 Forge mods on 1.8.9 and 1.12.2 too. With Hosted Worlds, you can share your world with friends.
• Cost: free. Optional cosmetics and the Lunar+ subscription (from 6.24 euros a month in the European store), which among other things removes the ads in the launcher.
• Systems: Windows 10 and later, macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon), Linux.

https://www.lunarclient.com

2. LabyMod (Laby Client) – where community meets style

LabyMod is the client with the most community features and is especially popular in German-speaking countries. Since October 14, 2026, it has been called Laby Client; your account, cosmetics and friends stay the same.

• Versions: 20+ Java versions, from 1.8.9 to the current release.
• Features: 100+ mods, 3D voice chat on any server, chat with friends on PC, phone and in the browser, Global Parties, World Sharing without a server, minigames. The Laby Launcher also starts Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt and finds mods on Modrinth, CurseForge and FTB.
• Cost: free. Optional cosmetics, LabyCoins and Laby+, a one-time-payment membership with no subscription.
• Operator: LabyMedia GmbH from Walldorf, Germany.

https://laby.net/client

3. NoRisk Client – the German all-rounder

NoRisk Client is a free launcher and client from Germany. For new versions it’s built on Fabric and is quick to support new Minecraft updates.

• Versions: 26.3, 1.21.11, 1.21.4 (Fabric), 1.20.1 (NeoForge), 1.8.9 (Forge) and a vanilla profile, each with its own mods and worlds.
• Features: HUD editor with 20+ displays, one-click mods from Modrinth and CurseForge, 300+ cosmetics, Hosted Worlds, friends list and chat. The launcher’s source code is open on GitHub.
• Cost: free. Optional NoRisk+ subscription.
• Systems: Windows, macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon), Linux.

https://norisk.gg

4. Badlion Client – the PvP classic

Badlion Client is a true classic with more than 100 built-in mods. It has belonged to Lunar since March 2025. The download button on badlion.net now gets you the Lunar launcher, where Badlion has its own tab.

• Versions: 1.8, 1.20 and 1.21, plus 1.12, 1.16 and 1.19. Badlion doesn’t list support for 26.x.
• Features: FPS boost, Keystrokes, CPS, Armor Status, Replay, Animations mod, SkyBlock helpers, OptiFine as an add-on.
• Cost: free. Optional cosmetics, Badlion Points and the Premium/Premium+ membership.
• Good to know: Lunar is gradually moving Badlion features into its own client. If you’re new, Lunar is usually the better choice.

https://www.badlion.net/minecraft-client

5. Dawn (formerly Feather Client) – servers with friends

This is what Feather Client looked like in 2025. Today it’s called Dawn.

Feather Client was one of the most popular lightweight clients. After allegations about ads in the launcher in April 2026, the server operator InPvP took over its technology and user base. Since June 24, 2026, the client has been called Dawn; Feather installations are switched over automatically, and accounts, cosmetics and mods move with them.

• Features: 100+ modules (including voice chat, waypoints, HUD, zoom), profiles, mods and modpacks, free servers via Aternos right in the launcher.
• Cost: free. Optional store with cosmetics.
• Systems: Windows, macOS (Apple Silicon), Linux.
• Good to know: Dawn is the official launcher of the PvP server MCPVP. No independent body has established whether the ad allegations against Feather are true. You’ll find the full story in our Feather article.

https://dawn.gg

Which Minecraft client do we think is best?

We think Lunar Client is the best. It delivers great performance, is easy to set up, gets new Minecraft versions right away, and doesn’t include any mods that will get you into trouble with the anti-cheat on big servers. Handy helpers for Hypixel SkyBlock or BedWars are built right in. If you’d rather play and talk with friends, go for LabyMod; if you want lots of your own Fabric mods on the newest version, go for NoRisk.

For parents: Is it safe?

None of the five clients is an official product of Mojang or Microsoft. But none of them is a hacked client either: they show information and make the game run more smoothly, but they don’t give unfair advantages. With a hacked client, on the other hand, your child risks a ban; more on that in Gamer slang: cheating explained.

• Official downloads only: lunarclient.com, laby.net, norisk.gg, badlion.net and dawn.gg. Copies from other sites can contain malware or steal the Minecraft account.
• Purchases and subscriptions: all clients are free but sell cosmetics. Lunar+ and NoRisk+ are subscriptions; Laby+ is a one-time purchase. Agree on a limit and ideally use gift cards.
• Contact with strangers: friends lists, chats, voice chat (LabyMod, Dawn) and shared worlds all mean contact with other players. Decide together who can message and play with your child. In the Microsoft family group you set whether multiplayer and chat are allowed.
• Ads: Lunar shows ads in the launcher without a subscription. The 2026 dispute around Feather was all about ads.
• Operators: LabyMod (LabyMedia GmbH) and NoRisk (Palior UG) are based in Germany, so the EU’s GDPR applies. Lunar and Badlion belong to the US company Moonsworth; Dawn belongs to InPvP.
• Age rating: Minecraft is rated USK 6 in Germany (PEGI 7 in Europe/UK, ESRB E10+ in the US); the clients have no rating of their own. More in our parenting guide on the right age.

For relaxed single-player building, your child doesn’t need a client; the normal Minecraft Launcher is enough.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best Minecraft client?

For most players, Lunar Client is the best choice: free, more than 65 built-in mods, support from 1.7 up to Minecraft 26.3, and allowed on big servers like Hypixel. If you play with friends a lot and want voice chat, LabyMod (Laby Client) is a great fit.

Which Minecraft client is free?

All five clients in this comparison are free: Lunar, LabyMod, NoRisk, Badlion and Dawn. Only optional cosmetics and memberships such as Lunar+, Laby+ or NoRisk+ cost money.

Does Feather Client still exist?

Not under that name. The server operator InPvP took over Feather in May 2026, and since late June 2026 the client has been called Dawn. Feather installations are switched to Dawn automatically.

Are Minecraft clients allowed?

Clients like Lunar, LabyMod, NoRisk, Badlion and Dawn are allowed on most servers because they only add display and convenience mods. Hacked clients with fly, killaura or X-ray, on the other hand, are banned and get you kicked. Individual servers can also forbid specific mods.

Which Minecraft client is suitable for kids?

For kids, the best picks are clients with a trustworthy operator and no subscription trap, such as LabyMod or NoRisk from Germany or the widely used Lunar Client. More important than which client you choose is setting up chat, voice chat and purchases together. For pure single-player building, the normal Minecraft Launcher is enough.

Conclusion

Minecraft clients like Lunar, LabyMod, NoRisk, Badlion and Dawn make Minecraft smoother and more convenient: more FPS, built-in mods, a customizable HUD and easy ways to play with friends. Our recommendation remains Lunar Client, which has also launched Badlion since 2025. LabyMod and NoRisk are strong alternatives from Germany, and Dawn carries on the Feather Client. Whichever client you pick: only download it from the official site, and agree on purchases and chat settings with your child.

Sources

• Lunar Client: lunarclient.com/faq, Lunar+, Monthly Recap September 2026 (accessed October 15, 2026)
• Badlion: badlion.net/minecraft-client, Lunar Client acquires Badlion Client
• LabyMod: laby.net/client, LabyMod becomes Laby Client (in German, October 14, 2026)
• NoRisk: norisk.gg
• Dawn: dawn.gg, Feather is now Dawn (June 24, 2026)