Side-by-side NPM package comparison
Version 5.2.1
Fast, unopinionated, minimalist web framework
Version 4.12.3
Web framework built on Web Standards
Choosing between Express and Hono? 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.
Express leads with 78.0M weekly downloads — roughly 3.4x more. Hono has 23.0M weekly downloads. Higher download counts generally indicate broader community adoption and a larger ecosystem of tutorials, plugins, and support.
Hono has the smallest gzipped bundle at 7.2 KB. Express comes in at 236.1 KB. A smaller bundle size means faster page loads, which improves user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.
Express has an overall health score of 85/100 (very good), with strong maintenance, security, popularity scores. Hono 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.
Choose Express if you value massive community and ecosystem, actively maintained, strong security track record. Choose Hono if you value massive community and ecosystem, actively maintained, strong security track record.
Both Express and Hono are solid choices for JavaScript development. Express 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.