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Web Development · head to head

SolidStart vs Rollup

SolidStart logo

SolidStart

Web Development

Full-stack meta-framework for SolidJS with fine-grained reactivity

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Rollup logo

Rollup

Web Development

JavaScript module bundler built for libraries

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: SolidStart smaller ecosystem compared to Next.js or Remix due to relative newness; Rollup slower than the Go and Rust bundlers that followed it, since it is written in JavaScript
  • They diverge on capability: SolidStart covers Fine-grained reactivity, Rollup covers Tree shaking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which SolidStart and Rollup actually diverge.

Attributes where SolidStart and Rollup differ
AttributeSolidStartRollup
Pricing modelopen-sourceOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWebLinux, macOS, Windows

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 SolidStart

  • Fine-grained reactivity
  • Server actions
  • Single-flight mutations
  • Request deduplication
  • Multi-router support
  • Automatic API generation
  • Vite integration

Only in Rollup

  • Tree shaking
  • Clean output
  • Multiple output formats
  • Plugin API

What people use each for

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

SolidStart

  • Building lightweight full-stack applications with minimal runtime overheadnot Rollup
  • Projects requiring fine-grained reactivity and automatic dependency trackingnot Rollup
  • Applications targeting multiple deployment platforms with single codebasenot Rollup
  • Teams prioritizing performance and small bundle sizesnot Rollup

Rollup

  • Publishing a JavaScript library in several module formatsnot SolidStart
  • Builds where output size and cleanliness matter more than build speednot SolidStart
  • Producing ES module output for consumers who will bundle it themselvesnot SolidStart

Where each one falls short

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

SolidStart

  • Smaller ecosystem compared to Next.js or Remix due to relative newness
  • SolidJS less familiar to developers with React experience
  • Community documentation not as extensive as larger frameworks
  • Limited third-party UI component libraries compared to React ecosystem

Rollup

  • Slower than the Go and Rust bundlers that followed it, since it is written in JavaScript
  • Application concerns like dev servers and hot reloading are not its job, so app builds need Vite on top
  • Configuration for non-trivial applications gets verbose compared with tools that assume more

Pricing, plan by plan

SolidStart

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the SolidStart review.

Rollup

Free
  • RollupFree
    • Full functionality
    • Commercial use permitted
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose SolidStart if

  • You need fine-grained reactivity.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want server actions.
SolidStart review

Choose Rollup if

  • You need tree shaking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want clean output.
Rollup review

Questions people ask

Is SolidStart or Rollup better?
Neither clearly leads. SolidStart starts at Free and Rollup at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, SolidStart or Rollup?
SolidStart starts at Free and Rollup at Free.
Does SolidStart or Rollup run on more platforms?
SolidStart runs on Web. Rollup runs on Linux, macOS, Windows.
Can I use SolidStart for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is SolidStart best used for?
SolidStart is most often used for building lightweight full-stack applications with minimal runtime overhead, projects requiring fine-grained reactivity and automatic dependency tracking, applications targeting multiple deployment platforms with single codebase, teams prioritizing performance and small bundle sizes. Of those, building lightweight full-stack applications with minimal runtime overhead and projects requiring fine-grained reactivity and automatic dependency tracking are not what Rollup is typically brought in for.
What can SolidStart do that Rollup cannot?
SolidStart covers Fine-grained reactivity, Server actions, Single-flight mutations, Request deduplication. Rollup covers Tree shaking, Clean output, Multiple output formats, Plugin API.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

SolidStart: What is SolidJS and how does it differ from React?

SolidJS uses fine-grained reactivity and automatic dependency tracking instead of React's virtual DOM, resulting in smaller bundles and better performance.

Source
Rollup: Is Rollup free?

Yes, open source under the MIT licence.

SolidStart: How many deployment platforms does SolidStart support?

SolidStart supports over 20 deployment platforms including Cloudflare, Netlify, Vercel, Deno, AWS, and Azure through Vite plugins.

Source
Rollup: Rollup or webpack?

Rollup is the usual choice for libraries thanks to cleaner output and better tree shaking. webpack remains stronger for complex applications with heavy asset handling.

SolidStart: Can I use TanStack Router with SolidStart?

Yes, SolidStart supports using either the official Solid Router or TanStack Router depending on project requirements.

Source
Rollup: Do I need Rollup if I use Vite?

Not directly. Vite uses Rollup for production builds, so you already benefit from it.

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