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NextUI vs Shadcn: Which One is Better in 2025?

Choosing between NextUI and Shadcn? Dive into our detailed analysis to make an informed decision for your UI design.

When it comes to choosing a UI framework, developers often find themselves comparing various options to determine the best fit for their projects. In this article, we delve into a detailed comparison between NextUI and Shadcn.

We'll explore their features, pricing, and limitations to help you make an informed decision. Whether you're a seasoned developer or just starting out, understanding these frameworks can significantly impact your workflow and project outcomes.

Overview of NextUI and Shadcn

What is NextUI?

NextUI

HeroUI, previously known as NextUI, is a React UI library designed to help developers build web applications that are both visually appealing and performant. It emphasizes accessibility, customization, and a seamless developer experience.

Key features include customizable themes, automatic dark mode recognition, and a fully-typed API to minimize the learning curve. Built on Tailwind CSS, HeroUI ensures no runtime styles and a minimal bundle size, making it a practical choice for modern web development.

What is Shadcn?

Shadcn

Shadcn provides beautifully designed, open-source components that can be copied and pasted into applications. These components are built using Tailwind CSS.

Key features include a collection of pre-designed components and various interactive elements like calendars and team management. The tool also offers practical examples to demonstrate the use of its components.

Features of NextUI & Shadcn

Similarities

Both NextUI and Shadcn offer a range of features that cater to modern web development needs.

  • Tailwind CSS Integration: Both frameworks utilize Tailwind CSS for styling, ensuring a streamlined and efficient development process.
  • Component Libraries: Each provides a comprehensive library of pre-designed components, making it easier to build applications quickly.
  • Customization Options: They offer extensive customization capabilities, allowing developers to tailor components to fit specific project requirements.
  • Dark Mode Support: Both frameworks include built-in support for dark mode, enhancing user experience across different environments.
  • Accessibility: Ensuring accessible design is a priority for both, adhering to best practices to make applications usable for everyone.

Differences

Here are the most significant differences in features between NextUI and Shadcn:

  • Pro Version: NextUI offers a Pro version with additional components and templates, while Shadcn does not provide a premium tier.
  • React Server Components: NextUI includes support for React Server Components, enhancing server-side rendering capabilities, which Shadcn lacks.
  • Focus Interactions: NextUI features focus interactions that appear only when navigating with a keyboard or screen reader, a feature not present in Shadcn.
  • Example Applications: Shadcn provides a variety of example applications for different use cases, whereas NextUI does not offer this.
  • Team and Cookie Management: Shadcn includes functionalities for team member and cookie settings management, which are not available in NextUI.

Pricing of NextUI & Shadcn

NextUI Pricing

NextUI offers a range of pricing plans designed to cater to different user needs and organizational sizes.

  • Solo Plan: $249 (one-time payment plus local taxes)
    • Single user license
    • Access to all components
    • Lifetime access
    • Unlimited projects
    • Customer support
    • Free updates
    • All Figma files included
  • Startup Plan: $399 (one-time payment plus local taxes)
    • 5 user licenses
    • Access to all components
    • Lifetime access
    • Unlimited projects
    • Priority tech support
    • Customer support
    • Free updates
    • All Figma files included
  • Organization Plan: $799 (one-time payment plus local taxes)
    • 25 user licenses
    • Access to all components
    • Lifetime access
    • Unlimited projects
    • Priority tech support
    • Customer support
    • Free updates
    • All Figma files included

Shadcn Pricing

Shadcn offers a variety of beautifully designed components, but specific pricing details are not readily available on their website. For precise information, users are encouraged to contact the company's support team.

  • Shadcn does not list specific pricing plans on their website.
  • For detailed pricing information, users need to reach out to Shadcn's support team.

Reviews of NextUI & Shadcn

NextUI Reviews

NextUI has received an overall rating of 4.8 out of 5. While users generally appreciate its features, some have found certain aspects less than ideal.

"The library is great, but the documentation could be more comprehensive." - Gus, 3.5/5

"NextUI is powerful, but the initial setup can be a bit challenging for beginners." - Noah Youngs, 3.8/5

Shadcn Reviews

Shadcn has an overall rating of 4.8 out of 5. Users found the UI library to be high quality and minimalist, but some mentioned that it could be more comprehensive. Additionally, the initial setup was noted as challenging for beginners.

"The library is great, but the documentation could be more comprehensive." - Gus, 3.5/5

"Shadcn is powerful, but the initial setup can be a bit challenging for beginners." - Noah Youngs, 3.8/5

Subframe, a Better Alternative to NextUI and Shadcn

Subframe

Subframe is a code-first design tool that enables users to build user interfaces quickly and efficiently using a drag-and-drop visual editor. It generates pixel-perfect React and Tailwind code, offering features like real-time collaboration, responsive design, and pre-built UI templates.

Pros of Subframe

Subframe is a code-first design tool that enables users to build user interfaces quickly and efficiently using a drag-and-drop visual editor.

  • Design with real components, not mockups: Subframe offers a visual UI editor loved by both designers and developers, allowing for drag-and-drop design on an intuitive, responsive canvas to achieve pixel-perfect UI every time.
  • Stunning UI templates, personalized to you: With hundreds of templates inspired by world-class products and hand-crafted by designers, Subframe ensures you never start from scratch again.
  • Skip handoff, get high-quality code: Subframe allows you to copy and paste front-end code built on React and Tailwind CSS, enabling you to spend more time building and less time on pixel-pushing CSS.
  • Start building UI visually for free: Subframe offers a free plan with no credit card required, making it accessible for anyone to start building UI visually.
  • Real-time collaboration: Subframe supports real-time collaboration, allowing teams to work together seamlessly on responsive designs.

Subframe's Pricing

At Subframe, we offer a range of pricing options to suit different needs:

  • Free Plan: $0 per user/month
    • 1 project
    • Up to 3 page designs
    • Up to 3 team members
    • 200+ UI templates & snippets
  • Pro Plan: $29 per user/month
    • Up to 3 projects
    • Unlimited page designs
    • Unlimited team members
    • Custom components
    • 200+ UI templates & snippets
  • Custom Plan: Let's talk
    • Unlimited projects
    • Unlimited page designs
    • Custom fonts
    • Integrate your own components
    • Dedicated Slack support
    • Figma plugin

For more details, visit our pricing page. We encourage you to book a demo with Subframe to see how we can help you build UI faster and more efficiently.

What Are Others Saying?

Subframe has received an overall rating of 5 out of 5 from users. Customers have praised its ease of use, time-saving features, and high-quality output.

  • "I love how easy this is to get started, especially with templates." - Dakota
  • "Turning ideas into code is one of the most critical tasks I've ever had. Subframe is super useful and user-friendly." - Germán Merlo
  • "Finally something that's not just a mockup. Would give you 5 upvotes, if I could!" - Aris Nakos

Why Choose NextUI, Shadcn or Subframe?

If you prioritize a fully-typed API and exceptional accessibility features, you might prefer using NextUI over Shadcn. This choice is ideal for developers who need a modern, fast, and customizable UI library built on Tailwind CSS.

On the other hand, if you are looking for a collection of beautifully designed, open-source components that can be easily copied and pasted into your applications, Shadcn might be the better option. This is particularly suitable for developers and designers who want to quickly build component libraries with minimal setup.

Choosing Subframe over both Shadcn and NextUI makes sense if you need a code-first design tool that offers a drag-and-drop visual editor and real-time collaboration. This is perfect for teams and individuals who want to build user interfaces quickly and efficiently, with high-quality React and Tailwind code generated automatically.

NextUI, Shadcn, or Subframe: Which is The Best Tool For You?

Each of these tools—NextUI, Shadcn, and Subframe—offers unique strengths that can cater to different project needs and developer preferences. Whether you prioritize a fully-typed API, beautifully designed open-source components, or a drag-and-drop visual editor, there's a solution for you.

However, if you're looking for a comprehensive, code-first design tool that combines ease of use with powerful features like real-time collaboration and responsive design, we recommend giving Subframe a try. With its intuitive interface and high-quality output, Subframe can help you build stunning user interfaces quickly and efficiently.

Join thousands of happy builders.

Subframe lets you build stunning UI with beautifully crafted components and a drag-and-drop visual editor.