Minecraft Modpack Hosting: Install Modrinth & CurseForge Packs in Minutes
Modded Minecraft servers used to mean matching a loader version by hand, downloading a hundred mod jars one at a time, and hoping the configs lined up. Zeros Host's Minecraft servers have a modpack installer built into the panel: search Modrinth or CurseForge, pick a pack, and it installs the loader and every mod automatically.
Step 1: Create a Minecraft server
Modpack installation is a Minecraft-only feature: it's gated on the server actually running a Minecraft egg. If you don't have one yet, start a Minecraft server from your dashboard first. Any modpack you install will pick its own required loader (Forge, Fabric, NeoForge, or Quilt) automatically, so you don't need to choose Paper vs Forge vs Fabric up front.
Step 2: Open the Modpack Installer
In your server's panel, find the Modpack Installer tab under Plugins & Mods. This is a search-and-install tool built directly into the panel: no FTP, no manually matching mod versions against a loader version by hand.
Step 3: Search Modrinth or CurseForge
Search by name (e.g. "All the Mods 9"). Modrinth search always works. CurseForge search needs an API key configured on our end: if it shows unavailable, use Modrinth, or contact support for help installing a specific CurseForge pack directly. Each result shows the loader it needs and which Minecraft version it targets.
Filter by Minecraft version if you know which one you need. "Any" shows every version a pack has ever been published for, which is a lot of noise for an actively-updated pack.
Step 4: Review the pack before installing
Click a result to see its full detail view: description, author, download count, and (where the source provides it) the mod list inside the pack. Worth checking the loader and Minecraft version match what you actually want before committing, since switching loaders after the fact means reinstalling.
Step 5: Install and wait for the job to finish
Click Install. This runs as a background job on the server, not in your browser tab: mod jars get downloaded, the correct loader gets installed if it isn't already present, and the pack's config overrides get applied automatically. Progress is shown live. Large modpacks (200+ mods) can take several minutes: this is genuinely downloading and placing every mod file, not a fast metadata operation.
Don't close the panel tab mid-install expecting it to pause. The job keeps running on the server either way, but you'll want to come back and confirm it finished before restarting.
Step 6: Restart and connect
Once the job shows complete, restart the server from the panel. Check the console for mod-loading errors before inviting players: a large pack occasionally has one incompatible mod version, and the console will name it directly. Connect using the loader-matched Minecraft launcher profile (most modpack sites offer a matching launcher profile alongside the server pack) and confirm the mod list matches what you installed.
How much RAM does a modded server need?
More than vanilla, and it scales with mod count rather than player count for most packs: a heavily modded server can need several times the RAM of a vanilla one with the same number of players, because mods add entities, block states, and tick logic that vanilla never runs. Start with what the modpack author recommends (most list a minimum RAM figure on the pack page) and watch your panel's memory graph after the first real play session before assuming it's enough. Our full breakdown of RAM requirements across GMod, Rust, Minecraft, and Project Zomboid covers modded Minecraft sizing in more detail.
Ready to run a modpack?
Start a free Minecraft trial on Zeros Host: no credit card required. The Modpack Installer is available from the moment your server boots.
Start your free Minecraft server →Frequently asked questions
Do I need to install Forge or Fabric myself first?
No. Installing a modpack from Modrinth or CurseForge through the panel sets up the correct mod loader (Forge, Fabric, NeoForge, or Quilt, whichever the pack needs) as part of the install. You do not need to manually swap your server jar or install a loader beforehand.
What happens to my existing world when I install a modpack?
Installing a modpack changes the server's mod set and config, it does not delete your world save. That said, adding a large mod list to an existing world can cause chunk errors if the world was generated without those mods, since block and biome IDs from the pack were never registered when the terrain was created. For a modpack you plan to actually play long-term, start fresh: install the pack first, then let it generate a new world.
Is CurseForge always available for search?
Modrinth search and install always works. CurseForge requires an API key on our side. If it's showing as unavailable when you look, contact support: we can usually help you get a specific CurseForge pack installed directly even while search is down for everyone else.
Can I update a modpack to a newer version later?
Yes, re-run the install with the updated pack version from the same source. Config overrides are re-applied automatically, same as the first install. Worth backing up your world first: some modpack updates change mod versions in ways that aren't backward compatible with existing saves, and that's on the modpack author, not something we can prevent.
What if a modpack isn't listed on Modrinth or CurseForge?
You can still install any modpack manually: upload the mod jars to the mods folder via the file manager, and copy over the pack's config folder and any resource packs. The panel's search feature covers the two places almost every public modpack is actually hosted, but manual file upload always works as a fallback for anything else, including a private pack you built yourself.