ModsFinder

Cheaper Compasses

by notblue

Cheaper Compasses changes the compass recipe so that it uses fewer iron ingots and redstone dust than vanilla, on servers that run it.

FabricForgeNeoForgeQuiltServer required, client optionalCreative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike 4.01.20 – 26.3

What it does

The mod replaces the compass crafting recipe with a cheaper one. In vanilla Minecraft a compass takes four iron ingots and a redstone dust; the data pack version reduces the iron to three iron nuggets and one iron ingot, so less of the ore is consumed per compass. The change is a data pack rather than code, and the mod is published for Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt across 24 release versions, 1.20 – 26.3.

Server owners who want cheaper compasses install it on the server, and players connect without installing anything extra. A client install is optional, so single-player and multiplayer clients can run it alone or leave it out. The file list includes snapshot builds, and the latest files for every loader target 26.3.

Cheaper Compasses is not open source. It is published under the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike 4.0 license, which permits modification and sharing of the pack under stated conditions and forbids commercial use. Public links to the source code and the issue tracker exist.

Key features

  1. Cheaper compass recipe

    The compass recipe uses three iron nuggets and one iron ingot instead of the vanilla iron ingot count.

  2. Data pack delivery

    The change is a data pack that only overrides the compass recipe, so other crafting is left alone.

  3. Snapshot builds

    Files are kept current for snapshot versions, including the 26.x series, so the recipe is available before each release.

Compatibility

Latest build for each game version and loader.

26.x5 of 5 versions with builds
26.33.0+mod3.0+mod3.0+mod3.0+mod
26.23.0+mod3.0+mod3.0+mod3.0+mod
26.1.23.0+mod3.0+mod3.0+mod3.0+mod
26.1.13.0+mod3.0+mod3.0+mod3.0+mod
26.13.0+mod3.0+mod3.0+mod3.0+mod
1.21.x12 of 12 versions with builds
1.21.112.6+mod2.6+mod2.6+mod2.6+mod
1.21.102.6+mod2.6+mod2.6+mod2.6+mod
1.21.92.6+mod2.6+mod2.6+mod2.6+mod
1.21.82.6+mod2.6+mod2.6+mod2.6+mod
1.21.72.6+mod2.6+mod2.6+mod2.6+mod
1.21.62.6+mod2.6+mod2.6+mod2.6+mod
1.21.52.6+mod2.6+mod2.6+mod2.6+mod
1.21.42.6+mod2.6+mod2.6+mod2.6+mod
1.21.32.6+mod2.6+mod2.6+mod2.6+mod
1.21.22.6+mod2.6+mod2.6+mod2.6+mod
1.21.12.6+mod2.6+mod2.6+mod2.6+mod
1.212.6+mod2.6+mod2.6+mod2.6+mod
1.20.x7 of 7 versions with builds
ReleaseBetaAlphaNot available

This mod also publishes snapshot builds. Snapshots are not shown in the matrix.

Use cases

Who it’s for: Server owners who want a cheaper compass recipe on a Fabric, Forge, NeoForge or Quilt server, and modpack builders who keep their balance changes in data packs.

How it compares

Full comparison

Compass Plus runs on the client alone, is open source under The Unlicense and is published for 1.18.2 – 1.21.1, so it does not change what the server crafts. Compass Cleaner is server-side only, open source under the MIT License and published for 1.20.5 – 26.3, but it cleans compass data rather than changing the recipe. Cheaper Compasses needs the server, runs on Quilt as well, and is not open source.

ModLoadersGame versionsEnvironmentUpdated
Cheaper CompassesFabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt1.20 – 26.3Server required, client optional2026-09-28
Compass PlusFabric, Forge and NeoForge1.18.2 – 1.21.1Client-side only2026-07-14
Compass CleanerFabric, Forge and NeoForge1.20.5 – 26.3Server-side only2026-09-15

Questions

Does Cheaper Compasses need to be installed on the client?

No. The server must run it, while players may leave it out.

Which loaders can run Cheaper Compasses?

Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt all have files, and the latest file for each targets 26.3.

Can the recipe be changed or shared?

Yes, within the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike 4.0 license. The pack may be modified and shared on the stated conditions, but not for commercial use.

In the catalog

Cheaper Compasses is one of 36,990 Utility mods on ModsFinder, and one of 25,772 Utility mods for Fabric. 8,071 mods support Minecraft 26.3.

Utility mods36,990Fabric modsMods for 26.38,071

More from notblue

All projects
Fortunate Ancient Debris1.20 – 26.3Village Hero+1.19 – 26.1.2Craftable Gunpowder1.20 – 26.3Leather Recycling1.20 – 26.3Better Gold Recycling1.20 – 26.3Diamond Recycling1.20 – 26.3

Similar mods

Mod Menu1.14.4 – 26.3Reese's Sodium Options1.16.5 – 26.3Jade 🔍1.16.4 – 26.3Zoomify (Zoom)1.18 – 26.3FancyMenu1.12 – 26.3Indium1.16.5 – 1.21.1

What the author says

Minecraft uses six iron ingots to craft three doors, yet it takes four ingots and redstone dust to create one compass. This makes no sense. So, this data pack updates the compass recipe to use three iron nuggets, one iron ingot and redstone dust.
notblue, on the Modrinth page

Official listing

Owner
notblue
Published
2024-05-18
Updated on Modrinth
2026-09-28
Facts verified
2026-10-15

Tags

Utility
Open on ModrinthCompare