Skip to main content

Comparison guide

Esbuild vs Swc

Side-by-side NPM package comparison

Hero image for Esbuild vs Swc

Quick Verdict

Smallest Bundle

Swc

129.0 B gzipped

Most Popular

Esbuild

0 weekly downloads

Best Maintained

Esbuild

100/100 maintenance score

Highest Quality

Esbuild

50/100 quality score

Overall Pick

Swc

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

esbuild icon

esbuild

Niche

Version 0.28.2

0
67
Good

An extremely fast JavaScript and CSS bundler and minifier.

Weekly Downloads
0

Trend data unavailable

Bundle (gzip)
14.7 KB
Updated
Vulns
0

Health Score Breakdown

Maintenance
100
Popularity
10
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70

swc

Niche

Version 1.0.11

0
49
Fair

Alias for @swc/cli

Weekly Downloads
0

Trend data unavailable

Bundle (gzip)
129.0 B
Updated
Vulns
0

Health Score Breakdown

Maintenance
40
Popularity
10
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70

Choosing between Esbuild and Swc? 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

Esbuild and Swc both have 0 weekly downloads, indicating equal adoption in the ecosystem.

Bundle Size

Swc has the smallest gzipped bundle at 129.0 B. Esbuild comes in at 14.7 KB. A smaller bundle size means faster page loads, which improves user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.

Health Score Comparison

Esbuild has an overall health score of 67/100 (good), with strong maintenance, security scores. Swc has an overall health score of 49/100 (moderate), with strong security scores. Health scores are calculated from maintenance activity, code quality, security posture, popularity, and stability metrics.

When to Choose Each

Choose Esbuild if you value actively maintained, strong security track record. Choose Swc if you value minimal bundle footprint, strong security track record.

Our Verdict

Both Esbuild and Swc are solid choices for JavaScript development. Esbuild has the edge in overall health score (67/100), 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 esbuild better than swc?
It depends on your needs. Esbuild has a health score of 67/100 while Swc scores 49/100. Esbuild has more weekly downloads (0), 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, esbuild or swc?
Swc has the smaller gzipped bundle at 129.0 B. A smaller bundle means faster load times for your users, which can positively impact SEO and user experience.
How many developers use esbuild vs swc?
Based on npm download statistics, Esbuild has approximately 0 weekly downloads and Swc has approximately 0 weekly downloads. These numbers reflect package installations, not unique developers, but they indicate relative adoption levels.
Which is better maintained, esbuild or swc?
Esbuild currently has the higher overall health score at 67/100. Esbuild has a maintenance score of 100/100 and Swc scores 40/100 on maintenance.

Related Comparisons

The 2026 JavaScript Stack Cheatsheet

One PDF: the best package for every category (ORMs, bundlers, auth, testing, state management). Used by 500+ devs. Free, updated monthly.