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TanStack Start vs Preact

TanStack Start logo

TanStack Start

Web Development

Full-stack React framework with type-safe server functions and TanStack Router

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Preact logo

Preact

Web Development

3kB alternative to React with the same modern API

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: TanStack Start still in Release Candidate status, not yet production stable; 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: TanStack Start covers Full-document SSR with streaming, Preact covers 3kB runtime.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which TanStack Start and Preact actually diverge.

Attributes where TanStack Start and Preact differ
AttributeTanStack StartPreact
Pricing modelopen-sourceOpen source, no licence fee

Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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 TanStack Start

  • Full-document SSR with streaming
  • Type-safe server functions
  • TanStack Router integration
  • Middleware system
  • Server routes and API endpoints
  • Experimental RSC support
  • Vite and Rsbuild support

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.

TanStack Start

  • Building type-safe full-stack React applicationsnot Preact
  • Projects requiring type safety across client and server boundariesnot Preact
  • Applications leveraging advanced routing patterns and nested layoutsnot Preact
  • Deployments across multiple platforms with consistent codebasenot Preact

Preact

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

Where each one falls short

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

TanStack Start

  • Still in Release Candidate status, not yet production stable
  • Smaller community compared to Next.js with less third-party support
  • Documentation not as comprehensive as more established frameworks
  • Less mature ecosystem for edge deployment compared to specialized 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

TanStack Start

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the TanStack Start review.

Preact

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

Which should you pick?

Choose TanStack Start if

  • You need full-document ssr with streaming.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want type-safe server functions.
TanStack Start review

Choose Preact if

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

Questions people ask

Is TanStack Start or Preact better?
Neither clearly leads. TanStack Start 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, TanStack Start or Preact?
TanStack Start starts at Free and Preact at Free.
Does TanStack Start or Preact run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use TanStack Start for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is TanStack Start best used for?
TanStack Start is most often used for building type-safe full-stack react applications, projects requiring type safety across client and server boundaries, applications leveraging advanced routing patterns and nested layouts, deployments across multiple platforms with consistent codebase. Of those, building type-safe full-stack react applications and projects requiring type safety across client and server boundaries are not what Preact is typically brought in for.
What can TanStack Start do that Preact cannot?
TanStack Start covers Full-document SSR with streaming, Type-safe server functions, TanStack Router integration, Middleware system. Preact covers 3kB runtime, preact/compat, Same modern API, Fast rendering.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

TanStack Start: Is TanStack Start production-ready?

TanStack Start is currently in Release Candidate status. While functional and used in production by some teams, it has not yet reached stable v1.

Source
Preact: Is Preact free?

Yes, open source under the MIT licence.

TanStack Start: How do type-safe server functions work in TanStack Start?

Server functions are automatically typed on the client side, enabling IDE autocomplete and type checking when calling server functions from client code.

Source
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.

TanStack Start: What deployment platforms are supported by TanStack Start?

TanStack Start supports Cloudflare Workers, Node.js, Netlify, Railway, and other platforms through custom adapter configuration.

Source
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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