Web Development · head to head
esbuild vs Fig
esbuild
Web Development
Extremely fast JavaScript bundler written in Go
- From
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
F
Fig
Developer Tools
IDE-style autocomplete for your existing terminal
- From
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
The short version
- Each has a real cost: esbuild deliberately does not type-check TypeScript, only strips types, so tsc still runs separately; Fig shut down on 1 September 2024. Amazon acquired Fig in August 2023 and folded it into Amazon Q Developer, which now carries the terminal autocomplete
- Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which esbuild and Fig actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in esbuild
- Very fast builds
- TypeScript support
- Tree shaking and minification
- Simple API
Only in Fig
Nothing recorded that esbuild does not also cover.
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
esbuild
- Build pipelines where bundle time is the bottlenecknot Fig
- Libraries and tools needing a fast, embeddable bundlernot Fig
- Replacing slower bundlers where the plugin ecosystem is not needednot Fig
Fig
No use cases recorded yet. See the Fig review.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
esbuild
- Deliberately does not type-check TypeScript, only strips types, so tsc still runs separately
- Plugin API is far narrower than webpack or Rollup, and complex builds hit its limits
- Code splitting support has historically lagged the more established bundlers
- Frequently used indirectly through Vite, so direct use is a narrower need than the download numbers suggest
Fig
- Shut down on 1 September 2024. Amazon acquired Fig in August 2023 and folded it into Amazon Q Developer, which now carries the terminal autocomplete
- The standalone desktop app is no longer available or supported
- The completion specs remain open source on GitHub, but the product that consumed them is gone
Pricing, plan by plan
esbuild
Free- esbuildFree
- Full functionality
- Commercial use permitted
- Community support
Fig
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Fig review.
Which should you pick?
Choose esbuild if
- You need very fast builds.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, macOS, Windows.
- You also want typescript support.
Questions people ask
- Is esbuild or Fig better?
- Neither clearly leads. esbuild starts at Free and Fig at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, esbuild or Fig?
- esbuild starts at Free and Fig at Free.
- Does esbuild or Fig run on more platforms?
- esbuild runs on Linux, macOS, Windows. Fig runs on Web.
- Can I use esbuild for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is esbuild best used for?
- esbuild is most often used for build pipelines where bundle time is the bottleneck, libraries and tools needing a fast, embeddable bundler, replacing slower bundlers where the plugin ecosystem is not needed. Of those, build pipelines where bundle time is the bottleneck and libraries and tools needing a fast, embeddable bundler are not what Fig is typically brought in for.
- What can esbuild do that Fig cannot?
- esbuild covers Very fast builds, TypeScript support, Tree shaking and minification, Simple API.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
esbuild: Is esbuild free?
Yes, open source under the MIT licence.
esbuild: Does esbuild type-check TypeScript?
No. It strips types for speed and does not check them. Run tsc separately if you need type checking.
esbuild: Do I need esbuild if I use Vite?
You already have it. Vite uses esbuild internally for dependency pre-bundling and transforms.
Related pages
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