How to commission a custom Minecraft mod
Commissioning sounds formal, but it's really just a clear conversation. The better the brief you send, the closer the result lands to what's in your head — and the faster you get a real quote. Here's exactly what to send and what to expect back.
What to put in your brief
You don't need technical language. You need to be specific about the outcome. A good brief answers these:
- What it should do. Describe the behaviour, not the code. "A sword that pulls mobs toward you on right-click" beats "a custom weapon."
- Version and loader. The exact Minecraft version, and whether it's Fabric, Forge or NeoForge. If you don't know, say what pack or server you run — that usually answers it. (The loader guide helps.)
- References. Screenshots, a clip, a similar mod, a rough sketch — anything that shows what you mean. One image saves a dozen messages.
- Must-haves vs nice-to-haves. Mark what's essential and what's optional. It lets a developer phase the work and keep the core affordable.
- Any constraints. A deadline, a budget ceiling, a modpack it has to coexist with.
You don't have to get the brief perfect. A clear paragraph and one reference image is already enough to start a real conversation — the rest gets pinned down in the questions back.
What you should get back
A developer worth hiring won't just say "sure, sounds good." Expect:
- Clarifying questions. The gaps in your brief, surfaced early — this is a good sign, not a delay.
- A fixed quote. A clear price for the agreed scope, so there are no hourly surprises. (What drives it is in the cost guide.)
- A target version and timeline. Realistic, in writing, before anything starts.
- Progress as it's built. You should see the work taking shape and be able to course-correct, not get a black box at the end.
- A tested build with notes. A working file plus a short guide on installing and configuring it.
How payment works
Arrangements vary, and that's fine as long as it's clear up front. Common shapes: a deposit then a balance on delivery, or full payment on delivery for smaller jobs. What matters is that the scope and price are agreed in writing before work begins, and that you know what you're paying for.
One thing to confirm explicitly: ownership. With most reputable developers, once the work is paid, the mod and its source are yours — to use privately, publish on Modrinth or CurseForge, or hand to your team. Get that stated rather than assumed.
Green flags and red flags
| Green flags | Red flags |
|---|---|
| Asks clarifying questions first | Quotes instantly with no questions |
| Fixed quote in writing | Vague "we'll see how it goes" pricing |
| Shares progress builds | Goes silent until the deadline |
| Hands over source and ownership | Won't confirm who owns the code |
| Fixes their own bugs after delivery | Treats every fix as a new charge |
Send a brief that's specific about the outcome, the version and the loader, with a reference image. Expect questions, a fixed quote, a timeline, progress you can see, and full ownership on delivery. Anything vaguer than that is worth a second thought.
That's exactly how a commission runs with me. You send the idea — a sentence, a doc, a clip, whatever you've got — I come back with questions, then a fixed quote, a target version and a timeline, usually within the hour. The full breakdown is on the mod development page, and the same flow applies to plugins, server setup and Discord bots.
Got your brief ready?
Send it over — even a rough one. I'll come back with questions, a fixed quote and a timeline, usually within the hour.
Commissions start from $75.