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Comparison guide

Kysely vs Prisma

Side-by-side NPM package comparison

Hero image for Kysely vs Prisma

Quick Verdict

Kysely leads across all categories in this comparison. Check the detailed metrics below to see how each package performs for your specific needs.

  1. kysely

    Type safe SQL query builder

    23.0M weekly downloads · 39.3 KB gzip · Health 92/100

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  2. prisma

    The Prisma CLI: one binary for the ORM, Composer, and the Prisma Developer Platform.

    22.0M weekly downloads · 174.7 KB gzip · Health 85/100

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Choosing between Kysely and Prisma? 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

Kysely leads with 23.0M weekly downloads — roughly 1.0x more. Prisma has 22.0M weekly downloads. Higher download counts generally indicate broader community adoption and a larger ecosystem of tutorials, plugins, and support.

Bundle Size

Kysely has the smallest gzipped bundle at 39.3 KB. Prisma comes in at 174.7 KB. A smaller bundle size means faster page loads, which improves user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.

Health Score Comparison

Kysely has an overall health score of 92/100 (excellent), with strong maintenance, quality, security, popularity scores. Prisma 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 Kysely if you value massive community and ecosystem, actively maintained, strong security track record. Choose Prisma if you value massive community and ecosystem, actively maintained, strong security track record.

Our Verdict

Both Kysely and Prisma are solid choices for JavaScript development. Kysely has the edge in overall health score (92/100), 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 kysely better than prisma?
It depends on your needs. Kysely has a health score of 92/100 while Prisma scores 85/100. Kysely has more recorded weekly downloads (23.0M). Consider your specific requirements — bundle size, community support, and feature set — to decide which is the better fit.
Which has a smaller bundle size, kysely or prisma?
Kysely has the smaller gzipped bundle at 39.3 KB. A smaller bundle means faster load times for your users, which can positively impact SEO and user experience.
How many developers use kysely vs prisma?
Kysely has more recorded weekly downloads (23.0M). Download counts reflect package installations, not unique developers.
Which is better maintained, kysely or prisma?
Kysely has a maintenance score of 100/100. Kysely scores 100/100 and Prisma scores 100/100 on maintenance.

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