Comparison

Apache Cordova vs Ionic

On the evidence we track, Ionic leads this comparison with a composite score of 69/100. Scores are only directly comparable because these tools share a category; the full breakdown and every source is below.

Apache Cordova full profile →Ionic full profile →

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Apache Cordova37

★Ionic69

Attribute comparison across 2 tools
Attribute	Apache Cordova	IonicLeader
Vioscale score	37 / 100medium · 53%	69 / 100high · 77%
Pricing
Free tierpricing.free_tier	✓	✓
Modelpricing.model	commercial	commercial
Price levelpricing.price_level	free	free
Transparentpricing.transparent	-	✓
Integrations
Countintegrations.count	14	5
Security
Disclosure policysecurity.disclosure_policy	-	✓
Scorecardsecurity.scorecard	4.1	6.7
Vulnerabilitiessecurity.vulnerabilities	-	Count: 1 · Source: https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=npm&package_name=%40ionic%2Fcore&per_page=100 · Last 12m: 0 · Max severity: HIGH
Reliability
Status pagereliability.status_page	-	✓
Adoption
Dependent reposadoption.dependent_repos	-	54,760
Github starsadoption.github_stars	709	52,630
Package downloads weeklyadoption.package_downloads_weekly	-	403,967
Activity
Commits last 30dactivity.commits_last_30d	0	96
Release
Cadence daysrelease.cadence_days	-	7
Historyrelease.history	-	20 items
License
Spdxlicense.spdx	-	MIT
Language
Primarylanguage.primary	-	TypeScript
Market
Availabilitymarket.availability	-	Available worldwide

Score

Vioscale score

Apache Cordova37 / 100medium · 53%

Ionic69 / 100high · 77%

Pricing

Free tier

Apache Cordova✓

Ionic✓

Model

Apache Cordovacommercial

Ioniccommercial

Price level

Apache Cordovafree

Ionicfree

Transparent

Apache Cordova–

Ionic✓

Integrations

Count

Apache Cordova14

Ionic5

Security

Disclosure policy

Apache Cordova–

Ionic✓

Scorecard

Apache Cordova4.1

Ionic6.7

Vulnerabilities

Apache Cordova–

IonicCount: 1 · Source: https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=npm&package_name=%40ionic%2Fcore&per_page=100 · Last 12m: 0 · Max severity: HIGH

Reliability

Status page

Apache Cordova–

Ionic✓

Adoption

Dependent repos

Apache Cordova–

Ionic54,760

Github stars

Apache Cordova709

Ionic52,630

Package downloads weekly

Apache Cordova–

Ionic403,967

Activity

Commits last 30d

Apache Cordova0

Ionic96

Release

Cadence days

Apache Cordova–

Ionic7

History

Apache Cordova–

Ionic20 items

License

Spdx

Apache Cordova–

IonicMIT

Language

Primary

Apache Cordova–

IonicTypeScript

Market

Availability

Apache Cordova–

IonicAvailable worldwide

Capabilities

Feature-by-feature on the axes that matter for mobile app frameworks. “-” means undocumented, not absent.

Capability comparison for Mobile App Frameworks
Capability	Apache Cordova	Ionic
Core
Target platforms	iOS, Android, web, desktop (Electron)	iOS, Android, Web/PWA
Approach	WebView hybrid	WebView hybrid
Primary language	HTML/CSS/JavaScript	JavaScript
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	Plugin / bridged
Ecosystem
Bundled UI component library	-	✓

Core

Target platforms

Apache CordovaiOS, Android, web, desktop (Electron)

IoniciOS, Android, Web/PWA

Approach

Apache CordovaWebView hybrid

IonicWebView hybrid

Primary language

Apache CordovaHTML/CSS/JavaScript

IonicJavaScript

Rendering

Renders true native UI

Apache Cordova✗

Ionic✗

Hot reload

Apache Cordova-

Ionic-

TypeScript-first

Apache Cordova-

Ionic-

Delivery

Over-the-air code push

Apache Cordova-

Ionic-

Portability

Single codebase, multiple platforms

Apache Cordova✓

Ionic✓

Desktop support

Apache Cordova✓

Ionic✗

Builds for web

Apache Cordova✓

Ionic✓

Capability

Native API access

Apache CordovaPlugin / bridged

IonicPlugin / bridged

Ecosystem

Bundled UI component library

Apache Cordova-

Ionic✓

What each one is

The product in its own terms, so the numbers below have context.

Apache Cordova

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.

Independently observed

Ionic

Leader

An open-source framework that uses standard web technologies to create mobile applications deployable to iOS and Android as native apps or to the web as Progressive Web Apps.

Independently observed

Pricing

List pricing as published by each vendor, with the date we read it. Always verify at the source before you buy.

Apache Cordova

Open sourceFree tier

as of 2026-08-13verify ↗

Ionic

Leader

Open sourceFree tier

Open source, free to use

as of 2026-08-13verify ↗

Platform & deployment

Where each product runs and how it can be hosted. A dash means undocumented, not unsupported.

Platform and deployment support comparison
Supports	Apache Cordova	Ionic
WebPlatforms	✓	✓
iOSPlatforms	✓	✓
AndroidPlatforms	✓	✓
macOSPlatforms	✓	✗
WindowsPlatforms	✓	✗
LinuxPlatforms	✓	✗
CLIPlatforms	✓	✗
Cloud / SaaSDeployment	✗	✓
Self-hostedDeployment	✓	✓
HybridDeployment	✗	✓

Platforms

Web

Apache Cordova✓

Ionic✓

iOS

Apache Cordova✓

Ionic✓

Android

Apache Cordova✓

Ionic✓

macOS

Apache Cordova✓

Ionic✗

Windows

Apache Cordova✓

Ionic✗

Linux

Apache Cordova✓

Ionic✗

CLI

Apache Cordova✓

Ionic✗

Deployment

Cloud / SaaS

Apache Cordova✗

Ionic✓

Self-hosted

Apache Cordova✓

Ionic✓

Hybrid

Apache Cordova✗

Ionic✓

Integrations

What each product connects to. Counts come from the vendor's own integration directory where one exists.

Apache Cordova

14 total

Battery Status
Camera
Device
Dialogs
File
Geolocation
Inappbrowser
Media
Media Capture
Network Information
Screen Orientation
Splashscreen
Statusbar
Vibration

Independently observed

Ionic

Leader

5 total

Cordova
Capacitor
Angular
React
Vue

Independently observed

Comparison generated from independently-sourced facts. Every value links to its source and retrieval date. See the method.