Comparison

HTMX vs Preact

On the evidence we track, Preact leads this comparison with a composite score of 78/100. Scores are only directly comparable because these tools share a category; the full breakdown and every source is below.

Machine formatsMarkdownJSONGraphQLMarkdown is open. JSON and GraphQL need a free key.
HTMX59
★Preact78
Score
vioscaleAI score
HTMX59 / 100medium · 56%
Preact78 / 100medium · 72%
Pricing
Free tier
HTMX✓
Preact✓
Model
Price level
HTMXfree
Preactfree
Adoption
Dependent repos
HTMX348
Preact78,992
Github stars
HTMX49,564
Preact38,926
Package downloads weekly
Activity
Commits last 30d
HTMX30
Preact70
Release
Cadence days
HTMX35
Preact13
History
License
Spdx
HTMX0BSD
PreactMIT
Language
Primary
Content
Faq
Preact4 items

Capabilities

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

Core
Paradigm
HTMXAttribute-driven HTML extension
PreactVirtual DOM component library
Reusable component model
HTMX-
Preact✓
Rendering
Virtual DOM
HTMX✗
Preact✓
Signals / fine-grained reactivity
HTMX-
Preact-
SSR support
HTMX-
Preact✓
DX
First-class TypeScript
HTMX-
Preact-
State
Built-in state management
HTMX✗
Preact✓
Ecosystem
Official router
HTMX-
Preact✓
Performance
Runtime size
HTMXSmall (10–40kb)
PreactTiny (<10kb)

What each one is

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

HTMX

A lightweight, dependency-free JavaScript library that enables dynamic web interactions using HTML attributes instead of extensive JavaScript code, reducing development complexity.

Independently observed

Preact

Leader

A minimal virtual DOM framework providing React-style components and APIs, optimized for tiny bundle size and fast performance across modern browsers.

Independently observed

Pricing

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

HTMX

Open sourceFree tier
as of verify ↗

Preact

Leader
Open sourceFree tier
as of verify ↗

Platform & deployment

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

Platforms
Web
HTMX✓
Preact✓
Still deciding?

HTMX or Preact: which one depends on you

A composite score cannot know your constraints. Describe them and both get re-weighted against what you actually need, with the evidence behind every position.

Free to run, no account needed to start. How the evaluation works

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