If your modpack targets Minecraft 1.20.1 or newer, it almost certainly runs on NeoForge. Packs built for older versions run on classic Forge. When you install an existing pack, the pack determines the loader, so in practice there is rarely a decision to make. This post covers what changed between the two projects and what it means if you are setting up a server.

What is NeoForge?

In mid-2023, much of the team behind Minecraft Forge forked the project and continued development under the name NeoForge. Since then, NeoForge has been the actively maintained branch of that lineage. For Minecraft 1.20.1 and newer, most major mods and most new modpacks target it.

The result is a split by Minecraft version:

• Older versions (1.12.2, 1.16.5, 1.18.2, 1.19.2): classic Forge. Older packs, from the 1.12 classics to DawnCraft, run Forge and will continue to.
• 1.20.1: the crossover point. NeoForge started here as a near-identical fork, so most Forge mods for 1.20.1 run on NeoForge unchanged.
• Beyond 1.20.1: the projects have diverged. Mods are built for one loader or the other, and new packs on current versions mostly target NeoForge.

How to check which loader a pack needs

On CurseForge and Modrinth, every pack and every mod file lists its supported loader next to the game version. If you install a pack through Campfire’s NeoForge server hosting, the check is not needed: the one-click installer reads the pack and sets up the matching NeoForge (or Forge) version and Java runtime.

For a custom mod list, pick the Minecraft version first, then use the loader your required mods support on that version. Loaders do not mix: a NeoForge server loads NeoForge mods, a Forge server loads Forge mods.

Where Fabric fits

Fabric is a separate, independent loader. It updates to new Minecraft versions within days and hosts most of the popular performance mods. It was never part of the Forge lineage, so the Forge/NeoForge split does not affect it. For a mod list built around performance and quality-of-life mods rather than large content mods, Fabric hosting is usually the lighter option.

Hosting requirements for NeoForge packs

Current NeoForge packs are demanding. The 1.21-era kitchen-sink packs use 8-12GB of RAM, and flat-rate hosting at that size typically costs $20-40 a month regardless of how much anyone plays.

With per-minute billing the cost tracks actual play time, since a friend-group server is only online a few hours a week. Servers stop automatically when everyone leaves:

• Mid-size NeoForge pack (Gold, 8GB, $0.09/hour) at 8 hours a week: 8 × 4.33 weeks × $0.09 ≈ $3.12/month plus storage at $0.18/GB.
• Heavy 1.21-era pack (Emerald, 12GB, $0.12/hour) at 10 hours a week: 10 × 4.33 × $0.12 ≈ $5.20/month plus storage.

The full package list and a cost calculator are on the pricing page, and the NeoForge hosting page has recommendations by pack size. Worlds from a Forge 1.20.1 server generally carry over to NeoForge with matching mod versions, and support migrates files from other hosts for free.

Summary

• New pack on a current Minecraft version: NeoForge.
• Pack on an older version: Forge.
• Performance-focused custom list: consider Fabric.
• Installing an existing pack: the pack decides, and the installer handles it.

Signing up includes 2 hours of play time with no credit card, enough to start the pack your group wants and see it run.