Overview

ModGUI brings punishment and investigation tools to staff, while players can submit reports with /report. Punishment actions run as console commands, so administrators can connect them to LiteBans, AdvancedBan, EssentialsX, or other punishment plugins instead of replacing an existing backend. That makes ModGUI a useful staff interface for an established setup, rather than a standalone replacement for every moderation system.

Installation requires putting the JAR in the server's plugins folder, restarting, configuring the files, and running /modgui reload. Administrators can set punishment types and durations, GUI borders, messages, webhook URLs, GrimAC thresholds and ignored checks, and report cooldowns. The breadth of controls is a strength for teams with defined workflows, but those teams need to configure the plugin to match them.

Key features

Punishment and investigation

The punishment GUI supports configurable types, icons, permissions, commands, and durations, giving administrators room to distinguish actions and access by staff role. Investigation displays a player's anticheat flags for the current session through GrimAC. GrimAC is optional for ModGUI overall, but required for flag tracking, so teams that do not run it should not choose the plugin expecting that investigation view.

Reports, notes, and Discord

Players can submit reports through /report, with optional severity levels. Staff can add notes to a player's record, and a recovery compass can open the investigate GUI on right-click. Discord webhooks can log punishments, anticheat alerts, reports, and staff notes, with optional role pings. This gives staff a way to follow several moderation events in Discord, though it depends on configuring webhooks and does not remove the need to manage moderation inside the server.

Pricing

ModGUI is free: the ModGUI plan costs 0.00 USD per free and is released under the MIT License. The license permits use, copying, modification, distribution, sublicensing, and sale free of charge, with no warranty. There are no paid tiers to weigh against a cheaper plan.

Platforms

ModGUI is self-hosted and requires Paper 1.21.11 or newer. Modrinth lists compatibility with Minecraft Java Edition 1.21.11 on Paper. This is a narrow fit for servers already on that platform and version; the requirement rules it out for older Paper installations. GrimAC is needed only for anticheat flag tracking.

Who it's for

ModGUI suits Paper server administrators who want configurable staff actions, player reports, notes, and Discord moderation logs while keeping an existing command-based punishment plugin. It is less suitable for teams that need anticheat flag tracking without GrimAC, or that cannot meet the Paper version requirement. The README documents permissions covering administration, punishment types, investigation, notes, spyglass use, reporting, and player exemptions, which helps teams assign access across those functions.

Pros and cons

Pro: Console-command punishments can work with LiteBans, AdvancedBan, EssentialsX, and other punishment plugins, so ModGUI can complement an existing backend.
Pro: Discord webhooks can log four kinds of moderation activity—punishments, anticheat alerts, reports, and staff notes—with optional role pings.
Pro: The MIT License allows free use and modification, including distribution and sale.
Con: Paper 1.21.11 or newer is required, excluding servers that have not moved to that version.
Con: Anticheat flag tracking requires GrimAC, so that part of the investigation workflow is unavailable without it.
Con: Configuration spans actions, durations, permissions, webhooks, and reporting controls; administrators need to set these deliberately before the workflow fits their team.

Alternatives

Minecraft Moderation Plugins is the category to browse when comparing moderation tools across the field.

LibertyBans is another free option, with API and self-hosted platforms; consider it if those platform options matter more than ModGUI's Paper staff interface.
Staff+ is free and supports Paper, Purpur, and Folia 1.20–1.21+, as well as Velocity 3.3.0+; pick it if broader server-platform compatibility is the priority.
Nimbus AntiCheat is free and offers 43 checks, Paper 1.21.8 support, per-check punishments, reports, staff inspection tools, and Discord webhook notifications; choose it if those anti-cheat checks and earlier Paper support fit better.
BanManager is a free, open-source option with API, Linux, self-hosted, and web platforms; consider it if that platform range is a better match.
AdvancedSensitiveWords is a free self-hosted alternative.
ChatSentinel is a free self-hosted alternative.
PunishBAN is a free self-hosted alternative.
ReducedX-Anti Cheat is a free self-hosted alternative.

Verdict

Choose ModGUI if your team runs Paper 1.21.11 or newer and wants configurable moderation interfaces and Discord logs alongside an existing punishment plugin. Its strongest reason to choose it is the combination of command-based punishments with reports, notes, and staff investigation tools; the main reason to look elsewhere is its version requirement, or the need for anticheat flags without GrimAC.

	ModGUI	StaffUltimate
Free plan	Yes	No
Free trial	No	No
Paid from	Free	—
Open source	No	No
Platforms	self-hosted	—
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Report workflow	Yes	Yes
Staff notes	Yes	Yes
Audit logs	Yes	Yes
Chat filters	—	Yes

ModGUI vs StaffUltimate

ModGUI

StaffUltimate