Apollo Client vs SWR
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A JavaScript and TypeScript library for loading and caching GraphQL data in web apps.
Open source · MIT
A React hook library for fetching data, with caching and automatic refresh.
The short answer
Choose Apollo Client if you need…
- Developers building React apps that query a GraphQL API
- Teams using TypeScript who want typed GraphQL operations
- Apps that need a client-side cache for GraphQL responses
Choose SWR if you need…
- React developers who fetch data from APIs in components
- Projects that want built-in caching and request deduplication
- Apps that need data to refresh on focus, network recovery, or polling
- Teams building React Native or Next.js interfaces
Side-by-side
| Apollo Client | SWR | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 19.8k | 32.5k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Last code update | 6 days ago | 21 days ago |
What each one is
Apollo Client
Apollo Client is a library that lets a front-end app fetch data from a GraphQL server and keep the results in a local cache. It works with React, Vue, Angular, and plain JavaScript, according to the README. The README says it offers caching, APIs for queries, and developer tools.
SWR
SWR is a React Hooks library for loading data in web interfaces. Its name comes from stale-while-revalidate: it shows cached data first, requests fresh data in the background, then updates the screen when the new data arrives. Developers use it to simplify data loading logic in React components.
Best for
Apollo Client
- Developers building React apps that query a GraphQL API
- Teams using TypeScript who want typed GraphQL operations
- Apps that need a client-side cache for GraphQL responses
SWR
- React developers who fetch data from APIs in components
- Projects that want built-in caching and request deduplication
- Apps that need data to refresh on focus, network recovery, or polling
- Teams building React Native or Next.js interfaces
Strengths
Apollo Client
- Caching is included out of the box, per the README
- Works across several front-end frameworks
- Has TypeScript support and an active maintainer team listed in the README
SWR
- Small, focused API: one hook covers the common fetch, loading, and error cases
- Built-in cache and request deduplication reduce repeated network calls
- Works with any asynchronous fetcher, so you can use your preferred fetching library
Not ideal for
Apollo Client
- Projects that do not use GraphQL, since the library is built around GraphQL queries
- Developers who only need a simple HTTP request library, since this adds a larger set of concepts
- Non-developers, because it is code you add to an app
SWR
- People who do not write React code, since the library is built around React Hooks
- Projects that need a full server-side data layer rather than client-side fetching hooks
- Beginners with no JavaScript or React experience, who would need to learn those first
Trade-offs
Apollo Client
- Requires understanding GraphQL and the library's caching model
- The README is truncated, so the full feature list and edge cases are not covered here
SWR
- Requires React knowledge; it is not useful outside React-style apps
- The README is brief and points to the external documentation site for details and examples
- Behavior such as caching and revalidation has settings that take time to learn
Getting started
Apollo Client
Install the client and GraphQL package
npm install @apollo/client graphqlFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Apollo Client and SWR?
Apollo Client: A JavaScript and TypeScript library for loading and caching GraphQL data in web apps. SWR: A React hook library for fetching data, with caching and automatic refresh. Apollo Client suits developers building react apps that query a graphql api, while SWR suits react developers who fetch data from apis in components.
Are Apollo Client and SWR free?
Apollo Client: Free and open source. SWR: Free and open source.
Is Apollo Client or SWR more popular?
SWR has more GitHub stars (32.5k) than Apollo Client (19.8k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Apollo Client and SWR?
Other options people compare them with include Relay, Apollo Server, TanStack Query, useHooks, NativeBase.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.