FilePond vs Uppy
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 library for drag-and-drop file uploads, with optional image resizing and cropping.
Open source · MIT
A modular JavaScript file uploader for web browsers, with resumable uploads and many file sources.
The short answer
Choose FilePond if you need…
- Web developers who need a polished upload widget in a site or app
- Teams using React, Vue, Angular, Svelte, or jQuery who want an official adapter
- Projects that need image resizing, cropping, or EXIF orientation fixes before upload
- Apps that need chunked uploads for large files
Choose Uppy if you need…
- Web developers who need a ready-made file upload interface in their app
- Teams that want resumable uploads for large files via the tus standard
- Projects using React, Svelte, Vue, or plain JavaScript
- Developers who want to build a custom upload UI with headless components or hooks
Side-by-side
| FilePond | Uppy | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 16.4k | 31.1k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | JavaScript | TypeScript |
| Last code update | 9 days ago | 4 days ago |
What each one is
FilePond
FilePond is a JavaScript library that adds a file upload box to a web page. Users can drop, select, or paste files into it, and it can preview them and optimize images before they are sent to a server. The README says it is accessible, works on mobile and desktop, and has adapters for React, Vue, Angular, Svelte, and jQuery.
Uppy
Uppy is a JavaScript library that adds a file upload interface to a web page or app. You install only the pieces you need, such as a drag-and-drop dashboard, a webcam capture option, or a destination like tus or AWS S3. It can also import files from sources like Google Drive, Dropbox, and remote URLs, usually with a companion server component.
Best for
FilePond
- Web developers who need a polished upload widget in a site or app
- Teams using React, Vue, Angular, Svelte, or jQuery who want an official adapter
- Projects that need image resizing, cropping, or EXIF orientation fixes before upload
- Apps that need chunked uploads for large files
Uppy
- Web developers who need a ready-made file upload interface in their app
- Teams that want resumable uploads for large files via the tus standard
- Projects using React, Svelte, Vue, or plain JavaScript
- Developers who want to build a custom upload UI with headless components or hooks
Strengths
FilePond
- The README lists many features, including chunk uploads, keyboard navigation, and EXIF orientation fixes
- Large plugin and adapter ecosystem documented in the README
- MIT licensed with a large star count and recent activity
Uppy
- Modular plugin design, so you include only the parts you use
- Resumable uploads through the open tus standard
- Works with plain JS and several frameworks, with a stated MIT license
Not ideal for
FilePond
- People who only need a plain HTML file input and nothing more, since FilePond adds a library and styling to do that
- Non-developers looking for a ready-made app, because it is a code library that needs integration
- Projects that need a server-side upload handler from this repo alone, since backend examples are separate projects listed in the README
Uppy
- People who only need a basic HTML file input, since the README itself notes that a plain file input may be enough in many cases
- Projects that cannot run a server component if they want cloud imports like Google Drive or Dropbox, because those need @uppy/companion
- Non-developers looking for a finished end-user app; this is a library to embed in your own product
Trade-offs
FilePond
- Test coverage is around 65%, according to the README
- Many useful features, such as image editing and PDF preview, are in separate plugins or in the paid Pintura product
- The README is truncated here, so detailed configuration and version differences are not covered in this entry
Uppy
- Some sources (Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, and others) require running a companion server
- The README's pre-built CDN bundle is not recommended for production because it includes most plugins
- Browser support is stated as an aim for recent Chrome, Firefox, and Safari, not a guarantee
Getting started
Uppy
Install core, dashboard, and tus packages
npm install @uppy/core @uppy/dashboard @uppy/tusFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between FilePond and Uppy?
FilePond: A JavaScript library for drag-and-drop file uploads, with optional image resizing and cropping. Uppy: A modular JavaScript file uploader for web browsers, with resumable uploads and many file sources. FilePond suits web developers who need a polished upload widget in a site or app, while Uppy suits web developers who need a ready-made file upload interface in their app.
Are FilePond and Uppy free?
FilePond: Free and open source. Uppy: Free and open source.
Is FilePond or Uppy more popular?
Uppy has more GitHub stars (31.1k) than FilePond (16.4k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to FilePond and Uppy?
Other options people compare them with include react-dropzone, Dragula, interact.js, Lenis, Tabler.
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.