Leaflet vs Mapbox-gl

Downloads & Popularity

Leaflet leads with 5.1M weekly downloads — roughly 2.1x more. Mapbox-gl has 2.4M weekly downloads. Higher download counts generally indicate broader community adoption and a larger ecosystem of tutorials, plugins, and support.

Bundle Size

Leaflet has the smallest gzipped bundle at 41.7 KB. Mapbox-gl comes in at 504.0 KB. A smaller bundle size means faster page loads, which improves user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.

Health Score Comparison

Mapbox-gl has an overall health score of 85/100 (very good), with strong maintenance, security, popularity scores. Leaflet has an overall health score of 61/100 (good), with strong security, popularity scores. Health scores are calculated from maintenance activity, code quality, security posture, popularity, and stability metrics.

When to Choose Each

Choose Leaflet if you value large community support, strong security track record. Choose Mapbox-gl if you value large community support, actively maintained, strong security track record.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is leaflet better than mapbox-gl?

It depends on your needs. Leaflet has a health score of 61/100 while Mapbox-gl scores 85/100. Leaflet has more recorded weekly downloads (5.1M). Consider your specific requirements — bundle size, community support, and feature set — to decide which is the better fit.

Which has a smaller bundle size, leaflet or mapbox-gl?

Leaflet has the smaller gzipped bundle at 41.7 KB. A smaller bundle means faster load times for your users, which can positively impact SEO and user experience.

How many developers use leaflet vs mapbox-gl?

Leaflet has more recorded weekly downloads (5.1M). Download counts reflect package installations, not unique developers.

Which is better maintained, leaflet or mapbox-gl?

Mapbox-gl has a maintenance score of 100/100. Leaflet scores 20/100 and Mapbox-gl scores 100/100 on maintenance.