Starbound has a vibrant modding community that gives you many options to enhance your gameplay. There is a substantial amount of content that you can add to your game. New races, items, planets, storylines and so much more are all options. These additions can make Starbound feel like a whole new game. There are also many quality-of-life mods to streamline your experience and even fix overlooked bugs. Here is our comprehensive guide on the best mods for Starbound to help you tailor your experience to fit exactly what you want.
Table of Contents
Frackin’ Universe Mod
The most well-known and universally enjoyed mod for Starbound is Frackin’ Universe and for good reason. This mod is massive and filled with a lot of new content and quality-of-life enhancements. It adds an entire research system to go along with its thousands of additional craftable items. The mod is a redesign of Starbound core mechanics from the ground up. In addition to the six vanilla races, the mod adds thirteen new playable races. Another core feature of this mod is its complete overhaul of mechs. From their core mechanics to their shape and style, every aspect is improved upon.
This is just the tip of the iceberg, so check out the wiki page for a complete list of everything this huge mod has to offer. One of the biggest perks of this mod is that most other mods are made to be compatible with it due to its popularity. So, you do not need to stop with just Frackin’ Universe, you can keep customizing your experience with some of the other best mods for Starbound.
Check out the Frackin’ Universe mod on the Steam Workshop!
Best Frackin’ Universe Adjacent Mods
The makers of Frackin’ Universe also have several side mods. These mods are quality-of-life related, content made specifically for Frackin’ Universe, or content from Frackin’ Universe as a separate smaller mod. Here are the best ones that you should take a look at if you’re interested in Frackin’ Universe.
Frackin’ Music
This mod is strictly an audio mod that adds hundreds of new songs to the game. It is specifically meant to go alongside Frackin’ Universe because some songs play in certain biomes that are exclusive to Frackin’. Additionally, the mod can also be used without Frackin’ and does have plenty of music for non-Frackin’ content. This is a large download, however, due to the large number of audio files.
Check out the Frackin’ Music mod of the Steam Workshop!
Frackin’ Interface
This mod is a simple quality-of-life touch-up for the user interface. It goes alongside Frackin’ Universe and is worth looking at if you are planning to install Frackin’. If you like the way the interface looks then give it a try. Most people find it an improvement over the default user interface.
Check out the Frackin’ Interface mod on Steam Workshop!
Frackin’ Races
This mod is not compatible with Frackin’ Universe and should not be installed with it. This mod gives you the races from Frackin’ Universe without all the other content. So, if you are interested in adding the extra races from Frackin’ but don’t want the rest, then this is the mod for you.
Check out the Frackin’ Races mod on the Steam Workshop!
Best Mods for Starbound Other Than Frackin’ Universe
While Frackin’ Universe is great, there are so many other amazing mods for Starbound that are available. Many of them are compatible with Frackin’ and with each other as well. The Steam Workshop pages usually list popular mods that are compatible, so it is not too hard to mix and match. Let’s dive into the rest of the best mods for Starbound and find your ideal gameplay experience!
Elithian Races Mod
The Elithian Races mod is one of the best race addition mods available. Adding four new races: the Avikan, the Droden, the Trinks, and the Aegi. The mod pairs each race with everything you would expect a Starbound race to have. Unique items, weapons, armor, settlements, and ships, each new Elithian race has it all. Not only does it add new items, it also adds its own batch of quests and Elithian Race locations. The Starfarer’s Refuge will be your quest and NPC hub for the Avikan and Droden race content, while the Creon Embassy will be the center for the Aegi and the Elithian Alliance content. This mod is also fully compatible with both Frackin’ Universe and Frackin’ races.
Check out the Elithian Races Mod on Steam Workshop!
Arcana Mod
Up next is the Arcana mod, adding a bunch of techno-magic-style content to Starbound. Two new races accompany a slew of new planets, armor, weapons, and objects. It even adds new bosses and monsters for you to fight, all matching its stylistic theme. Of course, since the mod’s theme centers around technology and magic, it overhauls both the crafting system and the element system. This means a new tech tier system and a bunch of new elements to work with. The mod’s two races also have a technology and magic theme. Both the Arcanian and the Gliten look like ancient mystical races combined with technology from a space-faring species. This mod is also compatible with Frackin’ Universe as well as several other prominent members on this list.
Check out the Arcana mod on the Steam Workshop!
Project Knightfall Mod
This mod takes its place among the best mods for Starbound for its sci-fi-themed content. Project Knightfall includes advanced weaponry, equipment, and armor. All very sleek and what one would expect for a science fiction theme. The furniture is perfect for giving your ship a more futuristic warship feel to it. The biggest perk of this mod is the addition of a gunship that you can fly around a planet’s surface on. Talk about bringing some firepower to hostile lands. Drones are another key feature that will help you tame the strange lands you visit. Project Knightfall is the perfect way to add a little science fiction spice to your Starbound experience. Like most mods on this list, it is compatible with Frackin’ Universe and many others.
Check out the Project Knightfall mod on the Steam Workshop!
Shellguard: Starbound Expansion Mod
Shellguard is an excellent expansion to the base game’s content. It adds a ton of fun content while sticking true to the theme of traditional Starbound. Some notable additions include two-story campaigns complete with new bosses, a new world hub, original music, mercenary missions, and themed dungeons. However, what really makes this mod one of the best mods for Starbound is its mech, vehicle, and auto turret additions. These awesome tech features are a ton of fun. New mech parts allow you to make them even cooler and more deadly. The mod adds flying and hover vehicles as well, allowing you to conquer the surface of foreign plants in new ways. Finally, auto turret additions help you set up base defenses to keep your settlements safe and secure. All of this mod’s content is compatible with most other major mods including Frackin’ Universe.
Check out the Shellguard: Starbound Expansion mod on the Steam Workshop!
K’Rakoth Mod
One of the coolest non-playable race addition mods available is the K’Rakoth Mod. The K’Rakoth are an aquatic race with access to advanced technology and weapons. Since they are aquatic, this mod adds tons of underwater content for you to explore on the two new planet types that the K’Rakoth inhabit. With these planets come new biomes and dungeons to explore. This includes a dangerous new moon type called “Chthonian” which is rich with resources and filled with new threats. The mod also adds everything you’d expect a Starbound race to have like unique furniture, codex entries, food, and NPCs. This mod will give you plenty of fun new content to explore throughout the Starbound universe.
Check out the K’Rakoth mod on the Steam Workshop!
Project Redemption Mod
The Project Redemption mod is meant to enhance the vanilla experience and lore of Starbound. The mod’s developers state that the mod aims to “add content that feels “missing” from the base game.” Their goal isn’t to change the base game but to fill in apparent gaps in lore and content. This amounts to several content additions centered around the Protectorate, Peacekeepers, and USCM. This makes these factions feel like they have a more active and prominent place in the universe. The content additions are a must for anyone who feels like these factions seem underrepresented in the base game. It is one of the best mods for Starbound when it comes to enhancing the vanilla factions of the base game. The Project Redemption mod is still in development and receiving tons of new and exciting content.
Check out the Project Redemption mod on the Steam Workshop!
Corporate Expansion Mod
For fans of retro 70’s-80’s Soviet military content, the Corporate Expansion mod is something you should look into. This mod adds a lot of Soviet-themed weapons, clothing, and furniture that originate from a corporate faction called the General Munitions Co. They are galactic arms dealers and you can find their military bases, supply ships, and merchants scattered around the galaxy. If you’re interested in adding some Soviet-style weaponry to your arsenal look no further than the Corporate Expansion mod.
Check out the Corporate Expansion mod on the Steam Workshop!
The Starforge Mod
Next on our list of best mods for Starbound is the Starforge mod, an endgame content expansion. The mod’s goal is to add more content after completing the base game while staying as true to the vanilla theme as possible. Great for those who have completed the game and simply want to add more content to continue playing on their existing save. This content includes new challenging quests and bosses that will require you to acquire new high-tier weapons and armor. The missions, quests, dungeons, and bosses all feature randomly generated combat rifle drops similar to the system seen in the Borderlands franchise. With each drop being attributed to a manufacturer, element types, and style. The mod is sure to give you plenty to do and hours of fresh playtime on your already completed saves.
Check out the Starforge mod on the Steam Workshop!
Galactic Dungeons Mod
This mod is a simple dungeon addition mod. Galactic Dungeons adds 9 new dungeon varieties to add some spice to your planet exploration without changing the game too much. If you’re looking for more dungeon content, without some of the other bells and whistles of other mods, then give this mod a try. It might be a small mod but it offers simple high-quality content and is worth checking out if you’re looking for something small.
Check out the Galactic Dungeons mod on the Steam Workshop!
Best Starbound QOL Mods
Quality-of-life mods are some of the best mods for Starbound. They streamline your experience and make the game more enjoyable. While these mods may not be adding tons of cool content, you definitely will notice the improvements they bring to the game. The following is a list of the best Starbound QOL mods!
Instant Crafting Mod
The Instant Crafting mod does exactly what it sounds like it does. It simply disables the crafting timer so items are crafted instantly without any wait time. This is great if you find that waiting around for your items to finish crafting is a waste of time and a game mechanic you would rather do without.
Check out the Instant Crafting mod on the Steam Workshop!
Enhanced Storage Mod and Improved Containers Mod
The next two best mods for Starbound are storage and item management mods. Starbound has so many items, weapons, armor, and objects that you almost need one of these mods to play it. The simpler of the two mods is the improved Containers mod. This mod adds many basic quality-of-life improvements for containers and storage. This includes renaming containers, search and sort functions, quick stacking, etc. The Enhanced Storage mod has everything the Improved Containers mod has along with a lot of additional more advanced features. Check out the feature list for both and see what suits you best. Basically, Improved Containers is for those who want basic quality-of-life improvements, while Enhanced Storage is best if you are looking for some special bells and whistles along with the basics.
Check out the Enhanced Storage mod on the Steam Workshop!
Check out the Improved Container mod on the Steam Workshop!
Starbound Patch Project Mod
This mod is a must-have for anyone looking to play Starbound. This mod aims to patch game-breaking and other annoying bugs present in the base game. Even if you’re playing the game for the first time, it is a good idea to download this mod so you don’t encounter bugs that are still present in the game. These bug patches are included in Frackin’ Universe, so there is no need to download this mod if you already plan on using Frackin’.
Check out the Starbound Patch Project mod on the Steam Workshop!
Crew Customization +
When it comes to tailoring your crew how you want, Crew Customization Plus is one of the best mods for Starbound. It adds an interface that lets you easily change the weapons, clothing, and roles of your crew. This mod is a must-have for those who want to personalize the crew and ship. The whole gameplay experience is better with this mod installed. However, be sure to check this mod’s compatibility with other mods, Frackin’ Universe is one such mod known to have some conflicts.
Check out the Crew Customization mod on the Steam Workshop!
Food Stack Mod
You might be able to guess what this mod does. The Food Stack mod lets you stack food up to one thousand. Foods with differing spoil timers can be combined in the fridge and get an average spoil time of the two stacks. This is a great mod that will keep food from clogging up your inventory and storage containers.
Check out the Food Stack mod on the Steam Workshop!
Efficient Watering
Watering in vanilla Starbound feels clunky. This tiny mod fixes that and makes farming food much more enjoyable. Efficient Watering gets rid of the watering cooldown, allows you to move while watering, shortens the time it takes to water, and increases the area of effect of watering.
Check out the Efficient Watering mod on the Steam Workshop!
Best Starbound Mods for Beginners
If you are new to Starbound and find the vast number of mods a bit overwhelming, do not fret. First and foremost, the best Starbound mods for beginners are the quality-of-life mods. Check out that section of this article and decide what would make your experience easier and more enjoyable. In particular, pick a storage improvement mod and read the Starbound Patch Project section.
As far as content additions go, Frackin’ Universe is an all-around high-quality mod that is as good for beginners as it is for long-time players. If you’re looking to not alter your first playthrough too much, there are a few mods we list that don’t alter the vanilla lore and theme very much. These include the Galactic Dungeons mod, the Shellguard Expansion mod, and the Project Redemption mod. You can find more information on these mods in their sections above.