# Apache Cordova vs Capacitor

**Leader by vioscaleAI score:** Capacitor

| Attribute | Apache Cordova | Capacitor |
|---|---|---|
| **vioscaleAI score** | 38.2 (43% (low)) | 59.6 (65% (medium)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | 0 | 5 |
| adoption.dependent_repos | - | 24,134 |
| adoption.github_stars | 712 | 16,852 |
| adoption.package_downloads_weekly | - | 5,395,282 |
| content.faq | `[{"answer":"Apache Cordova wraps HTML/JavaScript applications into native containers, allowing developers to target multiple platforms with a single codebase while accessing native device APIs through plugins. It is indexed under Mobile App Frameworks.","source":"https://cordova.apache.org","question":"What is Apache Cordova?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Apache Cordova is open source, so it can be self-hosted and used at no licence cost. Pricing changes often, so verify at source before relying on it.","source":"https://cordova.apache.org","question":"Is Apache Cordova free to use?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Apache Cordova supports the web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android and a command-line interface. Platforms we have not confirmed are simply not listed here rather than ruled out.","source":"https://cordova.apache.org","question":"What platforms does Apache Cordova support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. Apache Cordova can be deployed self-hosted, so it does not have to run on the vendor's infrastructure.","source":"https://cordova.apache.org","question":"Can Apache Cordova be self-hosted?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have confirmed 13 integrations for Apache Cordova, including Battery Status, Camera, Device, Dialogs, File, Geolocation, Inappbrowser and Media, plus 5 more. This is what we could verify from public sources, so the vendor may support others we have not indexed.","source":"https://cordova.apache.org","question":"What does Apache Cordova integrate with?","confidence":0.6}]` | `[{"answer":"An open-source runtime that packages web applications built with JavaScript, HTML, and CSS to run natively on iOS, Android, and as Progressive Web Apps, with access to platform-specific native APIs through a unified JavaScript interface. It is indexed under Mobile App Frameworks.","source":"https://capacitorjs.com","question":"What is Capacitor?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Capacitor is open source, so it can be self-hosted and used at no licence cost. It is released under the MIT licence. Pricing changes often, so verify at source before relying on it.","source":"https://capacitorjs.com","question":"Is Capacitor free to use?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Capacitor supports the web, iOS, Android and a command-line interface. Platforms we have not confirmed are simply not listed here rather than ruled out.","source":"https://capacitorjs.com","question":"What platforms does Capacitor support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. Capacitor can be deployed self-hosted, so it does not have to run on the vendor's infrastructure.","source":"https://capacitorjs.com","question":"Can Capacitor be self-hosted?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have confirmed 24 integrations for Capacitor, including Action Sheet, App Launcher, App Browser, Camera, Clipboard, Device, Dialog and Filesystem, plus 16 more. This is what we could verify from public sources, so the vendor may support others we have not indexed.","source":"https://capacitorjs.com","question":"What does Capacitor integrate with?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. Capacitor is published under the MIT licence, a permissive licence that generally allows commercial use and modification. Licence terms can change between releases, so verify against the repository for the version you intend to use.","source":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor","question":"Is Capacitor open source?","confidence":0.99}]` |
| deployment.options | `{"self_hosted":true}` | `{"self_hosted":true}` |
| description.long | Apache Cordova wraps HTML/JavaScript applications into native containers, allowing developers to target multiple platforms with a single codebase while accessing native device APIs through plugins. | Capacitor is a cross-platform native runtime that enables developers to build applications for iOS, Android, and web using a single JavaScript codebase. It provides web-standard APIs while allowing access to native device features through a plugin system. |
| features.capabilities | `{"targets":"iOS, Android, web, desktop (Electron)","approach":"webview_hybrid","language":"HTML/CSS/JavaScript","web_target":true,"ota_updates":true,"native_widgets":false,"desktop_support":true,"single_codebase":true,"native_api_access":"plugin_bridged"}` | `{"targets":"iOS, Android, Progressive Web App","approach":"webview_hybrid","language":"JavaScript, HTML, CSS","hot_reload":true,"web_target":true,"native_widgets":false,"official_ui_kit":false,"single_codebase":true,"native_api_access":"full"}` |
| integrations.count | 14 | 21 |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"Battery Status"},{"name":"Camera"},{"name":"Device"},{"name":"Dialogs"},{"name":"File"},{"name":"Geolocation"},{"name":"Inappbrowser"},{"name":"Media"},{"name":"Media Capture"},{"name":"Network Information"},{"name":"Screen Orientation"},{"name":"Splashscreen"},{"name":"Statusbar"},{"name":"Vibration"}]` | `[{"name":"Action Sheet"},{"name":"App Launcher"},{"name":"App Browser"},{"name":"Camera"},{"name":"Clipboard"},{"name":"Device"},{"name":"Dialog"},{"name":"Filesystem"},{"name":"Geolocation"},{"name":"Google Maps"},{"name":"Haptics"},{"name":"Keyboard"},{"name":"Local Notifications"},{"name":"Motion"},{"name":"Network"},{"name":"Push Notifications"},{"name":"Screen Reader"},{"name":"Share"},{"name":"Splash Screen"},{"name":"Status Bar"},{"name":"Storage"},{"name":"Text Zoom"},{"name":"Toast"},{"name":"Cordova plugins"}]` |
| language.primary | - | TypeScript |
| license.spdx | - | MIT |
| platform.support | `{"ios":true,"android":true}` | `{"cli":true,"ios":true,"web":true,"android":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"open_source","sourceUrl":"https://cordova.apache.org","retrievedAt":"2026-10-13T11:20:23.047Z"}` | `{"type":"open_source","sourceUrl":"https://capacitorjs.com","retrievedAt":"2026-10-13T15:18:02.154Z"}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | yes |
| pricing.model | open_source | open_source |
| pricing.price_level | free | free |
| release.history | - | `[{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/9.0.0-alpha.8","date":"2026-10-07T14:29:40Z","type":"prerelease","version":"9.0.0-alpha.8"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/8.5.3","date":"2026-10-07T14:17:42Z","type":"stable","version":"8.5.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/9.0.0-alpha.7","date":"2026-09-18T16:01:09Z","type":"prerelease","version":"9.0.0-alpha.7"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/8.5.2","date":"2026-09-11T15:02:26Z","type":"stable","version":"8.5.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/8.5.1","date":"2026-08-31T21:54:55Z","type":"stable","version":"8.5.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/8.4.3","date":"2026-08-31T21:58:47Z","type":"stable","version":"8.4.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/7.6.9","date":"2026-08-31T22:03:32Z","type":"stable","version":"7.6.9"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/6.2.2","date":"2026-08-31T22:13:39Z","type":"stable","version":"6.2.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/8.5.0","date":"2026-07-31T15:46:27Z","type":"stable","version":"8.5.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/9.0.0-alpha.6","date":"2026-07-14T17:39:35Z","type":"prerelease","version":"9.0.0-alpha.6"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/8.4.2","date":"2026-07-14T17:32:32Z","type":"stable","version":"8.4.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/7.6.8","date":"2026-07-14T17:36:20Z","type":"stable","version":"7.6.8"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/9.0.0-alpha.5","date":"2026-06-23T15:59:41Z","type":"prerelease","version":"9.0.0-alpha.5"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/9.0.0-alpha.4","date":"2026-06-19T08:47:04Z","type":"prerelease","version":"9.0.0-alpha.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/8.4.1","date":"2026-06-19T09:02:01Z","type":"stable","version":"8.4.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/7.6.7","date":"2026-06-19T08:43:00Z","type":"stable","version":"7.6.7"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/9.0.0-alpha.3","date":"2026-06-02T16:26:24Z","type":"prerelease","version":"9.0.0-alpha.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/8.4.0","date":"2026-06-02T15:56:06Z","type":"stable","version":"8.4.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/7.6.6","date":"2026-06-02T16:09:17Z","type":"stable","version":"7.6.6"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/9.0.0-alpha.2","date":"2026-05-12T21:10:28Z","type":"prerelease","version":"9.0.0-alpha.2"}]` |
| reliability.status_page | - | yes |
| security.scorecard | 4.1 | 5.1 |
| security.trust_center | https://cordova.apache.org/docs/en/latest/guide/appdev/security/ | https://capacitorjs.com/docs/v3/guides/security |
| security.vulnerabilities | - | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=npm&package_name=%40capacitor%2Fcore&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` |

## Capabilities (Mobile App Frameworks)

| Capability | Apache Cordova | Capacitor |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Core** |  |  |
| Target platforms | iOS, Android, web, desktop (Electron) | iOS, Android, Progressive Web App |
| Approach | WebView hybrid | WebView hybrid |
| Primary language | HTML/CSS/JavaScript | JavaScript, HTML, CSS |
| **Rendering** |  |  |
| Renders true native UI | ✗ | ✗ |
| **DX** |  |  |
| Hot reload | - | ✓ |
| TypeScript-first | - | - |
| **Delivery** |  |  |
| Over-the-air code push | ✓ | - |
| **Portability** |  |  |
| Single codebase, multiple platforms | ✓ | ✓ |
| Desktop support | ✓ | - |
| Builds for web | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Capability** |  |  |
| Native API access | Plugin / bridged | Full native |
| **Ecosystem** |  |  |
| Bundled UI component library | - | ✗ |

*Source: vioscaleAI. Generated 2026-10-16T19:17:58.870Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*