Preact vs React: Complete Comparison Guide
Compare Preact and React on bundle size, compatibility, performance, and ecosystem. Discover when the lightweight alternative is the better choice.
Preact
A lightweight alternative to React at just 3kb (gzipped). Preact offers the same modern API as React including hooks, but with a much smaller footprint. Via preact/compat it is largely API-compatible with React, allowing many React libraries to be used directly.
React
The most popular JavaScript library for UI development, with over 40% market share. React provides a full-featured ecosystem, concurrent features, Server Components, and the best tooling support. The library is developed by Meta and forms the foundation for Next.js, Remix, and thousands of other tools.
Comparison table
| Feature | Preact | React |
|---|---|---|
| Bundle size | 3kb gzipped — approximately 13x smaller than React | Approximately 40kb gzipped for React + ReactDOM |
| API compatibility | Largely compatible via preact/compat (hooks, context, refs) | The reference API — all libraries are built for it |
| Concurrent features | Not supported — no concurrent mode or Suspense integration | Full — concurrent rendering, Suspense, transitions |
| Server Components | Not supported — no RSC equivalent | Fully supported via Next.js App Router |
| Performance | Fast initial load thanks to small bundle, good runtime | Heavier initial but optimized with concurrent rendering |
Verdict
Preact is an impressive achievement: it offers 95% of the React experience in just 3kb. For projects where bundle size is the deciding factor — widgets, embeds, mobile sites — Preact is the logical choice. React, however, is the complete package with Server Components, concurrent rendering, and the largest ecosystem. Most React libraries work via preact/compat, but edge cases and advanced features are not always supported. Choose Preact for lightweight applications, React for full-featured ones.
Our recommendation
At MG Software, we choose React by default for its full feature set, seamless integration with Next.js, and the certainty that all libraries and tools are compatible. We recommend Preact specifically for embedded widgets and scenarios where the application is loaded as a third party on external websites. In that context, the 3kb footprint is a significant advantage. For all other projects, React provides more value through Server Components and the broader ecosystem.
Frequently asked questions
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