Npm vs Pnpm

Downloads & Popularity

Pnpm leads with 245.2M weekly downloads — roughly 12.5x more. Npm has 19.6M weekly downloads. Higher download counts generally indicate broader community adoption and a larger ecosystem of tutorials, plugins, and support.

Bundle Size

Npm has the smallest gzipped bundle at 842.0 B. Pnpm comes in at 1.2 MB. A smaller bundle size means faster page loads, which improves user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.

Health Score Comparison

Npm has an overall health score of 85/100 (very good), with strong maintenance, security, popularity scores. Pnpm 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 Npm if you value massive community and ecosystem, minimal bundle footprint, actively maintained, strong security track record. Choose Pnpm if you value massive community and ecosystem, actively maintained, strong security track record.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is npm better than pnpm?

It depends on your needs. Npm has a health score of 85/100 while Pnpm scores 85/100. Pnpm has more recorded weekly downloads (245.2M). Consider your specific requirements — bundle size, community support, and feature set — to decide which is the better fit.

Which has a smaller bundle size, npm or pnpm?

Npm has the smaller gzipped bundle at 842.0 B. A smaller bundle means faster load times for your users, which can positively impact SEO and user experience.

How many developers use npm vs pnpm?

Pnpm has more recorded weekly downloads (245.2M). Download counts reflect package installations, not unique developers.

Which is better maintained, npm or pnpm?

Npm has a maintenance score of 100/100. Npm scores 100/100 and Pnpm scores 100/100 on maintenance.