Element Plus vs Quasar
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 Vue 3 component library of ready-made UI pieces, written in TypeScript.
Open source · MIT
A Vue.js framework for building web, mobile, desktop and extension apps from one codebase.
The short answer
Choose Element Plus if you need…
- Developers building admin panels or business web apps with Vue 3
- Teams migrating from Element UI to Vue 3
- Projects that want TypeScript support in their UI components
Choose Quasar if you need…
- Developers already familiar with Vue.js
- Teams that want one codebase for web, mobile and desktop targets
- Projects that need a Material Design style interface
- Developers building PWAs or browser extensions with Vue
Side-by-side
| Element Plus | Quasar | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Framework |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 27.8k | 27.2k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| Last code update | 4 days ago | 18 days ago |
What each one is
Element Plus
Element Plus is a UI component library for Vue.js 3, providing prebuilt interface elements such as buttons and forms that developers can drop into web apps. It is written in TypeScript and uses the Vue 3 Composition API. It is the Vue 3 successor to Element UI, made by the Element team.
Quasar
Quasar is a framework built on Vue.js for creating user interfaces. According to its README, one codebase can produce single page apps, server-side rendered and static sites, PWAs, browser extensions, hybrid mobile apps and Electron desktop apps. It is aimed at developers who want a ready-made set of components and tooling rather than assembling everything themselves.
Best for
Element Plus
- Developers building admin panels or business web apps with Vue 3
- Teams migrating from Element UI to Vue 3
- Projects that want TypeScript support in their UI components
Quasar
- Developers already familiar with Vue.js
- Teams that want one codebase for web, mobile and desktop targets
- Projects that need a Material Design style interface
- Developers building PWAs or browser extensions with Vue
Strengths
Element Plus
- Written in TypeScript with Vue 3 Composition API support
- Stable release with a documented breaking-change list for upgrading from Element UI
- Available through npm and has a built-in online playground
Quasar
- Covers many target platforms (web, PWA, mobile, desktop, extensions) from one codebase per the README
- Actively maintained, with a recent release (quasar-v2.35.2) and frequent recent pushes
- MIT licensed with a large star count and an active community forum and Discord
Not ideal for
Element Plus
- People not using Vue.js, since this library is specific to Vue 3
- Projects needing a Vue 2 library, because the README targets Vue 3 and points Element UI users to a migration path instead
- Non-developers who want a finished website without coding, since it is a library for building apps
Quasar
- People who do not know JavaScript or Vue, since it assumes that background
- Projects that only need a small static page, where a lighter tool is simpler
- Teams that cannot take on the framework's build and tooling setup
Trade-offs
Element Plus
- The README says it requires Node.js 20 or newer, which may need an upgrade on some machines
- Most usage documentation lives on the separate element-plus.org site, not in the README
- Migration from Element UI involves breaking changes that need to be reviewed
Quasar
- Its scope is broad, so learning the full framework takes time
- The README is truncated here, so details of platform support and limits are not confirmed in this entry
- Relies on Vue.js conventions, so it is less useful outside the Vue ecosystem
Getting started
Element Plus
Clone the repository (for contributors)
git clone https://github.com/element-plus/element-plusQuasar
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/quasarframework/quasar.gitFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Element Plus and Quasar?
Element Plus: A Vue 3 component library of ready-made UI pieces, written in TypeScript. Quasar: A Vue.js framework for building web, mobile, desktop and extension apps from one codebase. Element Plus suits developers building admin panels or business web apps with vue 3, while Quasar suits developers already familiar with vue.js.
Are Element Plus and Quasar free?
Element Plus: Free and open source. Quasar: Free and open source.
Is Element Plus or Quasar more popular?
Element Plus has more GitHub stars (27.8k) than Quasar (27.2k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Element Plus and Quasar?
Other options people compare them with include PrimeVue, Naive UI, Element, shadcn-vue, vue-admin-template.
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.