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@tanstack/react-query vs Axios

Side-by-side NPM package comparison

Quick Verdict

Smallest Bundle

@tanstack/react-query

13.1 KB gzipped

Most Popular

Axios

100.1M weekly downloads

Best Maintained

@tanstack/react-query

100/100 maintenance score

Highest Quality

@tanstack/react-query

50/100 quality score

Overall Pick

Axios

Best all-around based on popularity, size, maintenance & quality

@tanstack/react-query icon

@tanstack/react-query

Extremely Popular

Version 5.99.0

0
85
Excellent

Hooks for managing, caching and syncing asynchronous and remote data in React

Weekly Downloads
49.0M
39%
Bundle (gzip)
13.1 KB
Updated
Vulns
0

Health Score Breakdown

Maintenance
100
Popularity
100
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70
axios icon

axios

Extremely Popular

Version 1.15.1

0
85
Excellent

Promise based HTTP client for the browser and node.js

Weekly Downloads
100.1M
12%
Bundle (gzip)
14.1 KB
Updated
Vulns
0

Health Score Breakdown

Maintenance
100
Popularity
100
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70

Choosing between @tanstack/react-query and Axios? Here's a data-driven comparison based on real npm data — downloads, bundle size, health scores, and more — to help you decide which package fits your project best.

Downloads & Popularity

Axios leads with 100.1M weekly downloads — roughly 2.0x more. @tanstack/react-query has 49.0M weekly downloads. Higher download counts generally indicate broader community adoption and a larger ecosystem of tutorials, plugins, and support.

Bundle Size

@tanstack/react-query has the smallest gzipped bundle at 13.1 KB. Axios comes in at 14.1 KB. A smaller bundle size means faster page loads, which improves user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.

Health Score Comparison

@tanstack/react-query has an overall health score of 85/100 (very good), with strong maintenance, security, popularity scores. Axios has an overall health score of 85/100 (very good), with strong maintenance, security, popularity scores. Health scores are calculated from maintenance activity, code quality, security posture, popularity, and stability metrics.

When to Choose Each

Choose @tanstack/react-query if you value massive community and ecosystem, actively maintained, strong security track record. Choose Axios if you value massive community and ecosystem, actively maintained, strong security track record.

Our Verdict

Both @tanstack/react-query and Axios are solid choices for JavaScript development. @tanstack/react-query has the edge in overall health score (85/100), while each package brings unique strengths to the table. Evaluate them based on your project's priorities — whether that's community size, bundle efficiency, or maintenance activity — and choose the one that aligns best with your requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is @tanstack/react-query better than axios?
It depends on your needs. @tanstack/react-query has a health score of 85/100 while Axios scores 85/100. Axios has more weekly downloads (100.1M), suggesting broader adoption. Consider your specific requirements — bundle size, community support, and feature set — to decide which is the better fit.
Which has a smaller bundle size, @tanstack/react-query or axios?
@tanstack/react-query has the smaller gzipped bundle at 13.1 KB. A smaller bundle means faster load times for your users, which can positively impact SEO and user experience.
How many developers use @tanstack/react-query vs axios?
Based on npm download statistics, @tanstack/react-query has approximately 49.0M weekly downloads and Axios has approximately 100.1M weekly downloads. These numbers reflect package installations, not unique developers, but they indicate relative adoption levels.
Which is better maintained, @tanstack/react-query or axios?
@tanstack/react-query currently has the higher overall health score at 85/100. @tanstack/react-query has a maintenance score of 100/100 and Axios scores 100/100 on maintenance.

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