Best Minecraft Launchers in 2026
Updated
In short: Modrinth is ranked #1 of 74 as of 3 October 2026, ahead of Prism Launcher and Refract. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Prism Launcher. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Thendrask Launcher at $3/mo.
Minecraft launchers shape how you install and manage game setups, from modpacks to separate instances. Compared on automatic updates, Java runtime management and mod loader support, the options also differ in whether they include a modpack catalog or let you import packs. Desktop OS support, free-plan availability and the paid-from price round out the comparison. The ranking opens with Modrinth and Prism Launcher, followed by Refract and GDLauncher, with ATLauncher also among the first entries. Check which tools align with the way you organize versions and mods, and whether their platform support fits the computers you use.
74 Minecraft launchers ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
| # | Platform | Score | Why | From | Free plan | Paid from | Desktop OS support | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Modrinth | 7.7 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $4.99/mo | Yes | — | — | View |
| 2 | Prism Launcher | 7.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | Windows, MacOS, and Linux | View |
| 3 | Refract | 7.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 4 | GDLauncher | 7.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | — | View |
| 5 | ATLauncher | 7.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | — | View |
| 6 | Thendrask Launcher | 7.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $3/mo | Yes | $3one-time | Windows; macOS and Linux public beta | View |
| 7 | Spectra Launcher | 7.2 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 8 | X Minecraft Launcher | 7.2 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 9 | Cactus MC Launcher | 7.2 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | Windows, macOS, and Linux | View |
| 10 | MultiMC | 7.2 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Windows, macOS 10.13+, and Linux | View |
| 11 | Histolauncher | 7.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 12 | LabyMod | 7.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 13 | FTB App | 7.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | — | View |
| 14 |  Emerald | 7.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Windows, macOS, and Linux | View |
| 15 |  OpenJar Launcher | 6.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 16 |  PolyMC | 6.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 17 |  Onyx Launcher | 6.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 18 |  SJMCL | 6.8 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 19 |  Vermeil | 6.8 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 20 |  Fjord Launcher | 6.8 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 21 |  Portal Launcher | 6.7 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 22 | EX Launcher | 6.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 23 |  KeyVerse | 6.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 24 | Hello Minecraft! Launcher | 6.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 25 |  Plain Craft Launcher 2 | 6.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | — | View |
Is your platform 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 launcher is ranked first on Inferse?
Modrinth is ranked #1 of 74 with a score of 7.7. Prism Launcher is second and Refract third.
How many of these have a free plan?
8 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Thendrask Launcher has the lowest first paid tier we found: $3/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on what each maker publishes, open and connectable first: a public API, open-source code, the depth of its documentation and a free tier to try it on. Model lists are sorted by the figure in their title, exactly as each provider publishes it. Paid placements never change a rank.