Bootstrap Table vs Materialize
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 plugin that adds sorting, pagination, selection and more to HTML tables.
Open source · MIT
A CSS framework that gives web pages ready-made styled parts based on Google's Material Design.
The short answer
Choose Bootstrap Table if you need…
- Web developers already using Bootstrap who need sortable, paginated tables
- Teams building admin dashboards or internal tools that display lists of records
- Developers who want table features configurable through HTML data attributes or JavaScript options
Choose Materialize if you need…
- Developers building a web page or app who want a Material Design look quickly
- Teams that want a ready-made component set instead of custom styling
- Developers who need broad older-browser support, since the README lists IE 11+
Side-by-side
| Bootstrap Table | Materialize | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 11.8k | 38.8k |
| Setup difficulty | Beginner | Beginner |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | JavaScript | JavaScript |
| Last code update | 8 days ago | 3 months ago |
What each one is
Bootstrap Table
Bootstrap Table is a JavaScript plugin that turns a plain HTML table into a more feature-rich one, adding things like column sorting, pagination, row selection, and loading data over AJAX. It is designed to work with Bootstrap and, according to its description, other CSS frameworks such as Semantic UI, Bulma, Material Design, Foundation, and Vue.js. Developers use it when they need an interactive data table in a web page without building one from scratch.
Materialize
Materialize is a free, open-source CSS framework built on Material Design, Google's visual design system. It provides pre-styled components and layout tools so you can build web pages that look consistent without writing all the styling yourself. It is installed by download, npm, or a CDN link and is documented on its website.
Best for
Bootstrap Table
- Web developers already using Bootstrap who need sortable, paginated tables
- Teams building admin dashboards or internal tools that display lists of records
- Developers who want table features configurable through HTML data attributes or JavaScript options
Materialize
- Developers building a web page or app who want a Material Design look quickly
- Teams that want a ready-made component set instead of custom styling
- Developers who need broad older-browser support, since the README lists IE 11+
Strengths
Bootstrap Table
- Widely starred and long-running project under the permissive MIT license
- Covers common table needs (sorting, pagination, selection, responsive layout) without custom code
- Installable through npm, Yarn, or a CDN
Materialize
- Free and MIT-licensed, so it can be used in commercial work
- Documented on an official site with a getting-started guide
- Available through several channels: direct download, npm, cdnjs, and Git clone
Not ideal for
Bootstrap Table
- People who only need a static table with no interactivity; plain HTML or CSS is simpler
- Non-developers looking for a finished app, since this is a code library that must be integrated into a web project
- Projects needing a framework-agnostic component built for a specific modern UI stack; the README does not describe its fit with current frameworks beyond the listed integrations
Materialize
- Projects that need a distinctive custom look, because the framework imposes Material Design styling
- Anyone wanting a non-coding design tool; this is a code library
- Projects needing the newest browser features only, since the README lists older browser minimums that may not match modern needs
Trade-offs
Bootstrap Table
- The README is short and points to external docs and examples for most details
- Its stated framework integrations (Semantic UI, Bulma, Material Design, Foundation, Vue.js) are not described in depth in the provided README
- Compatibility with newer Bootstrap versions is not specified in the README text provided
Materialize
- The README marks the Bower install method as deprecated
- The README mentions a beta branch alongside the stable 1.0.0 release, so users must choose a version carefully
- The README does not describe the full list of components in detail, so fit should be checked in the docs
Getting started
Bootstrap Table
Install with npm
npm install bootstrap-tableInstall with Yarn
yarn add bootstrap-tableMaterialize
Install with npm
npm install materialize-cssClone the repo
git clone https://github.com/Dogfalo/materialize.gitFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Bootstrap Table and Materialize?
Bootstrap Table: A JavaScript plugin that adds sorting, pagination, selection and more to HTML tables. Materialize: A CSS framework that gives web pages ready-made styled parts based on Google's Material Design. Bootstrap Table suits web developers already using bootstrap who need sortable, paginated tables, while Materialize suits developers building a web page or app who want a material design look quickly.
Are Bootstrap Table and Materialize free?
Bootstrap Table: Free and open source. Materialize: Free and open source.
Is Bootstrap Table or Materialize more popular?
Materialize has more GitHub stars (38.8k) than Bootstrap Table (11.8k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Bootstrap Table and Materialize?
Other options people compare them with include Bootstrap, Bootswatch, TanStack Table, Tailwind CSS, Bulma.
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.