The search for ends here. You now know the truth:

: If you own Terraria on Steam, search for tModLoader in the Steam Store . Click "Play" or "Install" to add it to your library.

The safest and easiest way to download tModLoader is through official game distribution platforms. If you own Terraria, follow these steps to get the latest version. Method 1: Via Steam (Recommended)

If you use the GOG version of Terraria or prefer a manual setup, you can download the files directly from official repositories.