React vs SolidJS
Two UI library (with Vite) options for frontend framework. When each fits, what it costs, who moves from one to the other, and what makers who chose it say.
Which fits you
Choose React if- Your app lives behind a login and doesn't need search traffic
Use it whenYour app lives behind a login and doesn't need server rendering, or you want to pick routing and data libraries yourself.
Trade-offOn its own it has no routing, data loading or server rendering; you assemble those from separate libraries or move to a React framework.
Choose SolidJS if- Fast, small interactive apps written in JSX, where signals update only the parts of the page that change.
Use it whenYou like React's JSX but want finer-grained updates and smaller bundles.
Trade-offA much smaller ecosystem of components and examples than React, and React libraries don't work in it.
At a glance
| React | SolidJS | |
|---|---|---|
| Used by | 200 makers' products · 1193 open-source projects | 4 makers' products · 47 open-source projects |
| Downloads | 155.8M/wk+2% vs npm | 3.6M/wk+32% vs npm |
| Pricing | Free (open source, MIT). | Free (open source). |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | Yes · self-hostable |
What makers say
Makers on using it for frontend framework, from Product Hunt and Starter Story interviews, each linked to the source. Products with a page of their own and fuller notes first.
On ReactPowers our frontend. It made building an intuitive and fast interface so much easier, and its huge ecosystem gave us the confidence to experiment without worrying about running into walls.
React gives us the perfect balance of flexibility and performance. The component-driven structure allows clean reuse and faster iteration, and the ecosystem is richer and more battle-tested.
gridland allows you to render React into both the browser and the terminal. In the browser, it renders to a custom HTML canvas. In the terminal, it renders with OpenTUI.
On SolidJSOur dashboard is written in SolidJS, because we're all about that extra performance in every little corner of our product.
SolidJS gave us the performance and fine-grained reactivity we needed for the frontend. Its simple mental model and blazing speed made it easy to ship an interactive UI without the overhead, while still enjoying a great developer experience.
Loved and watch-outs
Themes that recur in makers' words and Hacker News comments, each linked to what it summarises.
ReactSolidJSNothing that recurs in what we collected yet.Who uses each
React200 makers' products
AidaJet
Aritect
Baselight
Bricks
EnclosedWhat makers pair each with
With React
Tailgrids
Instatus
Airial TravelAveksanaBasedLabs.ai
Bebop.aiBeppo
BoltBrokeeBrowserlessClosing CreditsCognotaCrustdataData Fetcherand 33 more
Medusa
Moneo AI
Pluto Door
Metabase
DatazipMaildroppa
MailTock
Migma AI
MIOSNMorningscore
NeuralAgentNotiSprite
OptimizeGEO.ai
QualGentand 10 more
Hands Off
Reviewradar
serenities
Skilled Partner
TestMu AI
Layer
LiftmyCV
thumbsss
DepthWith SolidJS
Novu
Vite
WXT
Cypress
OpenReplayNeither quite right?
See the whole frontend framework decision →
Next.jsReact full-stackReact apps that want server rendering, API routes and the largest set of examples, templates and SaaS starters.vs React →
React RouterReact full-stackReact apps built around web standards — loaders, actions and forms — in the lineage of Remix.
TanStack StartReact full-stackType-safe routing and server functions for React or Solid, built on TanStack Router.
SvelteKitSvelte or Vue full-stackApps written in Svelte, with less boilerplate and small client bundles.
NuxtSvelte or Vue full-stackVue apps, with a large module ecosystem for auth, content, images and SEO.vs React →
AstroContent-firstMarketing sites, docs and blogs that ship minimal JavaScript, with interactive islands from any UI library.