Comparison guide
Lodash vs Underscore
Side-by-side NPM package comparison

Quick Verdict
Smallest Bundle
Underscore
7.3 KB gzipped
Most Popular
Lodash
163.4M weekly downloads
Best Maintained
Lodash
100/100 maintenance score
Highest Quality
Lodash
50/100 quality score
Overall Pick
Lodash
Best all-around based on popularity, size, maintenance & quality
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underscore
JavaScript's functional programming helper library.
30.6M weekly downloads · 7.3 KB gzip · Health 67/100
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Choosing between Lodash and Underscore? 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
Lodash leads with 163.4M weekly downloads — roughly 5.3x more. Underscore has 30.6M weekly downloads. Higher download counts generally indicate broader community adoption and a larger ecosystem of tutorials, plugins, and support.
Bundle Size
Underscore has the smallest gzipped bundle at 7.3 KB. Lodash comes in at 25.2 KB. A smaller bundle size means faster page loads, which improves user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.
Health Score Comparison
Lodash has an overall health score of 85/100 (very good), with strong maintenance, security, popularity scores. Underscore has an overall health score of 67/100 (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 Lodash if you value massive community and ecosystem, actively maintained, strong security track record. Choose Underscore if you value massive community and ecosystem, strong security track record.
Our Verdict
Both Lodash and Underscore are solid choices for JavaScript development. Lodash 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 lodash better than underscore?
- It depends on your needs. Lodash has a health score of 85/100 while Underscore scores 67/100. Lodash has more recorded weekly downloads (163.4M). Consider your specific requirements — bundle size, community support, and feature set — to decide which is the better fit.
- Which has a smaller bundle size, lodash or underscore?
- Underscore has the smaller gzipped bundle at 7.3 KB. A smaller bundle means faster load times for your users, which can positively impact SEO and user experience.
- How many developers use lodash vs underscore?
- Lodash has more recorded weekly downloads (163.4M). Download counts reflect package installations, not unique developers.
- Which is better maintained, lodash or underscore?
- Lodash has a maintenance score of 100/100. Lodash scores 100/100 and Underscore scores 40/100 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.

