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Capacitor vs Cordova

Side-by-side NPM package comparison

Quick Verdict

Smallest Bundle

Cordova

40.5 KB gzipped

Most Popular

Cordova

44.2K weekly downloads

Best Maintained

Cordova

60/100 maintenance score

Highest Quality

Capacitor

50/100 quality score

Overall Pick

Cordova

Best all-around based on popularity, size, maintenance & quality

Version 0.5.6

0
49
Fair

An implementation of facebook's flux architecture, great Scott!

Weekly Downloads
1.4K
Stable
Bundle (gzip)
45.1 KB
Updated
Vulns
0

Health Score Breakdown

Maintenance
20
Popularity
40
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70
cordova icon

cordova

Moderate

Version 13.0.0

0
65
Good

Cordova command line interface tool

Weekly Downloads
44.2K
4%
Bundle (gzip)
40.5 KB
Updated
Vulns
0

Health Score Breakdown

Maintenance
60
Popularity
60
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70

Choosing between Capacitor and Cordova? Here's a data-driven comparison based on real npm data — downloads, bundle size, health scores, and more — to help you decide which package fits your project best.

Downloads & Popularity

Cordova leads with 44.2K weekly downloads — roughly 30.6x more. Capacitor has 1.4K weekly downloads. Higher download counts generally indicate broader community adoption and a larger ecosystem of tutorials, plugins, and support.

Bundle Size

Cordova has the smallest gzipped bundle at 40.5 KB. Capacitor comes in at 45.1 KB. A smaller bundle size means faster page loads, which improves user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.

Health Score Comparison

Cordova has an overall health score of 65/100 (good), with strong security scores. Capacitor has an overall health score of 49/100 (moderate), with strong security scores. Health scores are calculated from maintenance activity, code quality, security posture, popularity, and stability metrics.

When to Choose Each

Choose Capacitor if you value strong security track record. Choose Cordova if you value strong security track record.

Our Verdict

Both Capacitor and Cordova are solid choices for JavaScript development. Cordova has the edge in overall health score (65/100), while each package brings unique strengths to the table. Evaluate them based on your project's priorities — whether that's community size, bundle efficiency, or maintenance activity — and choose the one that aligns best with your requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is capacitor better than cordova?
It depends on your needs. Capacitor has a health score of 49/100 while Cordova scores 65/100. Cordova has more weekly downloads (44.2K), suggesting broader adoption. Consider your specific requirements — bundle size, community support, and feature set — to decide which is the better fit.
Which has a smaller bundle size, capacitor or cordova?
Cordova has the smaller gzipped bundle at 40.5 KB. A smaller bundle means faster load times for your users, which can positively impact SEO and user experience.
How many developers use capacitor vs cordova?
Based on npm download statistics, Capacitor has approximately 1.4K weekly downloads and Cordova has approximately 44.2K weekly downloads. These numbers reflect package installations, not unique developers, but they indicate relative adoption levels.
Which is better maintained, capacitor or cordova?
Cordova currently has the higher overall health score at 65/100. Capacitor has a maintenance score of 20/100 and Cordova scores 60/100 on maintenance.

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