Version 30.3.0
0
86
ExcellentDelightful JavaScript Testing.
- Weekly Downloads
- 42.1M
↓5%
- Bundle (gzip)
- 1.9 KB
- Updated
- Vulns
- 0
Health Score Breakdown
Maintenance
80
Popularity
100
Quality
80
Security
100
Stability
70
Jest vs Mocha
Side-by-side NPM package comparison
Quick Verdict
Smallest Bundle
Jest
1.9 KB gzipped
Most Popular
Jest
42.1M weekly downloads
Best Maintained
Mocha
100/100 maintenance score
Highest Quality
Jest
80/100 quality score
Overall Pick
Jest
Best all-around based on popularity, size, maintenance & quality
Version 11.7.5
0
85
Excellentsimple, flexible, fun test framework
- Weekly Downloads
- 13.7M
↓8%
- Bundle (gzip)
- 675.3 KB
- Updated
- Vulns
- 0
Health Score Breakdown
Maintenance
100
Popularity
100
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70
Choosing between Jest and Mocha? 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
Jest leads with 42.1M weekly downloads — roughly 3.1x more. Mocha has 13.7M weekly downloads. Higher download counts generally indicate broader community adoption and a larger ecosystem of tutorials, plugins, and support.
Bundle Size
Jest has the smallest gzipped bundle at 1.9 KB. Mocha comes in at 675.3 KB. A smaller bundle size means faster page loads, which improves user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.
Health Score Comparison
Jest has an overall health score of 86/100 (very good), with strong maintenance, quality, security, popularity scores. Mocha 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 Jest if you value massive community and ecosystem, minimal bundle footprint, strong security track record. Choose Mocha if you value massive community and ecosystem, actively maintained, strong security track record.
Our Verdict
Both Jest and Mocha are solid choices for JavaScript development. Jest has the edge in overall health score (86/100), 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 jest better than mocha?
- It depends on your needs. Jest has a health score of 86/100 while Mocha scores 85/100. Jest has more weekly downloads (42.1M), 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, jest or mocha?
- Jest has the smaller gzipped bundle at 1.9 KB. A smaller bundle means faster load times for your users, which can positively impact SEO and user experience.
- How many developers use jest vs mocha?
- Based on npm download statistics, Jest has approximately 42.1M weekly downloads and Mocha has approximately 13.7M weekly downloads. These numbers reflect package installations, not unique developers, but they indicate relative adoption levels.
- Which is better maintained, jest or mocha?
- Jest currently has the higher overall health score at 86/100. Jest has a maintenance score of 80/100 and Mocha scores 100/100 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.