@emotion/react vs styled-components
Side-by-side comparison of @emotion/react and styled-components
- Weekly Downloads
- 14.2M
- Stars
- 18.0K
- Gzip Size
- 12.1 kB
- License
- MIT
- Last Updated
- 3mo ago
- Open Issues
- 367
- Forks
- 1.1K
- Unpacked Size
- 816.8 kB
- Dependencies
- 15
- Weekly Downloads
- 8.1M
- Stars
- 41.0K
- Gzip Size
- 19.8 kB
- License
- MIT
- Last Updated
- 17h ago
- Open Issues
- 336
- Forks
- 2.5K
- Unpacked Size
- 1.8 MB
- Dependencies
- 7
Download Trends
Verdict
@emotion/react excels in delivering simple styling solutions for React applications, focusing on performance with a significantly smaller bundle size and a substantial weekly download rate. Its lightweight nature and integration with existing projects make it suitable for teams with a focus on CSS-in-JS without the overhead of extensive styling frameworks.
On the other hand, styled-components offers a more feature-rich experience, providing strong type support and flexibility for styling React components. This package may be more appealing to larger teams or projects that require extensive component styling and can manage the slightly larger bundle size and dependencies associated with it.
When considering transition or integration, @emotion/react's smaller footprint is advantageous for projects seeking efficiency, while styled-components can be an excellent choice for teams already familiar with its concept and looking to leverage its full capabilities in component-driven development.
Detailed Comparison
| Criteria | @emotion/react | styled-components |
|---|---|---|
| License | Uses the permissive MIT license. | Also uses the permissive MIT license. |
| Version | Version 11.14.0 provides recent updates. | ✓Version 6.3.9 is relatively newer but still mature. |
| Description | Focuses on simple styling for React. | Offers flexible styling with strong typing for components. |
| Open Issues | 367 open issues indicate ongoing development concerns. | 336 open issues show a similar level of maintenance. |
| GitHub Forks | 1.1K forks indicate good community interest. | ✓2.5K forks suggest a more engaged developer community. |
| GitHub Stars | 18.0K stars reflect solid community support. | ✓41.0K stars suggest a larger popularity. |
| Last Updated | Last updated on 2025-11-04, indicating active maintenance. | ✓Latest update on 2026-02-08 shows more recent activity. |
| Unpacked Size | ✓More lightweight at 816.8 kB, beneficial for performance. | Larger at 1.8 MB, which may impact performance slightly. |
| Learning Curve | ✓Generally considered to have a lower learning curve. | Might have a steeper learning curve due to its advanced features. |
| Target Use Case | Ideal for projects needing simple and efficient styling. | Great for applications requiring complex styled component architectures. |
| Weekly Downloads | ✓Higher at 14.2M weekly downloads, indicating strong usage. | Lower at 8.1M weekly downloads, but still widely used. |
| Bundle Size (gzip) | ✓Minimal at 12.1 kB, favoring faster load times. | Larger at 19.8 kB, which may result in a slower load. |