# Axum vs Express

**Leader by vioscaleAI score:** Express

| Attribute | Axum | Express |
|---|---|---|
| **vioscaleAI score** | 49.3 (52% (medium)) | 75.7 (77% (high)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | 22 | 10 |
| adoption.dependent_repos | 4,645 | 1,853,938 |
| adoption.github_stars | 27,453 | 69,528 |
| adoption.package_downloads_weekly | - | 168,467,798 |
| adoption.stackoverflow_questions | - | 96,000 |
| content.faq | `[{"answer":"A Rust library enabling declarative HTTP routing, request data parsing, and response generation for web service development with minimal boilerplate It is indexed under Backend Frameworks.","source":"https://github.com/pricing","question":"What is Axum?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Axum 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://github.com/pricing","question":"Is Axum free to use?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. Axum 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/tokio-rs/axum","question":"Is Axum open source?","confidence":0.95}]` | `[{"answer":"A minimal framework providing essential routing, middleware, and HTTP utilities for building web applications and APIs in Node.js without imposing architectural constraints. It is indexed under Web Frameworks.","source":"https://expressjs.com","question":"What is Express?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Express 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://expressjs.com","question":"Is Express free to use?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Express supports the web and a command-line interface. Platforms we have not confirmed are simply not listed here rather than ruled out.","source":"https://expressjs.com","question":"What platforms does Express support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. Express can be deployed cloud / SaaS, on-premise and self-hosted, so it does not have to run on the vendor's infrastructure.","source":"https://expressjs.com","question":"Can Express be self-hosted?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have confirmed 13 integrations for Express, including Cassandra, Couchbase, CouchDB, LevelDB, MySQL, MongoDB, Neo4j and Oracle, plus 5 more. This is what we could verify from public sources, so the vendor may support others we have not indexed.","source":"https://expressjs.com","question":"What does Express integrate with?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. Express 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/expressjs/express","question":"Is Express open source?","confidence":0.99},{"answer":"Express is available worldwide. Its primary market is the United States. The vendor is headquartered in the United States.","source":"https://expressjs.com","question":"Where is Express available?","confidence":0.95}]` |
| deployment.options | - | `{"cloud":true,"on_prem":true,"self_hosted":true}` |
| description.long | A Rust library enabling declarative HTTP routing, request data parsing, and response generation for web service development with minimal boilerplate | A flexible web framework providing essential features for web applications and APIs while allowing developers to choose their own complementary tools and libraries. |
| features.capabilities | `{"api_first":true,"async_model":"event-loop-async","language_runtime":"Rust"}` | `{"language":"JavaScript","api_routes":true,"hot_reload":false,"edge_runtime":false,"file_routing":false,"license_type":"MIT/BSD","orm_included":false,"streaming_ssr":false,"language_runtime":"JS/TS","typescript_first":false,"server_components":false,"architecture_style":"minimalist","templating_included":true}` |
| integrations.count | - | 13 |
| integrations.list | - | `[{"name":"Cassandra"},{"name":"Couchbase"},{"name":"CouchDB"},{"name":"LevelDB"},{"name":"MySQL"},{"name":"MongoDB"},{"name":"Neo4j"},{"name":"Oracle"},{"name":"PostgreSQL"},{"name":"Redis"},{"name":"SQL Server"},{"name":"SQLite"},{"name":"Elasticsearch"}]` |
| language.primary | Rust | JavaScript |
| license.spdx | MIT | MIT |
| market.availability | - | `{"source":"https://expressjs.com","hqCountry":"US","confidence":0.95,"primaryMarkets":["US"],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` |
| platform.support | - | `{"cli":true,"web":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"open_source","sourceUrl":"https://github.com/pricing","retrievedAt":"2026-10-12T15:24:45.199Z"}` | `{"type":"open_source","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://expressjs.com","retrievedAt":"2026-10-05T10:08:30.684Z"}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | yes |
| pricing.model | open_source | open_source |
| pricing.price_level | free | free |
| pricing.transparent | - | yes |
| release.cadence_days | - | 4 |
| release.history | `[{"url":"https://github.com/tokio-rs/axum/releases/tag/axum-v0.8.9","date":"2026-04-14T09:39:51Z","type":"stable","version":"axum-v0.8.9"},{"url":"https://github.com/tokio-rs/axum/releases/tag/axum-macros-v0.5.1","date":"2026-04-14T09:38:41Z","type":"stable","version":"axum-macros-v0.5.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/tokio-rs/axum/releases/tag/axum-extra-v0.12.6","date":"2026-04-14T09:38:05Z","type":"stable","version":"axum-extra-v0.12.6"},{"url":"https://github.com/tokio-rs/axum/releases/tag/axum-core-v0.5.6","date":"2025-12-27T09:20:22Z","type":"stable","version":"axum-core-v0.5.6"},{"url":"https://github.com/tokio-rs/axum/releases/tag/axum-v0.8.8","date":"2025-12-20T16:30:57Z","type":"stable","version":"axum-v0.8.8"},{"url":"https://github.com/tokio-rs/axum/releases/tag/axum-extra-v0.12.3","date":"2025-12-20T16:31:25Z","type":"stable","version":"axum-extra-v0.12.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/tokio-rs/axum/releases/tag/axum-v0.8.7","date":"2025-11-14T21:21:07Z","type":"stable","version":"axum-v0.8.7"},{"url":"https://github.com/tokio-rs/axum/releases/tag/axum-extra-v0.12.2","date":"2025-11-14T21:22:28Z","type":"stable","version":"axum-extra-v0.12.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/tokio-rs/axum/releases/tag/axum-extra-v0.12.0","date":"2025-10-31T20:28:26Z","type":"stable","version":"axum-extra-v0.12.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/tokio-rs/axum/releases/tag/axum-v0.8.5","date":"2025-09-28T19:14:00Z","type":"stable","version":"axum-v0.8.5"},{"url":"https://github.com/tokio-rs/axum/releases/tag/axum-extra-v0.10.2","date":"2025-09-28T19:14:47Z","type":"stable","version":"axum-extra-v0.10.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/tokio-rs/axum/releases/tag/axum-core-v0.5.4","date":"2025-09-28T21:12:13Z","type":"stable","version":"axum-core-v0.5.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/tokio-rs/axum/releases/tag/axum-core-v0.5.3","date":"2025-09-28T19:13:22Z","type":"stable","version":"axum-core-v0.5.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/tokio-rs/axum/releases/tag/axum-v0.8.4","date":"2025-04-30T16:12:40Z","type":"stable","version":"axum-v0.8.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/tokio-rs/axum/releases/tag/axum-v0.8.3","date":"2025-03-28T16:30:33Z","type":"stable","version":"axum-v0.8.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/tokio-rs/axum/releases/tag/axum-extra-v0.10.1","date":"2025-03-28T16:31:05Z","type":"stable","version":"axum-extra-v0.10.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/tokio-rs/axum/releases/tag/axum-core-v0.5.2","date":"2025-03-28T16:30:07Z","type":"stable","version":"axum-core-v0.5.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/tokio-rs/axum/releases/tag/axum-v0.8.2","date":"2025-01-21T17:09:06Z","type":"stable","version":"axum-v0.8.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/tokio-rs/axum/releases/tag/axum-extra-v0.11.0","date":"2025-01-21T17:09:52Z","type":"stable","version":"axum-extra-v0.11.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/tokio-rs/axum/releases/tag/axum-core-v0.5.1","date":"2025-01-21T17:08:36Z","type":"stable","version":"axum-core-v0.5.1"}]` | `[{"url":"https://github.com/expressjs/express/releases/tag/v4.22.2","date":"2026-05-11T18:54:02Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.22.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/expressjs/express/releases/tag/v5.2.1","date":"2025-12-01T20:54:44Z","type":"stable","version":"v5.2.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/expressjs/express/releases/tag/v5.2.0","date":"2025-12-01T16:21:03Z","type":"stable","version":"v5.2.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/expressjs/express/releases/tag/v4.22.1","date":"2025-12-01T20:55:45Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.22.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/expressjs/express/releases/tag/4.22.0","date":"2025-12-01T16:19:48Z","type":"stable","version":"4.22.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/expressjs/express/releases/tag/v5.0.1","date":"2024-10-08T19:41:00Z","type":"stable","version":"v5.0.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/expressjs/express/releases/tag/v5.1.0","date":"2025-03-31T14:04:44Z","type":"stable","version":"v5.1.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/expressjs/express/releases/tag/4.21.2","date":"2024-12-05T22:41:41Z","type":"stable","version":"4.21.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/expressjs/express/releases/tag/4.21.1","date":"2024-10-08T18:38:48Z","type":"stable","version":"4.21.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/expressjs/express/releases/tag/4.21.0","date":"2024-09-11T22:34:26Z","type":"stable","version":"4.21.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/expressjs/express/releases/tag/v5.0.0","date":"2024-09-10T04:51:37Z","type":"stable","version":"v5.0.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/expressjs/express/releases/tag/4.20.0","date":"2024-09-10T02:06:04Z","type":"stable","version":"4.20.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/expressjs/express/releases/tag/v5.0.0-beta.3","date":"2024-03-25T14:59:35Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v5.0.0-beta.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/expressjs/express/releases/tag/4.19.2","date":"2024-03-25T14:32:36Z","type":"stable","version":"4.19.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/expressjs/express/releases/tag/5.0.0-beta.2","date":"2024-03-25T14:59:09Z","type":"prerelease","version":"5.0.0-beta.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/expressjs/express/releases/tag/4.19.1","date":"2024-03-25T14:31:15Z","type":"stable","version":"4.19.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/expressjs/express/releases/tag/4.19.0","date":"2024-03-20T16:43:00Z","type":"stable","version":"4.19.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/expressjs/express/releases/tag/4.18.3","date":"2024-02-29T11:44:48Z","type":"stable","version":"4.18.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/expressjs/express/releases/tag/4.18.2","date":"2022-10-08T20:12:36Z","type":"stable","version":"4.18.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/expressjs/express/releases/tag/4.18.1","date":"2022-04-29T19:32:52Z","type":"stable","version":"4.18.1"}]` |
| security.disclosure_policy | - | yes |
| security.scorecard | 5.5 | 8.9 |
| security.trust_center | https://github.com/security | https://expressjs.com/en/advanced/security-updates |
| security.vulnerabilities | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=cargo&package_name=axum&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` | `{"count":6,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=npm&package_name=express&per_page=100","last_12m":1,"max_severity":"MODERATE"}` |

## Capabilities (Backend Frameworks)

| Capability | Axum | Express |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Capabilities** |  |  |
| Language runtime | Rust | JS/TS |
| Architecture style | - | Minimalist |
| Async model | Event loop async | - |
| Orm included | - | ✗ |
| Templating included | - | ✓ |
| Dependency injection | - | - |
| CLI scaffolding | - | - |
| Openapi autogen | - | - |
| Websocket support | - | - |
| Background jobs included | - | - |
| Testing framework included | - | - |
| API first | ✓ | - |
| Admin UI generated | - | - |
| License type | - | MIT/BSD |

*Source: vioscaleAI. Generated 2026-10-16T21:20:07.887Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*