The Sims 4 is a popular social simulation game developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts. It has a lot of content for players to discover, both created by the studio and by the community through mods.
Mods are short for modifications and are third-party software that alter or add to a game. These can be minor additions or complete overhauls of the game’s mechanics. There are a lot of mods for Sim 4 out there, and it can be difficult to know which ones are right for you.
Techopedia presents a comprehensive guide on the best Sims 4 mods to play and how to download them without putting yourself at risk.
Key Takeaways
- Mods add or change gameplay elements in The Sims 4.
- Mods like SNBank expand mechanics to make the game more realistic.
- Hair swatches and 100 base game traits allow for further customization.
- MC Command Center and Slice of Life are amongst the best Sims 4 mods.
- Mods can vary gameplay but often have performance and compatibility issues.
The Best Sims 4 Mods
There are a plethora of Sims 4 mods to download, from graphical updates to gameplay features. These mods change and elevate your experience to ensure you’re living your best life in Sims 4.
25. Storytelling Career Megapack
- Highlights: Additional careers, multiple mods, convenience
- Developer: ItsKatato
- Price: Free
- Download: itskatato.wixsite.com
The Storytelling Career Mega Pack is one of the best Sims 4 career mods available, featuring over 50 single-level careers to keep your Sims occupied. These jobs can range from mathematicians, lawyers, dentists and more.
24. SNBank
- Highlights: Extensive financial system, new features, realism
- Developer: SimRealist
- Price: Free (optional donation)
- Download: SimRealist (itch.io)
SNBank is a Sims 4 realistic mod that adds debit cards, account history, and new direct deposit options to the game’s finance system. The mod can also be downloaded alongside the SNBank Bills mod to bring the financial nightmare of real life to the game.
23. Madlen Ultimate Pack
- Highlights: Extensive customization, over 100 items, a variety of styles
- Developer: Madlen
- Price: Free (additional payments on Patreon)
- Download: Madlen Ultimate Pack | Patreon
Madlen is an independent creator with a portfolio of Sims 4 clothes mods to ensure you play with style. The Madlen ultimate pack features 100 items across two packs, including clothing, footwear, and accessories for your Sims.
22. After School Activities
- Highlights: New gameplay features, five new levels, influences Sims
- Developer: ilkavelle
- Price: Free (additional payments on Patreon)
- Download: Afterschool Activities Bundle1 | Patreon
After School Activities bundle is a solid Sims 4 gameplay mod for players looking to expand Sims systems. The bundle includes 6 new activities to participate in, which influence Sims by altering performance and providing new buffs.
21. Hair-swatches Updated
- Highlights: Extensive hair customization, quantity of styles
- Developer: Miiko
- Price: Free (additional payments on Patreon)
- Download: Hair-swatches updated ~ Bulk download | Patreon
The Hair-swatches updated collection features mods from July 2020 to August 2022 and is one of the biggest selections of Sims 4 hair mods available. This is but one example of the many mods online surrounding hair, with creators constantly releasing new styles to further customize characters.
20. Meaningful Stories
- Highlights: Quality, varied gameplay, free
- Developer: roBurky
- Price: Free
- Download: roBurky (itch.io)
Among the best free Sims 4 mods, Meaningful Stories is a well-known mod that lives up to its namesake. The scenarios are driven by its Meaningful Moods system, which makes the Sims’ emotions and actions more impactful and challenging to overcome.
19. My Grocery Shopping List
- Highlights: Challenge, realism, additional gameplay features
- Developer: Insimnia
- Price: Free (additional payments on Patreon)
- Download: My Grocery Shopping List Mod | Patreon
There are loads of Sims 4 food mods available, from new dishes to cooking appliances and more. My Grocery Shopping List is our top pick because of how it strives to make cooking in the game emulate real life, making players keep track of missing ingredients in order to cook.
18. Full-Time Careers Bundle
- Highlights: New jobs, Variety
- Developer: BosseLadyTV
- Price: Free
- Download: Full-Time Careers Bundle – CurseForge
The Full-Time Careers Bundle is the ideal Sims 4 jobs mod to download. It offers eight jobs from previous Sims games, including alchemist, ballet dancer, circus, medical, paranormal, private investigator, show business, and sports.
17. Family Gameplay
- Highlights: Progression, variety, character relationships
- Developer: Wicked Pixxel
- Price: Free (additional payments on Patreon)
- Download: FAMILY GAMEPLAY MOD | Patreon
Spend quality time with relatives in Family Gameplay by Wicked Pixxel, a popular Sims 4 family mod that introduces all the fun and drama that comes with families. New events allow for interactions between family members, allowing for new traits to be developed, skills to be leveled up, and aspirations to form.
16. Vampire Career
- Highlights: Vampire theme, new career and branches, new story
- Developer: TlaraM
- Price: Free
- Download: Mod The Sims – Darkside Vampire Career
For those looking to get into the Halloween spirit this October, Vampire Career is a Sims 4 vampire mod that lets you sink your teeth into new careers and branches. Become a master vampire, or join the Hellsing organization and get paid for being a creature of the night.
15. Lovestruck: Teens’ Cupid’s Corner
- Highlights: Added features, new interactions
- Developer: Lumpinou
- Price: Free (additional payments on Patreon)
- Download: Lovestruck: Teens’ Cupid’s Corner | Patreon
The Lovestruck expansion focused on developing romantic relationships between Sims, and with it came the launch of the in-game dating app Cupid’s Corner. The Sims 4 relationship mod allows teens to meet with other teens on the app.
14. Dark Mode UI
- Highlights: Accessibility, visibility, aesthetics
- Developer: Dskecht
- Price: Free
- Download: Dark Mode UI | The Sims 4
Sims 4 is a constantly developing game, and players will most likely return frequently and spend long hours keeping track of events. Sims 4 UI mods allow for easier navigation of the menus, and dark mode is a must-have feature to prevent straining your eyes.
13. Ultimate Mods Folder – Maxis Match Edition
- Highlights: 80+ sets, variety of styles, free mods
- Developer: DeeSims, PierSims, HeyHarrie et al
- Price: Free (additional payments on Patreon)
- Download: Ultimate Mods Folder Maxis Match Edition | Patreon
Sims 4 furniture mods can be difficult to choose from, but the ultimate mods folder from DeeSims offers a curated selection from a variety of creators. From Oak Houses by PierSims to Brownstones by HeyHarrie, there is a set for every kind of taste.
12. Farm Animal Set
- Highlights: 15 new animals, animal interactions
- Developer: TheKalino
- Price: Free
- Download: Farm Animal Set – CurseForge
The farm animal set is one of the best Sims 4 horse mods available, allowing you to expand your equestrian adventures in the horse ranch expansion with new farm animals. Animals range from horses, donkeys, ducks, alpacas, goats and more.
11. More Serving Options
- Highlights: Accessibility, efficiency
- Developer: LittleMsSam
- Price: Free
- Download: More Servings Options – CurseForge
The More Serving Option adds a minor change to gameplay but an essential one for players that have a large number of active sims. The Sims 4 cooking mod allows you to cook for multiple people in one session rather than painstakingly having to cook each serving individually.
10. More Traits
- Highlights: new traits, seamless integration
- Developer: maplebell
- Price: Free (additional payments on Patreon)
- Download: More Traits | Patreon
More Traits by maplebell is the Sims 4 traits mod to download and play, featuring over 21 traits that naturally integrate into the game with minimal technical issues. Traits include serious, logical, shy, cunning, pompous and more.
9. Medieval Widenburg
- Highlights: New world, visual aesthetics, medieval theme
- Developer: TheSenseMedieval
- Price: Free
- Download: TheSenseMedieval (tumblr.com)
Medieval Widenburg is a fantastic mod for anyone looking for a change of scenery. It redesigns the Sims 4 world to take place in a medieval setting. For an authentic experience, we recommend downloading this alongside other Sims 4 medieval mods, such as Medieval Activities by Mirai and Medieval Interactions by MizoreYuki.
8. Paris World
- Highlights: New world, visual aesthetics
- Developer: LIJOUE
- Price: Free (additional payments via Patreon)
- Download: Paris World mod | Patreon
Much like Medieval Widenburg, Paris World completely overhauls the sims setting to take place in the sparkling city of Paris, France. It is one of the best Sims 4 world mods due to its attention to detail, from the remodeled buildings, streets, and the iconic Eiffel Tower.
7. 100 Base Game Traits Pack v2
- Highlights: Large traits selection, varied gameplay
- Developer: Vicky Sims (Chingyu1023)
- Price: Free
- Download: 100 Base Game Traits Pack v2 (tumblr.com)
Whoever said quality over quantity never tested out the 100 Base Game Traits Pack v2, which solidified as one of the best Sims 4 personality mods in recent years. With its extensive library of traits, players will see drastic changes in sim behavior and gameplay.
6. UI Cheats Extension
- Highlights: Convenience, versatility, accessible
- Developer: werbesu
- Price: Free (additional payments on Patreon)
- Download: UI Cheats Extension | Patreon
Cheat codes have long existed since the first Sims game back on February 4, 2000. The UI cheats extension is a must-have Sims 4 mod that allows cheats to be accessed through the game UI as opposed to manually typing in the command box. For more, we recommend checking out the best Sims 4 cheat codes to use with this mod.
5. Better BuildBuy
- Highlights: More building options and customization
- Developer: TwistedMexi
- Price: Free (additional payments on Patreon)
- Download: Better BuildBuy | Patreon
Better BuildBuy is a staple addition to Sims 4 and remains a popular Sims 4 mod to this day. The mod allows you to access parts usually locked behind certain skills and career paths, allowing greater customization freedom without tedious restraints.
4. Become a Sorcerer
- Highlights: Cast spells, varied gameplay, fun factor
- Developer: Triplis
- Price: Free (additional payments on Patreon)
- Download: Become a Sorcerer Mod – Triplis Sims 4 Mods
Become a Sorcerer is a fun Sims 4 mod that adds some magic to the game. Find a lump of clay on the ground and emerge with the ability to cast spells and specialize in rituals, all of which can be influenced by whether you choose a good or evil alignment.
3. Zombie Apocalypse: Last Escape
- Highlights: Significant overhaul to gameplay, more action, horror theme
- Developer: SACRIFICIAL
- Price: Free (additional payments on Patreon)
- Download: Zombie Apocalypse Last Escape | Patreon
The Resident Evil-inspired zombie apocalypse mod is a top Sims 4 mod that significantly changes how Sims interact with each other and the world. Sims in the world will undergo zombification, and players will need to survive and take down Nemesis.
2. Slice of Life
- Highlights: Challenge, gameplay depth, realistic features
- Developer: KawaiiStacie
- Price: Free (additional payments on Patreon)
- Download: Slice of Life Mod | Patreon
Slice of Life is an essential Sims 4 mod for more experienced players. It brings more realistic features and events to the game. Additional mechanics, such as the ability to recall memories and make more noticeable visual changes according to character emotions, emulate real life more closely.
1. MC Command Center
- Highlights: Accessibility, control, convenience
- Developer: Deaderpool
- Price: Free
- Download: The MC Command Center (deaderpool-mccc.com)
The MC Command Center is the best Sims 4 mod. It allows players to customize and tailor the game experience to their preferences and actions. It also adds additional features to the game’s functionality and overall progression. Its versatility means any mod or cheat can benefit from it.
How to Install Sims 4 Mods
Our step-by-step guide on how to install Sims 4 mods on PC.
- Find your desired mod or CC and download it.
- If it is a .zip/.rar file, right-click the file and select Extract All.
- Move contents to the games mods folder, then open The Sims 4.
- Open Options and select game options, then select Other.
- Ensure enable custom contents and mods is on.
Here is how to download Sims 4 mods on Mac.
- Download the mod of choice and unzip it.
- Navigate to Electronic Arts folder in Documents.
- Place the download in The Sims 4 mods folder.
- Launch the game.
- Check enable custom contents and mods is on.
Some mods will require additional downloads in order to function, such as the XML Injector.
Sims 4 mods cannot be run on consoles such as Xbox or PlayStation.
Should you Download Sims 4 Mods?
Downloading mods for Sim 4 can be an exciting way to change or improve the game, but it can also benefit some and frustrate others. We recommend researching where the mods are coming from and their compatibility with the latest version of the game.
There are many pros and cons to downloading Sim 4 mods that you need to be aware of.
- Customization
- Creative freedom
- Address core game design flaws
- Free additional content
- Performance issues
- Security risks
- Compatibility with updates
- No official support
The Bottom Line
The best Sims 4 mods elevate and change how players approach the social simulation game, whether by adding realism or a sense of challenge to its core gameplay mechanics.
What mods are considered the best depends entirely on what players wish to get out of the game: to relax in a calming environment as characters go about their day or to experience surprising twists and developments in a captivating story.
FAQs
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References
- Storytelling Career Mega Pack (Itskatato.wixsite)
- (Public) SNBank by SimRealist, roBurky (Simrealist.itch)
- (Public) SNB – Bills by SimRealist (Simrealist.itch)
- Madlen Ultimate Pack (Patreon)
- Afterschool Activities Bundle1 (Patreon)
- Hair-swatches updated ~ Bulk download (Patreon)
- Meaningful Stories for The Sims 4 by roBurky (Roburky.itch)
- My Grocery Shopping List Mod (Patreon)
- Full-Time Careers Bundle (Curseforge)
- FAMILY GAMEPLAY MOD – DOWNLOAD (Patreon)
- Mod The Sims – Darkside Vampire Career (Mod The Sims)
- [Mod] Lovestruck: Teens’ Cupid’s Corner – for Teen Sims to meet other Teen Sims, make friends, find romance (Patreon)
- Mod The Sims – Dark Mode UI | The Sims 4 (Mod The Sims)
- Ultimate Mods Folder // ⭐Build & Buy💚Maxis Match Edition (Patreon)
- Farm Animal Set (Curseforge)
- More Servings Options – More Servings Part (Legacy.curseforge)
- More Traits (Patreon)
- TheSenseMedieval – Medieval Windenburg Mod (TheSenseMedieval.tumblr)
- Medieval Activities (Patreon)
- Mod: Medieval Interactions (Patreon)
- world mod ✧ | Collection from LIJOUE | 2 posts (Patreon)
- Vicky Sims 💯 chingyu1023 : 100 Base Game Traits Pack v2 (Chingyu1023vick.tumblr)
- UI Cheats Extension v1.43 (Patreon)
- Better BuildBuy v3.2.9: The Reaper Rewards Update (Patreon)
- Become a Sorcerer Mod – Triplis Sims 4 Mods (Triplis.github)
- The Sims 4 Zombie Apocalypse -MOD- V 2.2 Last Escape Release (Patreon)
- Slice of Life Mod🍓 (Patreon)
- The MC Command Center (Deaderpool-mccc)
- XML Injector — SCUMBUMBO (Scumbumbomods)