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Developer Tools · head to head

RAD Studio vs Storybook

RAD Studio logo

RAD Studio

Developer Tools

Cross-platform native app development with Delphi and C++Builder

From
$2000/perpetual
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Storybook logo

Storybook

Technology

Build component driven UIs faster

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Storybook has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: RAD Studio professional edition costs $2,000 for the perpetual license plus $599 for year one maintenance, totaling $2,599 before tax; Storybook requires JavaScript framework knowledge for full utilization
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which RAD Studio and Storybook actually diverge.

Attributes where RAD Studio and Storybook differ
AttributeRAD StudioStorybook
Starting price$2000/perpetualFree
Pricing modelone-timeUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, React Native, iOS, Android, Flutter
CategoryDeveloper ToolsTechnology
FoundedUnknown2017

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 RAD Studio

Nothing recorded that Storybook does not also cover.

Only in Storybook

  • Component isolation
  • Interactive development
  • Visual testing
  • Documentation generation
  • Accessibility testing
  • Interaction testing
  • Addons ecosystem
  • Hot module reloading

What people use each for

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

RAD Studio

  • Building Windows desktop applications with VCL componentsnot Storybook
  • Creating iOS and Android apps from shared Delphi codebasenot Storybook
  • Connecting to Oracle databases through FireDAC connectivitynot Storybook
  • Building REST web services that run on Linux serversnot Storybook

Storybook

  • Component developmentnot RAD Studio
  • Design system documentationnot RAD Studio
  • Visual regression testingnot RAD Studio
  • UI component showcasenot RAD Studio
  • Team collaborationnot RAD Studio

Where each one falls short

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

RAD Studio

  • Professional edition costs $2,000 for the perpetual license plus $599 for year one maintenance, totaling $2,599 before tax
  • Enterprise edition steps up to $3,400 license plus $1,199 maintenance, and Architect edition to $4,416 license plus $2,183 maintenance
  • The perpetual license only entitles the buyer to updates for one year; continued access to new updates and upgrades requires an annually renewable Update Subscription

Storybook

  • Requires JavaScript framework knowledge for full utilization
  • Limited native support for non-web platforms compared to specialized tools

Pricing, plan by plan

RAD Studio

$2000/perpetual
  • Professional Edition$2000/perpetual
    • Perpetual License
    • First year maintenance $599
    • Total $2,599 + Tax
  • Enterprise Edition$3400/perpetual
    • Perpetual License
    • First year maintenance $1,199
    • Total $4,599 + Tax
  • Architect Edition$4416/perpetual
    • Perpetual License
    • First year maintenance $2,183
    • Total $6,599 + Tax

Storybook

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Storybook review.

Which should you pick?

Choose RAD Studio if

Nothing in the data separates RAD Studio from Storybook on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

RAD Studio review

Choose Storybook if

  • You need component isolation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, React Native, iOS, Android, Flutter.
  • You also want interactive development.
Storybook review

Questions people ask

Is RAD Studio or Storybook better?
Neither clearly leads. RAD Studio starts at $2000/perpetual and Storybook at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, RAD Studio or Storybook?
Storybook has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $2000/perpetual for RAD Studio and Free for Storybook.
Does RAD Studio or Storybook run on more platforms?
RAD Studio runs on Web. Storybook runs on Web, React Native, iOS, Android, Flutter.
Can I use Storybook for free?
Yes. Storybook has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. RAD Studio starts at $2000/perpetual.
What is RAD Studio best used for?
RAD Studio is most often used for building windows desktop applications with vcl components, creating ios and android apps from shared delphi codebase, connecting to oracle databases through firedac connectivity, building rest web services that run on linux servers. Of those, building windows desktop applications with vcl components and creating ios and android apps from shared delphi codebase are not what Storybook is typically brought in for.
What can RAD Studio do that Storybook cannot?
Storybook covers Component isolation, Interactive development, Visual testing, Documentation generation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

RAD Studio: How much does RAD Studio cost?

RAD Studio uses perpetual licensing: Professional Edition $2,000 perpetual license + $599 first year maintenance ($2,599 total + tax). Enterprise Edition $3,400 license + $1,199 maintenance ($4,599 total + tax). Architect Edition $4,416 license + $2,183 maintenance ($6,599 total + tax).

Source
Storybook: Is Storybook free and open source?

Yes, Storybook is completely free and open source with source code hosted on GitHub. It has 2,282 contributors and approximately 83.58 million monthly installations.

Source
RAD Studio: What is the difference between RAD Studio editions?

Professional Edition ($2,599 total + tax) targets individual developers. Enterprise Edition ($4,599 total + tax) adds multi-tier app capabilities. Architect Edition ($6,599 total + tax) includes advanced database and cloud features. All three include perpetual licenses.

Source
Storybook: What frameworks does Storybook support?

Storybook integrates with React, Vue, Angular, Svelte, and has been extended to support React Native, Android, iOS, and Flutter for mobile development.

Source
RAD Studio: Does RAD Studio offer Kai AI integration and discounts?

Yes, adding Kai AI to any edition provides discounts: 25% off Professional ($2,136 + tax), 30% off Enterprise ($3,394 + tax), and 40% off Architect ($4,109 + tax). This promotion is active through August 31, 2026.

Source
Storybook: What are the main capabilities of Storybook?

Storybook enables component development in isolation, interaction testing, visual testing, documentation, and sharing components with designers and stakeholders.

Source
Storybook: How is Storybook maintained?

Storybook is maintained by a community of 2,282 contributors. It originated from a startup called Kadira, was handed to the community in 2017, and has been community-driven since Storybook 3.0.

Source
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