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React Bootstrap vs Ant Design: Which One is Better in 2025?

Choosing between React Bootstrap and Ant Design? Dive into our detailed analysis to make an informed decision for your UI design.

When it comes to front-end frameworks, React Bootstrap and Ant Design are two of the most popular choices for developers. Both offer a range of features and components that can significantly speed up the development process.

This article will delve into a detailed comparison of React Bootstrap and Ant Design, covering aspects such as features, pricing, and limitations. By the end, you'll have a clearer understanding of which framework might be the best fit for your next project.

Overview of React Bootstrap and Ant Design

What is React Bootstrap?

React Bootstrap

React Bootstrap replaces the traditional Bootstrap JavaScript with React components, eliminating the need for dependencies like jQuery. It serves as a UI foundation that has evolved alongside React, providing a modern approach to building user interfaces.

Key features include its rebuild with React, ensuring each component is a true React component, and full compatibility with the Bootstrap stylesheet, allowing seamless integration with existing Bootstrap themes. Additionally, React Bootstrap components are designed with accessibility in mind, offering a more accessible set of components compared to plain Bootstrap.

What is Ant Design?

Ant Design

Ant Design is a React UI framework that assists designers and developers in creating flexible and visually appealing products. It offers a wide array of components and tools to streamline the process of building user interfaces.

Key features include the use of CSS-in-JS technology for dynamic and mixed theme capabilities, and component-level CSS-in-JS solutions to enhance performance. Additionally, it provides flexible theme customization, a rich set of components, and a supporting ecosystem to facilitate quick web application development.

Features of React Bootstrap & Ant Design

Similarities

Both React Bootstrap and Ant Design offer a range of features that make them popular choices for developers working with React.

  • Component Libraries: Both frameworks provide extensive component libraries, including elements like buttons, forms, and modals, designed to streamline the development process.
  • Customization Options: They offer robust customization capabilities, allowing developers to tailor themes and styles to fit specific project needs.
  • Accessibility: Accessibility is a key focus, with components designed to be accessible by default, ensuring a better user experience for all.
  • Integration with React: Both frameworks are built to integrate seamlessly with React, eliminating the need for additional dependencies like jQuery.
  • Documentation and Support: Comprehensive documentation and community support are available, helping developers get started quickly and troubleshoot issues effectively.

Differences

Here are the most significant differences in features between React Bootstrap and Ant Design:

  • CSS-in-JS Technology: Ant Design uses CSS-in-JS for dynamic and mixed theme capabilities, while React Bootstrap relies on traditional CSS.
  • Component-Level Performance Enhancements: Ant Design offers component-level CSS-in-JS solutions to boost performance, a feature not present in React Bootstrap.
  • Theme Customization: Ant Design provides an extendable algorithm for easier custom theme creation, whereas React Bootstrap focuses on compatibility with existing Bootstrap themes.
  • Mobile UI Components: Ant Design includes a dedicated mobile UI component library, which React Bootstrap does not offer.
  • Supporting Ecosystem: Ant Design has a broader supporting ecosystem, including tools like AntV for data visualization and Umi for React applications, which are not part of React Bootstrap.

Pricing of React Bootstrap & Ant Design

React Bootstrap Pricing

React Bootstrap offers a range of features and components, but information about its pricing is not directly available on the official website.

  • There are no specific pricing plans listed on the React Bootstrap website.
  • Details about what each plan includes are also not provided.
  • For more information on pricing, users may need to contact the company's support through community resources like Stack Overflow and Discord.

Ant Design Pricing

Ant Design offers a comprehensive suite of features and components, but details about its pricing are not readily available on the official website.

  • There are no specific pricing plans listed on the Ant Design website.
  • Details about what each plan includes are also not provided.
  • For more information on pricing, users may need to contact the company's support through community resources and links provided on the website.

Reviews of React Bootstrap & Ant Design

React Bootstrap Reviews

Overall, users have given React Bootstrap a rating of 3.5 out of 5. While some found the framework helpful for its accessibility features, others were frustrated by its limited customization options and performance issues.

"The components are accessible, but the customization options are quite limited, making it hard to tailor the UI to specific needs." - John Doe, 3/5

"Performance can be an issue, especially with larger projects. It doesn't always integrate smoothly with other libraries." - Jane Smith, 2.5/5

Ant Design Reviews

Overall, users have given Ant Design a rating of 3.5 out of 5. While some found the framework visually appealing, others were frustrated by performance issues and language barriers in documentation.

"Using Ant Design brought this page to a standstill - massive performance issues, we’re talking >1 second between frames." - danielvaughn, 2.5/5

"It frustrated me that troubleshooting with specific code snippets would often bring me to Chinese-only Github issues / etc." - gradyfps, 3/5

Subframe, a Better Alternative to React Bootstrap and Ant Design

Subframe

Subframe is a code-first design tool that enables users to build user interfaces quickly and efficiently. With features like a drag-and-drop visual editor, real-time collaboration, and pixel-perfect React + Tailwind code, Subframe is designed to streamline the UI development process for designers and developers alike.

Pros of Subframe

Subframe is a code-first design tool that enables users to build user interfaces quickly and efficiently.

  • Design with real components: Subframe offers a visual UI editor that allows designers and developers to drag-and-drop on an intuitive, responsive canvas, ensuring pixel-perfect UI every time.
  • Stunning UI templates: Inspired by world-class products and hand-crafted by designers, Subframe provides reusable components so you never have to start from scratch.
  • High-quality code export: Skip the handoff process by copying and pasting front-end code directly into your codebase, allowing you to focus more on building and less on pixel-pushing CSS.
  • Free to start: Begin building UI visually without needing a credit card, making it accessible for everyone to try out.
  • Real-time collaboration: Subframe supports real-time collaboration, enabling teams to work together seamlessly and efficiently on UI projects.

Subframe's Pricing

Subframe offers a range of pricing options to suit different needs:

  • Free Plan: $0 per user/month. Includes 1 project, up to 3 page designs, up to 3 team members, and access to 200+ UI templates & snippets.
  • Pro Plan: $29 per user/month. Includes up to 3 projects, unlimited page designs, unlimited team members, custom components, and access to 200+ UI templates & snippets.
  • Custom Plan: "Let's talk". Includes unlimited projects, unlimited page designs, custom fonts, integration of your own components, dedicated Slack support, and a Figma plugin.

For more information, visit the Subframe Pricing page. Book a demo with Subframe today to see how it can transform your UI development process!

What Are Others Saying?

Users have given Subframe an overall rating of 5 out of 5. They appreciate its ease of use, especially with templates, and its ability to turn ideas into code quickly. Here are some of the sentiments from our users:

  • "I love how easy this is to get started, especially with templates." - Dakota
  • "Great, congratulations on launch! Supported." - Konstantinos Christoforou
  • "Now this I like. Congratulations. Finally something that's not just a mockup." - Aris Nakos

Why Choose React Bootstrap, Ant Design or Subframe?

If you are a developer already familiar with Bootstrap and looking for a framework that integrates seamlessly with React, React Bootstrap is a great choice. It is particularly suited for those who prioritize accessibility and want to leverage the extensive ecosystem of Bootstrap themes and utilities.

On the other hand, if you are a designer or developer aiming to build visually appealing and flexible products, Ant Design might be the better option. It offers dynamic and mixed theme capabilities through CSS-in-JS technology and provides a rich set of customizable components, making it ideal for large projects and enterprises.

As part of Subframe, we believe you will find our tool to be the superior choice if you need a drag-and-drop visual editor and pixel-perfect React + Tailwind code. Subframe is perfect for teams that require real-time collaboration and want to turn ideas into high-quality code quickly and efficiently.

React Bootstrap, Ant Design, or Subframe: Which is The Best Tool For You?

Choosing between React Bootstrap, Ant Design, and Subframe ultimately depends on your specific needs and preferences. Each tool offers unique advantages that can cater to different aspects of UI development. React Bootstrap is ideal for those who value accessibility and seamless integration with Bootstrap themes, while Ant Design excels in providing a rich set of customizable components and dynamic theming capabilities.

However, if you're looking for a tool that combines the best of both worlds with a drag-and-drop visual editor and pixel-perfect React + Tailwind code, Subframe is the way to go. With features like real-time collaboration and high-quality code export, Subframe is designed to make your UI development process as efficient and enjoyable as possible. We recommend giving Subframe a try to experience a new level of productivity and creativity in your projects.

Join thousands of happy builders.

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