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Comparison guide

Playwright vs Puppeteer

Side-by-side NPM package comparison

Hero image for Playwright vs Puppeteer

Quick Verdict

Smallest Bundle

Puppeteer

12.4 KB gzipped

Most Popular

Playwright

0 weekly downloads

Best Maintained

Playwright

100/100 maintenance score

Highest Quality

Playwright

50/100 quality score

Overall Pick

Puppeteer

Best all-around based on popularity, size, maintenance & quality

Version 1.62.1

0
67
Good

A high-level API to automate web browsers

Weekly Downloads
0

Trend data unavailable

Bundle (gzip)
1.5 MB
Updated
Vulns
0

Health Score Breakdown

Maintenance
100
Popularity
10
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70

Version 25.7.0

0
67
Good

A high-level API to control headless Chrome over the DevTools Protocol

Weekly Downloads
0

Trend data unavailable

Bundle (gzip)
12.4 KB
Updated
Vulns
0

Health Score Breakdown

Maintenance
100
Popularity
10
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70

Choosing between Playwright and Puppeteer? 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

Playwright and Puppeteer both have 0 weekly downloads, indicating equal adoption in the ecosystem.

Bundle Size

Puppeteer has the smallest gzipped bundle at 12.4 KB. Playwright comes in at 1.5 MB. A smaller bundle size means faster page loads, which improves user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.

Health Score Comparison

Playwright has an overall health score of 67/100 (good), with strong maintenance, security scores. Puppeteer has an overall health score of 67/100 (good), with strong maintenance, security scores. Health scores are calculated from maintenance activity, code quality, security posture, popularity, and stability metrics.

When to Choose Each

Choose Playwright if you value actively maintained, strong security track record. Choose Puppeteer if you value actively maintained, strong security track record.

Our Verdict

Both Playwright and Puppeteer are solid choices for JavaScript development. Playwright has the edge in overall health score (67/100), 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 playwright better than puppeteer?
It depends on your needs. Playwright has a health score of 67/100 while Puppeteer scores 67/100. Playwright has more weekly downloads (0), 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, playwright or puppeteer?
Puppeteer has the smaller gzipped bundle at 12.4 KB. A smaller bundle means faster load times for your users, which can positively impact SEO and user experience.
How many developers use playwright vs puppeteer?
Based on npm download statistics, Playwright has approximately 0 weekly downloads and Puppeteer has approximately 0 weekly downloads. These numbers reflect package installations, not unique developers, but they indicate relative adoption levels.
Which is better maintained, playwright or puppeteer?
Playwright currently has the higher overall health score at 67/100. Playwright has a maintenance score of 100/100 and Puppeteer scores 100/100 on maintenance.

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