MobX vs Redux
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 that tracks state changes automatically and updates the parts of your UI that depend on t
Open source · MIT
A JavaScript library for keeping an app's shared state predictable and easy to test.
The short answer
Choose MobX if you need…
- Frontend developers building React apps with complex or frequently changing state
- Teams who want state logic kept outside UI components so it is easier to test
- Developers who prefer plain JavaScript assignment over action-dispatch boilerplate
- TypeScript projects that want typed reactive state
Choose Redux if you need…
- Developers building larger front-end apps where many components share the same data
- Teams that want state changes to follow a consistent, testable pattern
- Projects that already use React and want the official React-Redux integration
- People who want a time-travel debugger via Redux DevTools
Side-by-side
| MobX | Redux | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 28.2k | 61.4k |
| 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 | 5 days ago | 17 days ago |
What each one is
MobX
MobX is a JavaScript and TypeScript library for managing application state. You mark data as observable, and it automatically records which parts of your code read that data, so only the dependent computations or UI components re-run when a value changes. The README says it is used with React through the mobx-react-lite package and that it is not tied to any UI framework.
Redux
Redux is a JavaScript library for managing global state, the data many parts of an app need to share. You store that state in one place and change it by dispatching plain action objects that describe what happened, handled by pure reducer functions. The README says the core is small (about 2kB) and works with React or other view libraries, and that Redux Toolkit is the official recommended way to write Redux code.
Best for
MobX
- Frontend developers building React apps with complex or frequently changing state
- Teams who want state logic kept outside UI components so it is easier to test
- Developers who prefer plain JavaScript assignment over action-dispatch boilerplate
- TypeScript projects that want typed reactive state
Redux
- Developers building larger front-end apps where many components share the same data
- Teams that want state changes to follow a consistent, testable pattern
- Projects that already use React and want the official React-Redux integration
- People who want a time-travel debugger via Redux DevTools
Strengths
MobX
- Updates are tracked automatically at runtime, so developers do not write manual memoization or selectors according to the README
- State can be changed with normal JavaScript assignment
- Independent of any UI framework, which makes state code portable and testable
Redux
- The README describes a predictable, single-store data flow that is easy to reason about
- The core is small and the ecosystem of addons is large, according to the README
- Official docs, tutorials, and a Discord community are linked from the README
Not ideal for
MobX
- Beginners who want a minimal first project, since the reactivity model takes time to learn
- Projects with very simple state that a plain useState hook or a few variables already handle
- Teams that want a framework-specific, opinionated structure, because the README describes MobX as unopinionated
Redux
- Small apps with little shared state, since the README itself suggests Redux may be unnecessary there
- Beginners who only need local component state, which the README suggests keeping simple
- Anyone wanting a zero-boilerplate setup without Redux Toolkit, since the README recommends Toolkit for most tasks
Trade-offs
MobX
- The automatic tracking model is a concept new users must learn before it feels natural
- The README excerpt is truncated, so details on advanced APIs and edge cases are not verified here
- Its value depends on how much state complexity the project has; simple apps may not need it
Redux
- The README stresses that Redux adds structure and may not be needed for every app
- Most modern usage goes through Redux Toolkit, so you need to learn both layers
- The README excerpt is truncated, so detailed API and version compatibility are not covered here
Getting started
Redux
Install Redux core
npm install reduxInstall Redux Toolkit and React-Redux
npm install @reduxjs/toolkit react-reduxFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between MobX and Redux?
MobX: A JavaScript library that tracks state changes automatically and updates the parts of your UI that depend on t. Redux: A JavaScript library for keeping an app's shared state predictable and easy to test. MobX suits frontend developers building react apps with complex or frequently changing state, while Redux suits developers building larger front-end apps where many components share the same data.
Are MobX and Redux free?
MobX: Free and open source. Redux: Free and open source.
Is MobX or Redux more popular?
Redux has more GitHub stars (61.4k) than MobX (28.2k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to MobX and Redux?
Other options people compare them with include Zustand, Jotai.
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.