Version 10.29.1
0
85
ExcellentFast 3kb React-compatible Virtual DOM library.
- Weekly Downloads
- 14.7M
↑28%
- Bundle (gzip)
- 455.6 KB
- Updated
- Vulns
- 0
Health Score Breakdown
Maintenance
100
Popularity
100
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70
Preact vs React
Side-by-side NPM package comparison
Quick Verdict
Smallest Bundle
React
2.8 KB gzipped
Most Popular
React
118.8M weekly downloads
Best Maintained
Preact
100/100 maintenance score
Highest Quality
Preact
50/100 quality score
Overall Pick
React
Best all-around based on popularity, size, maintenance & quality
Version 19.2.4
0
85
ExcellentReact is a JavaScript library for building user interfaces.
- Weekly Downloads
- 118.8M
↑31%
- Bundle (gzip)
- 2.8 KB
- Updated
- Vulns
- 0
Health Score Breakdown
Maintenance
100
Popularity
100
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70
Choosing between Preact and React? 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
React leads with 118.8M weekly downloads — roughly 8.1x more. Preact has 14.7M weekly downloads. Higher download counts generally indicate broader community adoption and a larger ecosystem of tutorials, plugins, and support.
Bundle Size
React has the smallest gzipped bundle at 2.8 KB. Preact comes in at 455.6 KB. A smaller bundle size means faster page loads, which improves user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.
Health Score Comparison
Preact has an overall health score of 85/100 (very good), with strong maintenance, security, popularity scores. React has an overall health score of 85/100 (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 Preact if you value massive community and ecosystem, actively maintained, strong security track record. Choose React if you value massive community and ecosystem, minimal bundle footprint, actively maintained, strong security track record.
Our Verdict
Both Preact and React are solid choices for JavaScript development. Preact 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 preact better than react?
- It depends on your needs. Preact has a health score of 85/100 while React scores 85/100. React has more weekly downloads (118.8M), 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, preact or react?
- React has the smaller gzipped bundle at 2.8 KB. A smaller bundle means faster load times for your users, which can positively impact SEO and user experience.
- How many developers use preact vs react?
- Based on npm download statistics, Preact has approximately 14.7M weekly downloads and React has approximately 118.8M weekly downloads. These numbers reflect package installations, not unique developers, but they indicate relative adoption levels.
- Which is better maintained, preact or react?
- Preact currently has the higher overall health score at 85/100. Preact has a maintenance score of 100/100 and React scores 100/100 on maintenance.
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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.