Softwr

Developer Tools · head to head

Fig vs shadcn/ui

F

Fig

Developer Tools

IDE-style autocomplete for your existing terminal

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
shadcn/ui logo

shadcn/ui

Web Development

Copy-paste React components you own, not a dependency

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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; shadcn/ui no upgrade path: once copied, upstream fixes and improvements are yours to port by hand
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fig and shadcn/ui actually diverge.

Attributes where Fig and shadcn/ui differ
AttributeFigshadcn/ui
Pricing modelfreemiumOpen source, no licence fee
CategoryDeveloper ToolsWeb Development
Founded2020Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web), 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 Fig

Nothing recorded that shadcn/ui does not also cover.

Only in shadcn/ui

  • Copy, not install
  • Radix primitives
  • Tailwind styling
  • Themeable

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Fig

No use cases recorded yet. See the Fig review.

shadcn/ui

  • Projects already using Tailwind that need accessible components without a theming fightnot Fig
  • Design systems that will diverge from any library’s defaults anywaynot Fig
  • Teams who have been burned by breaking changes in component library upgradesnot Fig

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

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

shadcn/ui

  • No upgrade path: once copied, upstream fixes and improvements are yours to port by hand
  • Requires Tailwind and React, so it is not an option outside that stack
  • Component code lives in your repository, which grows it and puts maintenance on your team
  • Its popularity has made the default look recognisable, which undercuts the customisation argument

Pricing, plan by plan

Fig

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Fig review.

shadcn/ui

Free
  • shadcn/uiFree
    • Full functionality
    • Commercial use permitted
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose Fig if

  • You want to start without paying.
Fig review

Choose shadcn/ui if

  • You need copy, not install.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want radix primitives.
shadcn/ui review

Questions people ask

Is Fig or shadcn/ui better?
Neither clearly leads. Fig starts at Free and shadcn/ui at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fig or shadcn/ui?
Fig starts at Free and shadcn/ui at Free.
Does Fig or shadcn/ui run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Fig for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What can Fig do that shadcn/ui cannot?
shadcn/ui covers Copy, not install, Radix primitives, Tailwind styling, Themeable.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

shadcn/ui: Is shadcn/ui free?

Yes, open source and free for commercial use.

shadcn/ui: Why is it not an npm package?

So you own the code. Components are copied into your project, which makes customisation trivial — at the cost of receiving no automatic updates.

shadcn/ui: Do I need Tailwind?

Yes. Components are styled with Tailwind utility classes and built on Radix primitives, so both are required.

Share

Related pages

More on Fig

More on shadcn/ui

Keep looking

Other head to heads