Fastify vs Hono

Side-by-side NPM package comparison

fastify

Very Popular

Version 5.7.4

85
Excellent

Fast and low overhead web framework, for Node.js

Weekly Downloads
5.4M
56%
Bundle (gzip)
120.6 KB
Updated
Vulns
0

Health Score Breakdown

Maintenance
100
Popularity
100
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70

hono

Extremely Popular

Version 4.12.3

85
Excellent

Web framework built on Web Standards

Weekly Downloads
23.0M
103%
Bundle (gzip)
7.2 KB
Updated
Vulns
0

Health Score Breakdown

Maintenance
100
Popularity
100
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70

Choosing between Fastify 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.

Downloads & Popularity

Hono leads with 23.0M weekly downloads — roughly 4.2x more. Fastify has 5.4M weekly downloads. Higher download counts generally indicate broader community adoption and a larger ecosystem of tutorials, plugins, and support.

Bundle Size

Hono has the smallest gzipped bundle at 7.2 KB. Fastify comes in at 120.6 KB. A smaller bundle size means faster page loads, which improves user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.

Health Score Comparison

Fastify 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.

When to Choose Each

Choose Fastify if you value large community support, actively maintained, strong security track record. Choose Hono if you value massive community and ecosystem, actively maintained, strong security track record.

Our Verdict

Both Fastify and Hono are solid choices for JavaScript development. Fastify 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 fastify better than hono?
It depends on your needs. Fastify has a health score of 85/100 while Hono scores 85/100. Hono has more weekly downloads (23.0M), 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, fastify or hono?
Hono has the smaller gzipped bundle at 7.2 KB. A smaller bundle means faster load times for your users, which can positively impact SEO and user experience.
How many developers use fastify vs hono?
Based on npm download statistics, Fastify has approximately 5.4M weekly downloads and Hono has approximately 23.0M weekly downloads. These numbers reflect package installations, not unique developers, but they indicate relative adoption levels.
Which is better maintained, fastify or hono?
Fastify currently has the higher overall health score at 85/100. Fastify has a maintenance score of 100/100 and Hono scores 100/100 on maintenance.

Related Comparisons