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Preact vs Sourcegraph

Preact logo

Preact

Web Development

3kB alternative to React with the same modern API

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Sourcegraph logo

Sourcegraph

Developer Tools

Code search and intelligence platform for large codebases with Cody AI assistant

From
$16000/year
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Preact has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Preact compatibility through preact/compat is good but not total, and some React libraries break in ways that are hard to diagnose; Sourcegraph enterprise pricing starting at $16k annually creates significant barrier for small teams
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Preact and Sourcegraph actually diverge.

Attributes where Preact and Sourcegraph differ
AttributePreactSourcegraph
Starting priceFree$16000/year
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebCloud, Self-hosted
CategoryWeb DevelopmentDeveloper Tools

Identical on both: 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 Preact

  • 3kB runtime
  • preact/compat
  • Same modern API
  • Fast rendering

Only in Sourcegraph

Nothing recorded that Preact does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Preact

  • Embedded widgets that load inside someone else’s page and must stay smallnot Sourcegraph
  • Marketing and content sites where JavaScript payload affects Core Web Vitalsnot Sourcegraph
  • Applications targeting low-bandwidth or low-powered devicesnot Sourcegraph

Sourcegraph

  • Large-scale code migrations across hundreds of repositoriesnot Preact
  • Enterprise governance and code ownership trackingnot Preact
  • AI-assisted bug hunting and security pattern detectionnot Preact
  • Onboarding engineers into large unfamiliar codebasesnot Preact
  • Regulatory compliance and code audit trailsnot Preact

Where each one falls short

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

Preact

  • Compatibility through preact/compat is good but not total, and some React libraries break in ways that are hard to diagnose
  • Behavioural differences from React exist in edge cases, particularly around event handling
  • A much smaller community, so unusual problems have fewer existing answers than React

Sourcegraph

  • Enterprise pricing starting at $16k annually creates significant barrier for small teams
  • No free tier or standard plan published; all options require custom sales engagement
  • Complex enterprise-only positioning limits adoption compared to GitHub Copilot's pervasiveness
  • Requires indexing entire codebase; not suitable for small or ephemeral projects

Pricing, plan by plan

Preact

Free
  • PreactFree
    • Full library
    • Commercial use permitted
    • No usage limits

Sourcegraph

$16000/year
  • Enterprise$16000/year
    • Scales with team size
    • Credits for AI features per user
    • Deep Search

Which should you pick?

Choose Preact if

  • You need 3kb runtime.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want preact/compat.
Preact review

Choose Sourcegraph if

  • You work on Cloud, Self-hosted.
Sourcegraph review

Questions people ask

Is Preact or Sourcegraph better?
Neither clearly leads. Preact starts at Free and Sourcegraph at $16000/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Preact or Sourcegraph?
Preact has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Preact and $16000/year for Sourcegraph.
Does Preact or Sourcegraph run on more platforms?
Preact runs on Web. Sourcegraph runs on Cloud, Self-hosted.
Can I use Preact for free?
Yes. Preact has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Sourcegraph starts at $16000/year.
What is Preact best used for?
Preact is most often used for embedded widgets that load inside someone else’s page and must stay small, marketing and content sites where javascript payload affects core web vitals, applications targeting low-bandwidth or low-powered devices. Of those, embedded widgets that load inside someone else’s page and must stay small and marketing and content sites where javascript payload affects core web vitals are not what Sourcegraph is typically brought in for.
What can Preact do that Sourcegraph cannot?
Preact covers 3kB runtime, preact/compat, Same modern API, Fast rendering.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Preact: Is Preact free?

Yes, open source under the MIT licence.

Preact: Can I use React libraries with Preact?

Most, through the preact/compat layer. Compatibility is good but not complete, so libraries relying on React internals can break.

Preact: Why choose Preact over React?

Bundle size, almost always. If payload is not a binding constraint, React’s ecosystem is usually the better trade.

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