Web Development · head to head
SolidJS vs Preact
SolidJS
Web Development
Reactive JavaScript framework with no virtual DOM
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Preact
Web Development
3kB alternative to React with the same modern API
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: SolidJS much smaller ecosystem than React, so many problems have no off-the-shelf library; Preact compatibility through preact/compat is good but not total, and some React libraries break in ways that are hard to diagnose
- They diverge on capability: SolidJS covers No virtual DOM, Preact covers 3kB runtime.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which SolidJS and Preact actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Open source, no licence fee), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Web Development).
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 SolidJS
- No virtual DOM
- Components run once
- JSX syntax
- Small bundles
Only in Preact
- 3kB runtime
- preact/compat
- Same modern API
- Fast rendering
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
SolidJS
- Interfaces where update performance is the binding constraintnot Preact
- Teams comfortable with React syntax who want finer-grained reactivitynot Preact
- Applications where bundle size directly affects the businessnot Preact
Preact
- Embedded widgets that load inside someone else’s page and must stay smallnot SolidJS
- Marketing and content sites where JavaScript payload affects Core Web Vitalsnot SolidJS
- Applications targeting low-bandwidth or low-powered devicesnot SolidJS
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
SolidJS
- Much smaller ecosystem than React, so many problems have no off-the-shelf library
- The React-like syntax is misleading: components run once, and React habits produce subtle bugs
- Smaller hiring pool and fewer learning resources than the mainstream frameworks
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
Pricing, plan by plan
SolidJS
Free- SolidJSFree
- Full library
- Commercial use permitted
- No usage limits
Preact
Free- PreactFree
- Full library
- Commercial use permitted
- No usage limits
Which should you pick?
Choose SolidJS if
- You need no virtual dom.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want components run once.
Choose Preact if
- You need 3kb runtime.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want preact/compat.
Questions people ask
- Is SolidJS or Preact better?
- Neither clearly leads. SolidJS starts at Free and Preact at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, SolidJS or Preact?
- SolidJS starts at Free and Preact at Free.
- Does SolidJS or Preact run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use SolidJS for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is SolidJS best used for?
- SolidJS is most often used for interfaces where update performance is the binding constraint, teams comfortable with react syntax who want finer-grained reactivity, applications where bundle size directly affects the business. Of those, interfaces where update performance is the binding constraint and teams comfortable with react syntax who want finer-grained reactivity are not what Preact is typically brought in for.
- What can SolidJS do that Preact cannot?
- SolidJS covers No virtual DOM, Components run once, JSX syntax, Small bundles. Preact covers 3kB runtime, preact/compat, Same modern API, Fast rendering.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
SolidJS: Is SolidJS free?
Yes, open source under the MIT licence.
Preact: Is Preact free?
Yes, open source under the MIT licence.
SolidJS: Is SolidJS just React without the virtual DOM?
The syntax is similar but the model is not. Solid components run once and reactivity is fine-grained, so patterns that are correct in React can be wrong in Solid.
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.
SolidJS: Why is SolidJS fast?
It compiles away much of the framework and updates individual DOM nodes directly, rather than re-rendering components and diffing a virtual DOM.
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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