Trade Upgrade
Trade Upgrade lets a player raise the trade limit of a villager that has reached the Novice or Apprentice tier, using a crafted upgrade item.
What it does
The mod adds a late-game recipe for the Trade Upgrade item, built from emerald blocks and a Netherite Upgrade Template. Once crafted, holding it and right-clicking within 5 blocks applies the upgrade to the nearest eligible villager, and that villager's novice and apprentice trade maximums rise sharply.
Recipes are included for villager and wandering trader spawn eggs, so a player can get villagers without a long trip to find them. Helpful in-game error messages appear when a player tries to upgrade an ineligible villager, such as a baby villager or a nitwit, which prevents accidental use.
Only the server has to run Trade Upgrade, while a player's client may or may not have it, so players can join without installing anything. Files are published for Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt, for 1.21.4 and 1.21.5, with 1.2 for 1.21.5 as the latest release. The code is released under the GNU Affero General Public License v3.0 only, so it is open source, and the source code and issue tracker are public.
Key features
Late-game upgrade item
A crafted Trade Upgrade item raises the trade cap of a villager when used.
Novice and apprentice caps
Upgraded villagers get significantly higher maximum trades at the novice and apprentice levels.
Spawn egg recipes
Crafting recipes are included for villager and wandering trader spawn eggs, so villagers can be obtained without long transport.
Eligibility messages
In-game messages explain why a villager cannot be upgraded, such as a baby villager or a nitwit.
Gallery
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
Only full game releases are shown. This mod publishes no snapshot builds.
Use cases
Long-running trading halls
Players who run villager trading halls on a survival world can raise the trade limits of their strongest villagers instead of replacing them.
Who it’s for: Server owners and players who want more trades from existing villagers in a late-game economy. Players need no installation, since only the server requires the mod.
How it compares
EMI Trades is a client-side only mod for Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt, under the MIT License, and it covers 1.18.2 – 1.20.4. Villager Trade runs on client and server for Fabric and NeoForge, covers 1.21.1 – 1.21.11 and is open source. Trade Upgrade differs from both by changing the trade limits of villagers on the server.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trade Upgrade | Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt | 1.21.4 – 1.21.5 | Server required, client optional | 2025-04-27 |
| EMI Trades | Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt | 1.18.2 – 1.20.4 | Client-side only | 2024-01-13 |
| Villager Trade | Fabric and NeoForge | 1.21.1 – 1.21.11 | Client and server | 2025-12-15 |
Questions
Does Trade Upgrade need to be installed on the client?
Which game versions does Trade Upgrade support?
Which villagers can be upgraded?
In the catalog
Trade Upgrade is one of 2,072 Economy mods on ModsFinder, and one of 1,159 Economy mods for Fabric. 15,307 mods support Minecraft 1.21.5.
More from burnttoastdev
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What the author says
Once you have a Trade Upgrade in hand, right-clicking within 5 blocks of an eligible villager will apply the upgrade to the one closest to you. Upgraded villagers will have their novice and apprentice trade maximums significantly increased.
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/trade-upgrade
- Owner
- burnttoastdev
- Published
- 2025-01-04
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2025-04-27
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15