Summary
The driving force of many long-lasting games is a thriving modding community.Payday 2has been around since 2013, yet it has managed to maintain a significant amount of popularity through the constant flow of content. Part of that content has been its growing list of mods. In spite of a rocky history, just about every aspect of the game can be changed in one way or another depending on an individual’s preferences.
Some are just fun aesthetic changes that don’t hold any real value in gameplay; meanwhile, others change the very nature ofPayday 2itself. It is simply up to the player to pick and choose at their pleasure, though some mods are more worth downloading than others. Regardless of which mods people choose, they can rest assured that the experience of playing this game is going to be significantly reinvigorated!
Updated June 06, 2025, by Ritwik Mitra:The launch of Payday 3 has been nothing short of a disappointment, with many players disliking the idea that they can’t even play a round because of the server connections! The lack of any offline modes means that the bulk of content in this game is inaccessible, and it’s going to take a lot of work from the developer to fix these online issues and bring the game up to par so that Payday fans can finally enjoy the new improvements this game brings to the table. Until then, these gamers can always just check out Payday 2 and enjoy more stable gameplay. Of course, most people have experienced everything this title has to offer time and time again, so a few mods would definitely be welcome to elevate the experience.
20Little Intelligence Enhancements
Downloads: 13,369
Agroup conducting a heistneeds to cause as little commotion as possible, which is easier said than done. There are many ways to trigger alarms and draw some heat, with the police trying their hardest to stop the criminals in their tracks. While fighting these computer-controlled foes can be pretty novel early on, it doesn’t take long to see that the AI of these enemies is laughably lackluster.
As a result, the Little Intelligence Enhancements mod is perfect for players who want to play through the game without cringing at the awful, glitchy AI over and over again. Cops and other enemies are actually competent, don’t get stuck on the environment, and aren’t ridiculously easy to exploit with these changes. As a result, firefights become pretty engaging once again.
19Extra Heist Info
Downloads: 85,261
PC gamers are definitely spoiled with the various mods they can use to overhaul the entire experience, with the Extra Heist Info being a great way to let nosy players know everything about a particular heist and its statistics. It may seem like a simple mod, but the many metrics this mod introduces make it worth checking outfor any fan ofPayday 2.
Extra information improves the time involved for stuff like waiting for an armored car or planting C4. The achievements of a player and their progress are also tracked, along with a detailed overview of the Mission XP earned. Suffice it to say, players will love the many small yet telling stats shown by this mod.
18Streamlined Heisting
Downloads: 11,429
Players love mods that improve existing elements of a game without reworking the balance or compromising what the developer wishes to achieve. This is why Streamlined Heisting is so perfect for players who want to play through the most perfect and refined heists inPayday 2.
This mod tweaks the existing code to add more unique enemy groups, fixing the difficulty, and making AI behavior more natural. These changes are pretty broad and do a great job of makingPayday 2feel as polished as possible, which is something that most players would definitely appreciate.
17VanillaHUD Plus
Downloads: 228,317
One of the most popular mods ofPayday 2is WolfHUD, with the function of this mod being pretty clear with the name itself. It makes the UI clearer and easier to understand without being too invasive — something that is bound to excite most fans who have been bored to death with the usual UI. However, WolfHUD is also a bit outdated, and some people may face problems while trying to get this mod to work with their copy ofPayday 2.
Thankfully, another modder decided to use this HUD mod as a base to develop VanillaHUD Plus, an excellent modification to the usual UI that removes any clutter and keeps the information neatly structured and to the point. Players who feel like the vanilla UI of the game isn’t up to the mark can use this mod to great effect!
16Better Bots
Downloads: 230,806
While the fun ofPayday 2mainly arises from playing with friends and other people, there are times when human teammates can be really frustrating to interact with. New players can take a while to learn the ropes, while some trolls just like to mess around with a player’s fun instead of actually contributing to something meaningful during the flow of the game. As a result,many players may choose to play with bots instead, but the AI is far from perfect and can cause their own sets of frustrations that are hard to get over.
Thankfully, a mod decided to fix the issue related to teammate AI so that players could have a great time going through this game without facing too many issues. The Better Bots mod fixes so many issues with this particular aspect of the game that some players might enjoy playing through heists with these competent teammates instead of matching up in a game with beginners or trolls!
15Better Assault Indicator
Downloads: 93,576
A HUD that communicates information properly is something that any fan would want in their video game, andPayday 2is no exception to this golden rule. There are many times whenany assault in progressdoesn’t convey too much information, which can prove to be a huge issue for a myriad of reasons.
As always, mods are here to save the day once again. The Better Assault Indicator mod does a great job of giving players exactly the information they need without being too intrusive. It’s a simple yet great tweak to the game that many players will consider to be downright invaluable!
14Face Retexture Project
Downloads: 10,268
The characters ofPayday 2aren’t the prettiest faces around. This doesn’t really matter given the game’s reliance on its great gameplay, but certain gamers would’ve preferred this game to have better visuals regardless.
With this mod, one notable aspect ofPayday 2will receive a substantial visual overhaul. This is the Face Retexture Project, which sets out to do precisely what is stated in the title and modernizes the faces present in the game to make them easier on the eyes.
13Metal Gear Solid-Style Detected Sound
Downloads: 8,346
Payday 2rewards a sneaky playthrough, given the fact that the most successful heists generally go by without a hitch. However, this is easier said than done, and a well-thought-out plan can completely derail if its presence is detected.
This mod adds further weight to the act of getting detected by playing the classicMetal Gear Solidalert sound. Not only is this a great way to pay homage to a classic soundbite, but it also instills a sense of panic in players who are caught out during a particularly tense heist.
12Persona 3 Major Arcana Infamy Cards
Downloads: 2,761
Players can integrate mods referencing various other games inPayday 2. One such texture mod that does the same replaces the usual patterns on the Infamy cards to represent the tarot cards fromPersona 3.
It’s a unique mod, given that most people would never group the two games in such a unique way. However, the eccentric nature of certain mods is what makes them even more memorable.
11Scooby Snacks First Aid Kits
Downloads: 1,167
This is easily one of the more amusing mods available forPayday 2. True to its name, this mod replaces the first-aid kits in the game with Scooby Snacks instead.
Given how delicious they seem in the show, it makes sense as to why such potent snacks heal up the player. This mod is a great way to add a touch of humor to the generally heavy-handed proceedings ofPayday 2.
