Where to Find the Best Minecraft Plugins and Mods

Once you have your server up and running, the next step is finding the actual files to customize it. However, you have to be careful—downloading files from random sites can put your server (and your computer) at risk of malware.

To keep your server safe and updated, stick to these trusted platforms. Here is where the pros go to find their software.

The Best Places for Server Plugins

If you are running Paper, Purpur, or Spigot, these are the three main libraries for plugins.

SpigotMC: This is the most famous hub for Minecraft plugins. It hosts thousands of resources, ranging from small “utility” scripts to massive premium plugins that handle entire game modes. Most developers post their updates here first.
BuiltByBit (formerly MC-Market): If you are looking for high-end, professional configurations or unique premium plugins, this is the place. It’s a marketplace where developers sell custom setups, though there are plenty of high-quality free resources available as well.
Hangar: Created by the team behind the Paper server software, Hangar is a newer, modern platform. It is designed specifically for Paper and Velocity plugins. It’s very clean, easy to navigate, and is quickly becoming the gold standard for high-performance servers.

The Best Places for Mods

If you are using Fabric or Forge, you won’t find what you need on plugin sites. You’ll need to head to these dedicated modding hubs.

Modrinth: This is the modern favorite for the modding community. It is incredibly fast, has a beautiful interface, and is very developer-friendly. It is the best place to find performance mods like Sodium or Lithium.
CurseForge: The “giant” of the modding world. CurseForge has been around for over a decade and holds the largest collection of Minecraft mods in existence. If you are looking for classic modpacks like RLCraft or SkyFactory, you will find them here.

A Comparison of the Top Platforms

Platform	Best For…	Content Type
SpigotMC	Everyday Plugins	.jar files for Bukkit/Spigot/Paper
Modrinth	Modern Mods	.jar files for Fabric/Forge/Quilt
Hangar	Paper Plugins	High-stability plugins for Paper
CurseForge	Big Modpacks	Massive libraries for modded Minecraft

Safety Tips for Downloading

Check the “Last Updated” Date: Minecraft updates frequently. A plugin that hasn’t been touched since 2019 might break your 1.21 server.
Read the Reviews: If a plugin has a “backdoor” or causes lag, other server owners will usually warn you in the comments or review section.
Avoid “Leaked” Sites: Never download premium plugins from “leak” websites. These files almost always contain hidden code that gives the uploader “OP” status on your server, allowing them to grief or delete your world.