# Capacitor vs Electron

**Leader by Vioscale score:** Electron

| Attribute | Capacitor | Electron |
|---|---|---|
| **Vioscale score** | 59.4 (69% (medium)) | 66.5 (66% (medium)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | 6 | 100 |
| adoption.dependent_repos | 24,134 | 93,246 |
| adoption.github_stars | 16,391 | 122,722 |
| adoption.package_downloads_weekly | 4,104,659 | - |
| deployment.options | `{"self_hosted":true}` | - |
| description.long | 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. | Electron is a framework for building desktop applications by embedding Chromium and Node.js into its binary, allowing developers to maintain a single JavaScript codebase and create cross-platform apps for Windows, macOS, and Linux. |
| features.capabilities | `{"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"}` | `{"targets":"macOS, Windows, and Linux","approach":"desktop_webview","language":"JavaScript, HTML, and CSS","ota_updates":true,"native_widgets":false,"desktop_support":true,"single_codebase":true,"native_api_access":"plugin_bridged"}` |
| integrations.count | 21 | 3 |
| integrations.list | `[{"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"}]` | `[{"name":"Mac App Store"},{"name":"Microsoft Store"},{"name":"Snap Store"}]` |
| language.primary | TypeScript | C++ |
| license.spdx | MIT | MIT |
| platform.support | `{"cli":true,"ios":true,"web":true,"android":true}` | `{"mac":true,"linux":true,"windows":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"open_source","summary":"Free, open source","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://capacitorjs.com","retrievedAt":"2026-08-14T21:32:22.143Z"}` | `{"type":"open_source","sourceUrl":"https://www.electronjs.org","retrievedAt":"2026-08-13T16:49:04.595Z"}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | yes |
| pricing.model | commercial | commercial |
| pricing.price_level | free | free |
| pricing.transparent | - | yes |
| 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"}]` | `[{"url":"https://github.com/electron/electron/releases/tag/v42.10.1","date":"2026-08-25T21:05:17Z","type":"stable","version":"v42.10.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/electron/electron/releases/tag/v44.0.0","date":"2026-08-25T00:42:28Z","type":"stable","version":"v44.0.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/electron/electron/releases/tag/v42.10.0","date":"2026-08-24T09:54:05Z","type":"stable","version":"v42.10.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/electron/electron/releases/tag/v41.10.7","date":"2026-08-24T23:27:30Z","type":"stable","version":"v41.10.7"},{"url":"https://github.com/electron/electron/releases/tag/v44.0.0-beta.6","date":"2026-08-20T22:27:38Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v44.0.0-beta.6"},{"url":"https://github.com/electron/electron/releases/tag/v43.4.1","date":"2026-08-19T00:06:21Z","type":"stable","version":"v43.4.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/electron/electron/releases/tag/v42.9.3","date":"2026-08-18T18:55:08Z","type":"stable","version":"v42.9.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/electron/electron/releases/tag/v41.10.6","date":"2026-08-18T18:28:23Z","type":"stable","version":"v41.10.6"},{"url":"https://github.com/electron/electron/releases/tag/v44.0.0-beta.5","date":"2026-08-17T22:39:56Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v44.0.0-beta.5"},{"url":"https://github.com/electron/electron/releases/tag/v42.9.2","date":"2026-08-16T23:53:22Z","type":"stable","version":"v42.9.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/electron/electron/releases/tag/v42.9.1","date":"2026-08-15T08:59:27Z","type":"stable","version":"v42.9.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/electron/electron/releases/tag/v44.0.0-beta.4","date":"2026-08-13T22:36:17Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v44.0.0-beta.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/electron/electron/releases/tag/v43.4.0","date":"2026-08-11T19:14:47Z","type":"stable","version":"v43.4.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/electron/electron/releases/tag/v42.9.0","date":"2026-08-11T18:27:09Z","type":"stable","version":"v42.9.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/electron/electron/releases/tag/v41.10.5","date":"2026-08-11T18:14:50Z","type":"stable","version":"v41.10.5"},{"url":"https://github.com/electron/electron/releases/tag/v44.0.0-beta.3","date":"2026-08-10T22:54:47Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v44.0.0-beta.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/electron/electron/releases/tag/v44.0.0-beta.2","date":"2026-08-08T22:03:10Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v44.0.0-beta.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/electron/electron/releases/tag/v44.0.0-beta.1","date":"2026-08-06T01:47:33Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v44.0.0-beta.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/electron/electron/releases/tag/v43.3.0","date":"2026-08-04T18:52:37Z","type":"stable","version":"v43.3.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/electron/electron/releases/tag/v42.8.1","date":"2026-08-04T18:47:19Z","type":"stable","version":"v42.8.1"}]` |
| reliability.status_page | yes | yes |
| security.scorecard | 5.1 | 7.4 |
| 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}` | `{"count":64,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=npm&package_name=electron&per_page=100","last_12m":36,"max_severity":"CRITICAL"}` |

## Capabilities (Mobile App Frameworks)

| Capability | Capacitor | Electron |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Core** |  |  |
| Target platforms | iOS, Android, Progressive Web App | macOS, Windows, and Linux |
| Approach | WebView hybrid | Desktop WebView |
| Primary language | JavaScript, HTML, CSS | JavaScript, HTML, and 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 | Full native | Plugin / bridged |
| **Ecosystem** |  |  |
| Bundled UI component library | - | - |

*Source: Vioscale. Generated 2026-09-01T16:35:00.467Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*