# Apache Cordova vs Capacitor

**Leader by Vioscale score:** Capacitor

| Attribute | Apache Cordova | Capacitor |
|---|---|---|
| **Vioscale score** | 37.2 (53% (medium)) | 59.4 (69% (medium)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | 0 | 6 |
| adoption.dependent_repos | - | 24,134 |
| adoption.github_stars | 709 | 16,391 |
| adoption.package_downloads_weekly | - | 4,104,659 |
| 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. | 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. |
| features.capabilities | `{"targets":"iOS, Android, web, desktop (Electron)","approach":"webview_hybrid","language":"HTML/CSS/JavaScript","web_target":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,"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 | `{"cli":true,"ios":true,"mac":true,"web":true,"linux":true,"android":true,"windows":true}` | `{"cli":true,"ios":true,"web":true,"android":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"open_source","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://cordova.apache.org","retrievedAt":"2026-08-13T16:54:48.330Z"}` | `{"type":"open_source","summary":"Free, open source","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://capacitorjs.com","retrievedAt":"2026-08-14T21:32:22.143Z"}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | yes |
| pricing.model | commercial | commercial |
| pricing.price_level | free | free |
| release.history | - | `[{"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"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/8.3.4","date":"2026-05-12T20:39:01Z","type":"stable","version":"8.3.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/7.6.5","date":"2026-05-12T20:49:34Z","type":"stable","version":"7.6.5"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/9.0.0-alpha.1","date":"2026-05-08T17:21:41Z","type":"prerelease","version":"9.0.0-alpha.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/8.3.3","date":"2026-05-08T17:08:43Z","type":"stable","version":"8.3.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/7.6.4","date":"2026-05-08T17:17:23Z","type":"stable","version":"7.6.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/9.0.0-alpha.0","date":"2026-05-07T17:15:53Z","type":"prerelease","version":"9.0.0-alpha.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/8.3.2","date":"2026-05-07T16:55:22Z","type":"stable","version":"8.3.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor/releases/tag/7.6.3","date":"2026-05-07T16:57:50Z","type":"stable","version":"7.6.3"}]` |
| reliability.status_page | - | yes |
| security.scorecard | 4.1 | 5.1 |
| 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: Vioscale. Generated 2026-09-01T15:22:40.530Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*