Why punch trees when you could tame dragons, with Primal Fear? ARK: Survival Evolved players are pretty much always looking for reasons to make their game experience more engaging. Whether you’re running a private server on an ARK VPS, trying to stream your next dino hunt, or just getting bored with vanilla survival gameplay, modding is the answer. But with thousands of mods out there on the Steam Workshop, how do you know which mods and features are worth downloading?
Welcome to your ultimate ARK modding guide for 2025. We are going to cover everything from quality of life updates, to total game overhauls, and we’ll even share some expertise to run them properly so you don’t tank your server.
So let’s kick it off with the top ARK mods every survivor should give a shot this year.
📋 What are the Best Mods for ARK
ARK: Survival Evolved is not just a game, but a complete survival fantasy sandbox where you can tame T-Rex, build sky castles, and sometimes even saddle and ride dodos off cliffs. But if you’re sticking to vanilla ARK in 2025, you are missing the absolute best mods in ARK which will take a good game and make it an exceptional one.
💭 Reason to Use Mods for ARK
In a word: Upgrades. Mods can expand the game, improve its mechanics, and let loose insane creativity that simply isn’t allowed in the vanilla game. The possibility of doing everything from removing Dino storage limits to building megastructures and taming bosses can be achieved through mods.
Keep in mind, not every mod is a good ARK mod. Some mods are unstable, some are buggy, and some will crash your server faster than a Giga can shred a stone base.
That’s why learning how to host an ARK server properly is crucial when using multiple mods.
❗ Top 10 ARK Mods You Need Right Now
Here is a list of 2025’s top 10 ARK mods, utility, creativity, chaos all wrapped into one:
1. Structures Plus (S+)
💡 Category: Building/Utility
The G.O.A.T. of the building mods. One of the cool ARK mods. Want snapping that works? Autodoors? Stackable foundations? S+ makes base-building smooth and fulfilling.
✅ Permanently does not break servers
✅ Compatible with most maps
✅ Still gets updated in 2025 for some reason
2. Dino Storage v2
💡 Category: Utility/Storage
This is like cryopods but on steroids. You get to store dinos in soul traps, easily sort dinos, automate breeding – Dino Storage v2 is essential for almost any serious breeder or any serious admin in this unbalanced game.
💾 Major lag decrease on large servers
✅ Compatible with breeding mods
✅ Must for public or community servers.
3. Automated ARK (AA)
💡 Category: Automation/Tech
So you’ve played ARK for a while now, and sometimes you’ll feel like you’re playing Work Simulator: Dino Edition, right? Automated ARK does resource gathering, crafting, even egg gathering if you set that up properly in a few simple config events—now you can focus on taming, and exploring.
⚙️ A bit of set-up on your end, config-wise
🔥 Very useful as a solo in a large tribe, or for general QOL in playing ARK
4. ARK Supreme
💡 Category: Overhaul
Do you want to really challenge yourself? Where do I even begin with this mod? ARK Supreme completely overhauls the game, adding various tiers to bosses and rare versions as well as encounters that could potentially kill your characters. If you’re a hardcore Player, this is the mod for you!
⚔️ Will likely require it’s own dedicated world
✅ Works well with Gaming VPS setups
5. Upgrade Station
💡 Category: Crafting/Item Enhancement
Finally We have the ability to upgrade gear in a proper RPG fashion. Repair, upgrade, or scrap your way to max level pieces of armor and weapons in seconds!
⚠️ Potentially unbalanced for PvP, be wary of using casually with no restrictions.
✅ Single-player is on deck for your diners.
6. Immersive Taming
💡 Category: Realism/Gameplay
Do you find yourself tired of Knock out taming? Do it the right way! The Right Way: EARN A DINO’S TRUST. Feed, interact, play, and passively tame creatures!
🧠 Roleplaying or streaming players may see great value here!
✅ Works well with vanilla spawns
7. Reusable Plus
💡 Category: QOL (Quality of Life)
Have you ever become enraged at the thought of crafting 87 Bola? Reusable Plus now adds, you guessed it! Reusable items as spears, parachutes, bola, etc…
🔁 Easy, light-weight, interesting
✅ Works on PvP/PvE Servers
8. Primal Fear
💡 Category: Chaos/Overhaul
Not just a mod. This is a lifestyle. Primal Fear adds in celestial creatures, demonic boss encounters, and tiers of utter insanity! For the people that will tell you ARK is not difficult enough!
9. Eco’s RP Decor Mods
💡 Category: Aesthetic/RP
Eco makes immersive decor packs that allow players to build taverns, bathhouses, or your medieval village. They are a fun way to design but do not have any impact on gameplay, so they are for the players who enjoy creative builds or stream for their viewers.
🎨 Great compatibility
✅ No lag!
10. Awesome Spyglass
💡 Category: Utility
Awesome Spyglass lets you view dino stats, torpor, and more with an enhanced spyglass that makes it easier to ferret out details. You won’t go back once you try it.
👀 Lightweight, wide support
✅ Ideal for hunters and breeders
🎯 Final thoughts: Which mods are worth it?
In 2025, the best ARK mods add value and gameplay without wrecking your server’s performance. Structures Plus and Dino Storage v2 are vital mods for players who build structures and want to effectively manage their dinos when done; Upgrade Station is invaluable for gear progression; Primal Fear is ideal for players looking for high-intensity chaotic gameplay; and Automated ARK is here for players looking to save 100 hours of grind and have a much easier time automating aspects of the game like making a base or taming.
When selecting ARK Mods, consider your play style, and if you’re planning on installing multiple heavy mods, a Gaming VPS is an ideal option for smooth and stable gameplay.
You can run Ark mods on a VPS—and you should. Heavy mods like Primal Fear need serious CPU and RAM that basic setups can’t handle. A Gaming VPS offers SSD speed, full control, and stability for smooth gameplay. New to modding? Check out our Ark modding guide and learn how to host an Ark server the right way. Try our optimized Ark VPS for easy mod management and top performance. Why punch trees when you can tame dragons?
🚀 Launch Your Modded Ark Server Today with Cloudzy!
