Forge and NeoForge are what most modpacks run on. Both install in one click here, both pick their own Java, and we say plainly which Minecraft versions we will and will not sell you.
Written and reviewed by YiorasHost technical team · Last tested
Older Forge versions are not in our list, and that is deliberate. The archive available for those releases is a legacy launcher that does not start on our setup — we tested it and it fails before the server ever comes up.
Rather than let you buy a plan and discover that afterwards, the version simply is not offered, and the panel refuses the install with an explanation instead of wiping your server first. If you need Minecraft 1.12 or 1.16 Forge specifically, we are not the right host for that today.
NeoForge has no such problem, but it is a newer project and only exists for recent Minecraft releases. In our list it starts at 1.20.2.
Running the lighter loader instead? Fabric hosting covers dependencies and server-side mod support. Want plugins rather than mods? See Paper hosting.
NeoForge is a fork of Forge started in 2023, and many newer packs target it. The pack page states which loader it needs; that is the answer. Installing a pack through the Modpacks tool removes the question entirely, because it reads the manifest and installs the exact loader build the pack pins.
When you want a published pack. It resolves the pack from Modrinth, installs the loader build it expects, skips client-only files and applies the pack’s server overrides. It is a clean install and replaces the current world, so back up first.
When you want a bare Forge or NeoForge server to build up yourself. Pick the Minecraft version, and add mods afterwards from the Plugins tab or by uploading jars.
Forge and NeoForge do not start from a plain jar. They install as an archive and boot through a launcher that runs the game as a child process — which is exactly the arrangement that can swallow typed commands or turn a clean shutdown into a kill. That is why we test it rather than assume it.
On both loaders we sent a command from the panel console and the game itself answered in the log.
Four stop/start cycles on each loader, and every one exited cleanly.
Both installs selected Java 25 for Minecraft 26.2 with no manual step.
Builds tested on 25 July 2026: Forge 65.0.9 and NeoForge 26.2.0.31-beta, both on Minecraft 26.2. NeoForge labels its own 26.2 build beta — another reason to pick the version your pack supports rather than the newest one.
We ran the same script against Paper, Fabric, Forge and NeoForge on one test server, on Minecraft 26.2, with the world seed pinned so every run loaded an identically-seeded world.
| Server software | Restart, console figure | Restart, wall clock | First boot, wall clock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper | 8.216s | 8s | 14s |
| Fabric | 0.253s | 7s | 14s |
| Forge | 0.269s | 9s | 15s |
| NeoForge | 0.285s | 9s | 16s |
The practical conclusion: pick your server software for what it runs, not for how fast it starts.
Treat 4 GB as a starting point only for lighter packs and 6 GB as more realistic for light modded play. Large packs need substantially more. Check the pack author’s figure and tell support the exact pack.
Ask before you order →Java servers run on our production node in Helsinki, Finland. Plan RAM is dedicated; CPU, storage I/O and network capacity are shared. NVMe storage and L3/L4 DDoS mitigation are included.
See the location evidence →Modded servers outgrow their plan more often than plugin servers do. Changing plan keeps the same server, files and address. A 7-day first-order money-back guarantee applies under the published policy.
Read the refund policy →Minecraft 1.17 and newer. Older Forge versions are not offered because the archive available for them is a legacy launcher that does not start on our setup, and we would rather leave it out of the list than sell you a server that cannot boot. NeoForge only exists for newer releases and starts at Minecraft 1.20.2 in our list.
NeoForge is a fork of Forge started in 2023, and most newer packs target it. Which one you need is decided by your modpack, not by preference — the pack page states its loader. If you install a pack through the Modpacks tool, the correct loader and build are installed for you.
Yes, for a normal modpack. Every player installs the same pack version through a launcher such as the Modrinth app, Prism or CurseForge. This is the main practical difference from a Paper server, where players join with an unmodified client.
Use Modpacks when you want a published pack — it reads the pack manifest and installs the exact loader build the pack expects. Use Versions when you want a bare Forge or NeoForge server that you will add mods to yourself.
Yes. Forge and NeoForge start through a launcher that runs the game as a child process, so typed commands and a clean shutdown are not automatic. We test both. On our test server the console accepted commands and every stop shut the server down cleanly rather than killing it.
It depends on the pack far more than on the player count. Treat 4 GB as a starting point only for lighter packs and 6 GB as more realistic for light modded play; large packs can need substantially more. Check the pack author’s stated requirement and tell support the exact pack before you order.
The one the loader and Minecraft version require. The panel selects the matching Java image automatically when you install, so a pack that needs an older or newer Java does not need a support ticket.
Modpack requirements vary far more than player counts do. Send support the exact pack and version before you order, and start with enough RAM for it.
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