Lunar vs Badlion: Which Client Suits Your PvP Setup?

Short answer: Both clients are free, allowed on Hypixel and perform close to each other on most PCs, so the honest answer is: test both on your own machine. Pick Lunar if you want the most popular mod set and a polished launcher, and Badlion if it runs smoother for you or you prefer its mods. Either way, keep mods lean and cap your frames.

Lunar and Badlion are the two clients most 1.8.9 PvP and Bedwars players end up choosing between. Both are free, both are allowed on Hypixel, and both ship performance optimizations that vanilla Minecraft doesn't have. So which one should you use?

Short answer: the one that runs more consistently on your PC. Here's how to figure that out.

What both clients have in common

Before the differences, the basics. Both clients:

• Support 1.8.9 (the PvP standard) plus newer versions.
• Include OptiFine-style rendering options: fast graphics, culling, FPS caps, chunk settings.
• Bundle built-in mods: keystrokes, CPS, armor status, potion effects, ping display, zoom, coordinates.
• Are widely used on Hypixel and other big networks.

Neither one is a "hack". They're launchers with optimizations and quality-of-life mods. Your aim, movement and connection still decide fights.

Lunar Client: strengths and weaknesses

Why players like it

• Very polished launcher and mod menu. Most settings are easy to find.
• Huge player base, so most guides, YouTube setups and HUD layouts assume Lunar.
• Strong performance on 1.8.9 out of the box for most mid-range and better PCs.
• Regular updates and a big cosmetics ecosystem.

Downsides

• The launcher itself is fairly heavy. On low-RAM systems, keep it set to close when the game starts.
• Lots of mods are tempting to switch on. Every enabled mod costs a little performance.

Badlion Client: strengths and weaknesses

Why players like it

• Long history in the competitive PvP scene and a wide mod list.
• Some players report it feels lighter on certain systems, especially older ones. Your mileage will vary.
• Its own anti-cheat layer is part of the client, which some servers and tournaments have used.

Downsides

• Menus are laid out differently, so most "best settings" guides need translating.
• Smaller community today than Lunar, so fewer ready-made configs.

Performance: the honest comparison

You'll find plenty of videos claiming one client gives "+200 FPS" over the other. Ignore those numbers. FPS depends on your CPU, GPU, RAM, drivers, resource pack, render distance and which mods you enable. A comparison on someone else's PC tells you very little about yours.

What matters more than peak FPS is frame time stability. A steady 200 FPS feels smoother than a counter jumping between 500 and 90 every time a bed breaks.

How to test it yourself (15 minutes)

1. Install both clients with the same settings: same render distance (6–8 chunks), same resource pack, same FPS cap, VSync off.
2. Enable only the mods you actually use. Match them between clients.
3. Join the same Hypixel lobby, then play 2–3 games of the same mode (for example Bedwars solos).
4. Watch two things: your lowest FPS during fights and whether the game stutters in mid or when beds break.
5. Keep the client with the higher, more stable low FPS. Not the one with the highest number in an empty lobby.

Recommended settings for either client

These starting points work in both clients. Menu names differ, the logic doesn't.

For a deeper Lunar setup, see our Lunar Client best settings guide.

Mods: what to enable and what to skip

Worth it: keystrokes or CPS (practice feedback), ping display (spot connection problems), armor and potion status, item counter, Bedwars level head.

Skip or minimise: heavy animations, motion blur, multiple overlapping HUDs, anything you never actually look at mid-fight.

What neither client can fix

A client only controls what happens inside Minecraft. It can't change:

• How Windows schedules CPU time between the game and background apps.
• How your PC buffers and acknowledges network packets.
• How mouse and keyboard input travels through Windows before the game sees it.

That's why two players on the same client and similar hardware can have very different experiences. If you've tuned your client and the game still feels inconsistent, the bottleneck is usually Windows or your network, not Lunar or Badlion. Our guides on input delay and Windows 11 optimization cover what you can do yourself.

Where RegeditMC fits in

A RegeditMC regedit only changes Windows settings. It doesn't touch, modify or run alongside Minecraft, so it works the same with Lunar, Badlion, Feather or vanilla. Switching clients doesn't mean redoing anything.

Netherite, our most complete package, is built from your system profile: CPU, RAM, network adapter, connection and ping. It also includes CompetitionControl Pro, so you choose how your hits and your knockback feel (Reactive, Balanced or Delayed). Read how Netherite works for the full process, or compare Netherite, Obsidian and Classic.

Verdict

• Pick Lunar if you want the biggest community, the most guides and a polished setup.
• Pick Badlion if it tests smoother on your PC or you prefer its mod set.
• Either way, keep mods lean, cap your FPS and test in real games, not empty lobbies.

Your client is one layer. Windows and your network are the others. When you're ready to tune those for your exact system, configure your Netherite regedit.

FAQ

Is Lunar or Badlion better for FPS? It depends on your PC. Test both in real games and compare your lowest FPS.

Are both allowed on Hypixel? Yes, both are allowed.

Which uses fewer resources? It varies by version and settings. Turning off mods you don't use matters more than which client you pick.

Can a client fix my ping? No. Your connection and route decide that. A client only affects how the game runs on your PC.