Best Minecraft launchers: 2026 ranking
The best Minecraft launchers of 2026, ranked: the official launcher, Prism, MultiMC, CurseForge and more. Find out which one to use for mods and modpacks.
The ranking
Prism Launcher
9.7/10Open source, cross-platform and integrated with Modrinth and CurseForge. The best instance management: each instance has its own mods and settings.
Modrinth App
9.3/10Modrinth's official app: a beautiful UI, fast modpack installs and automatic mod updates. New, but very promising.
CurseForge App
8.8/10The largest modpack library: thousands of ready-made packs you can install in one click. A bit heavier than the competition.
Official Minecraft Launcher
8.5/10Mojang's default launcher: stable, official, with automatic updates. No built-in mod support.
ATLauncher
8.2/10A lightweight launcher with a history going back to 2013. Solid modpack and instance management. A less modern UI.
GDLauncher
8.0/10A modern, good-looking interface with CurseForge integration. Easy to use and good for players who are new to mods.
MultiMC
7.8/10The predecessor of Prism Launcher: stable and proven, but its development slowed down after the fork that became Prism. Still a solid choice.
TLauncher
4.0/10Popular but controversial: ads, data collection and privacy problems. We don't recommend using it.
Methodology
Scored on how easy it is to install mods and modpacks, instance management, performance, platform availability (Windows, Mac, Linux), Modrinth/CurseForge integration and community support.
Summary
This ranking covers 8 entries in the Tools category. Prism Launcher takes first place with a score of 9.7/10, joined on the podium by Modrinth App and CurseForge App.
Keep in mind that rankings are subjective, even when they're based on data and testing. Your preferences, play style and hardware can all affect which entry works best for you. We encourage you to try out a few options from our list.
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