Version 4.18.1
0
85
ExcellentLodash modular utilities.
- Weekly Downloads
- 131.2M
↑28%
- Bundle (gzip)
- 24.7 KB
- Updated
- Vulns
- 0
Health Score Breakdown
Maintenance
100
Popularity
100
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70
Lodash vs Underscore
Side-by-side NPM package comparison
Quick Verdict
Smallest Bundle
Underscore
7.3 KB gzipped
Most Popular
Lodash
131.2M weekly downloads
Best Maintained
Lodash
100/100 maintenance score
Highest Quality
Lodash
50/100 quality score
Overall Pick
Lodash
Best all-around based on popularity, size, maintenance & quality
Version 1.13.8
0
79
GoodJavaScript's functional programming helper library.
- Weekly Downloads
- 20.7M
↑20%
- Bundle (gzip)
- 7.3 KB
- Updated
- Vulns
- 0
Health Score Breakdown
Maintenance
80
Popularity
100
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70
Choosing between Lodash and Underscore? 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
Lodash leads with 131.2M weekly downloads — roughly 6.3x more. Underscore has 20.7M weekly downloads. Higher download counts generally indicate broader community adoption and a larger ecosystem of tutorials, plugins, and support.
Bundle Size
Underscore has the smallest gzipped bundle at 7.3 KB. Lodash comes in at 24.7 KB. A smaller bundle size means faster page loads, which improves user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.
Health Score Comparison
Lodash has an overall health score of 85/100 (very good), with strong maintenance, security, popularity scores. Underscore has an overall health score of 79/100 (very good), with strong maintenance, security, popularity scores. Health scores are calculated from maintenance activity, code quality, security posture, popularity, and stability metrics.
When to Choose Each
Choose Lodash if you value massive community and ecosystem, actively maintained, strong security track record. Choose Underscore if you value massive community and ecosystem, strong security track record.
Our Verdict
Both Lodash and Underscore are solid choices for JavaScript development. Lodash has the edge in overall health score (85/100), 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 lodash better than underscore?
- It depends on your needs. Lodash has a health score of 85/100 while Underscore scores 79/100. Lodash has more weekly downloads (131.2M), 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, lodash or underscore?
- Underscore has the smaller gzipped bundle at 7.3 KB. A smaller bundle means faster load times for your users, which can positively impact SEO and user experience.
- How many developers use lodash vs underscore?
- Based on npm download statistics, Lodash has approximately 131.2M weekly downloads and Underscore has approximately 20.7M weekly downloads. These numbers reflect package installations, not unique developers, but they indicate relative adoption levels.
- Which is better maintained, lodash or underscore?
- Lodash currently has the higher overall health score at 85/100. Lodash has a maintenance score of 100/100 and Underscore scores 80/100 on maintenance.
Related Comparisons
The 2026 JavaScript Stack Cheatsheet
One PDF: the best package for every category (ORMs, bundlers, auth, testing, state management). Used by 500+ devs. Free, updated monthly.