AutoAnimate vs FoldingCell
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 small drop-in library that adds smooth animations when elements are added, removed, or moved.
Open source · MIT
An iOS UI component: table cells that expand and fold open with a paper-card style animation.
The short answer
Choose AutoAnimate if you need…
- Frontend developers who want polished list or menu transitions without writing animation code
- Teams using Vue or React who want a quick UI improvement
- Projects that need simple motion rather than complex custom animation sequences
Choose FoldingCell if you need…
- iOS developers building list screens with expandable items
- Developers who want a ready-made folding animation instead of writing their own
- Teams adding a Material-style expanding card pattern to a table view
Side-by-side
| AutoAnimate | FoldingCell | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 14k | 10.2k |
| Setup difficulty | Beginner | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | TypeScript | Swift |
| Last code update | 4 months ago | 3 years ago |
What each one is
AutoAnimate
AutoAnimate is a JavaScript utility that adds motion to web interfaces with little setup. You attach it to a parent element and its children animate smoothly as they are added, removed, or reordered. The README says it works with Vue, React, Solid, or any other JavaScript app.
FoldingCell
FoldingCell is a Swift library for iOS apps that provides a table view cell which unfolds to reveal more content, with an animation inspired by folding paper cards. Developers use it to show a compact summary that opens into a detailed view when tapped. The README describes it as a single file you can drop into a project, or install through a package manager.
Best for
AutoAnimate
- Frontend developers who want polished list or menu transitions without writing animation code
- Teams using Vue or React who want a quick UI improvement
- Projects that need simple motion rather than complex custom animation sequences
FoldingCell
- iOS developers building list screens with expandable items
- Developers who want a ready-made folding animation instead of writing their own
- Teams adding a Material-style expanding card pattern to a table view
Strengths
AutoAnimate
- Very little code is needed to get started, per the README's one-line claim
- Works across several frameworks, including Vue, React, and Solid
- Permissively licensed under MIT and actively maintained
FoldingCell
- Simple to add: the README says you can drop in one Swift file or use CocoaPods, Carthage, or Swift Package Manager
- Configurable animation timing per fold through an overridable method
- MIT licensed and widely starred on GitHub
Not ideal for
AutoAnimate
- Developers who need fine-grained control over timing and keyframes, since the README presents it as a zero-config tool
- Projects that cannot add a JavaScript dependency to the frontend
FoldingCell
- Developers targeting Android or the web, since this is an iOS-only Swift library
- Projects needing a current, actively documented setup, since the README lists Xcode 10.2 and iOS 8.0+ and the code samples use older Swift syntax
- Anyone wanting a no-code tool, since integration requires writing table view and cell code
Trade-offs
AutoAnimate
- The README is short on details, so specific behavior and customization depend on the external docs site
- Being zero-config means less control over animation specifics
FoldingCell
- The README's code samples use outdated Swift syntax and APIs, so they will need adapting to current Xcode and Swift versions
- The README lists iOS 8.0+ and Xcode 10.2 as requirements, which may be out of date; no newer compatibility is stated
- The README does not describe testing status beyond a Travis badge, and the last push date is April 2024
Getting started
AutoAnimate
npm
npm install @formkit/auto-animateyarn
yarn add @formkit/auto-animateFoldingCell
CocoaPods (Podfile)
pod 'FoldingCell'Swift Package Manager (Package.swift)
dependencies: [ .package(url: "https://github.com/Ramotion/folding-cell.git", from: "5.0.2") ]Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between AutoAnimate and FoldingCell?
AutoAnimate: A small drop-in library that adds smooth animations when elements are added, removed, or moved. FoldingCell: An iOS UI component: table cells that expand and fold open with a paper-card style animation. AutoAnimate suits frontend developers who want polished list or menu transitions without writing animation code, while FoldingCell suits ios developers building list screens with expandable items.
Are AutoAnimate and FoldingCell free?
AutoAnimate: Free and open source. FoldingCell: Free and open source.
Which is easier to set up, AutoAnimate or FoldingCell?
AutoAnimate is easier to get started with (rated beginner); FoldingCell is rated intermediate and usually needs more setup.
Is AutoAnimate or FoldingCell more popular?
AutoAnimate has more GitHub stars (14k) than FoldingCell (10.2k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to AutoAnimate and FoldingCell?
Other options people compare them with include react-spring, RAMAnimatedTabBarController, reactstrap, Tiptap, MDX.
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.