UI Kitten vs React Native for Web
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
React Native UI component library with a built-in light/dark theme system, for iOS, Android and web.
Open source · MIT
Runs React Native UI components in the browser, using React DOM.
The short answer
Choose UI Kitten if you need…
- React Native developers who want a complete set of standard UI controls
- Teams that need light and dark themes or custom brand colours
- Apps that must run on iOS, Android and the web from one codebase
- TypeScript projects that want typed component props and refs
Choose React Native for Web if you need…
- Developers who already use React Native and want the same components on the web
- Contributors who want to work on the react-native-web package itself
- Teams sharing UI code between a mobile app and a web app
Side-by-side
| UI Kitten | React Native for Web | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 10.7k | 22.2k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Clone and build from source |
| Main language | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| Last code update | 31 days ago | 4 days ago |
What each one is
UI Kitten
UI Kitten is a set of more than 30 ready-made interface components (buttons, inputs, lists, tabs, modals and similar) for React Native apps. It follows the Eva Design System, so components share a consistent look that can be restyled with a theme. Developers use it to build iOS, Android and web apps without designing every control from scratch.
React Native for Web
This project is the development monorepo for React Native for Web, a set of packages that let React Native style components run on the web. The README shown here mainly describes how the repository is organized and how to build, develop, and test its packages. It does not spell out the library's API or usage details in the excerpt provided.
Best for
UI Kitten
- React Native developers who want a complete set of standard UI controls
- Teams that need light and dark themes or custom brand colours
- Apps that must run on iOS, Android and the web from one codebase
- TypeScript projects that want typed component props and refs
React Native for Web
- Developers who already use React Native and want the same components on the web
- Contributors who want to work on the react-native-web package itself
- Teams sharing UI code between a mobile app and a web app
Strengths
UI Kitten
- Covers more than 30 common components with consistent styling
- Supports runtime theme switching and custom themes
- Ships TypeScript definitions for components and props
React Native for Web
- MIT licensed, so it is free to use and modify
- Has a large community, with over 22,000 stars on GitHub
- Includes a contributing guide and a list of good first issues for newcomers
Not ideal for
UI Kitten
- Developers who need a non-React Native stack, since it is built specifically for React Native and React
- Teams that want a fully custom visual design without adopting the Eva look, because the default style is opinionated
- Projects on very old React Native versions, since the README lists minimum versions (react-native 0.72, Expo SDK 49) that you must meet
React Native for Web
- People who only build websites and have no React Native code, since the library targets shared React Native UI
- Users looking for an end-user app, because this is a developer library and monorepo
Trade-offs
UI Kitten
- Requires several packages (components, eva, react-native-svg) and version alignment with your React Native setup
- The README says accessibility coverage is documented separately and may be partial, so check the guide before relying on it
- Major version 6 changed patterns such as the styled decorator, so older tutorials may not apply
React Native for Web
- The README excerpt is mostly about contributing, so usage details are thin here
- Setup for end users is not described in the provided text
- Description and topics suggest broad scope, but the README does not show examples
Getting started
UI Kitten
Expo install
npx expo install @ui-kitten/components @ui-kitten/eva react-native-svgBare React Native install
npm install @ui-kitten/components @ui-kitten/eva react-native-svgReact Native for Web
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/necolas/react-native-webBuild all packages
npm run buildFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between UI Kitten and React Native for Web?
UI Kitten: React Native UI component library with a built-in light/dark theme system, for iOS, Android and web. React Native for Web: Runs React Native UI components in the browser, using React DOM. UI Kitten suits react native developers who want a complete set of standard ui controls, while React Native for Web suits developers who already use react native and want the same components on the web.
Are UI Kitten and React Native for Web free?
UI Kitten: Free and open source. React Native for Web: Free and open source.
Is UI Kitten or React Native for Web more popular?
React Native for Web has more GitHub stars (22.2k) than UI Kitten (10.7k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to UI Kitten and React Native for Web?
Other options people compare them with include React Native Paper, NativeBase, Tamagui, React Native Elements, daisyUI.
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.