react-pdf vs react-three-fiber
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 React renderer that creates PDF files in the browser or on a server.
Open source · MIT
A React renderer that lets you build Three.js 3D scenes as React components.
The short answer
Choose react-pdf if you need…
- React developers who need to generate PDF reports or invoices
- Teams that want PDF layouts written as reusable components
- Node.js projects that save generated PDFs to disk
- Browser apps that preview a PDF before download
Choose react-three-fiber if you need…
- React developers who want to add 3D scenes to a web app
- Developers who already know Three.js and want a component-based structure
- Projects that need 3D objects to respond to clicks, hover, or state changes
- Teams that want to use React's ecosystem alongside Three.js
Side-by-side
| react-pdf | react-three-fiber | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 16.8k | 33.4k |
| 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 | 6 days ago | 16 days ago |
What each one is
react-pdf
react-pdf (published as @react-pdf/renderer) lets developers describe a document with React components such as Document, Page, View and Text, then produces a PDF from it. It works in the browser, where a PDFViewer component can display the result, and in Node.js, where render can save the PDF to a file. It is useful when you want PDFs generated from the same component model as the rest of a React app.
react-three-fiber
react-three-fiber (@react-three/fiber) is a React renderer for Three.js, the JavaScript library for 3D graphics in the browser. Instead of writing imperative Three.js code, you describe a scene with JSX elements such as mesh and ambientLight, and the components can hold state and react to user input. According to the README, Three.js classes map directly onto JSX elements, so new Three.js features are usable without waiting for an update to this library.
Best for
react-pdf
- React developers who need to generate PDF reports or invoices
- Teams that want PDF layouts written as reusable components
- Node.js projects that save generated PDFs to disk
- Browser apps that preview a PDF before download
react-three-fiber
- React developers who want to add 3D scenes to a web app
- Developers who already know Three.js and want a component-based structure
- Projects that need 3D objects to respond to clicks, hover, or state changes
- Teams that want to use React's ecosystem alongside Three.js
Strengths
react-pdf
- Uses React components and StyleSheet, so familiar patterns carry over
- Supports both browser and Node.js rendering as described in the README
- Open source under the MIT license with a large community (about 16.8k stars)
react-three-fiber
- Declarative JSX syntax keeps 3D scenes readable and composable as React components
- Full access to Three.js: the README says all Three.js exports are available through the renderer
- Works with TypeScript and has a documented React Native path
Not ideal for
react-pdf
- People who only need to display an existing PDF, since the README points to a different project (wojtekmaj/react-pdf) for that
- Non-developers looking for a no-code PDF editor
- Projects not using React, since the library is a React renderer
react-three-fiber
- People new to both React and Three.js, since the README says you should be versed in both first (learning both at once is harder)
- Projects not using React, because this is a React renderer and needs React to run
- Projects that need to pin to a specific React version without checking pairing: v8 pairs with react@18 and v9 pairs with react@19
Trade-offs
react-pdf
- The README is short and does not document every feature, so check the homepage for details
- The README's Node example uses an older ReactDOM.render API, so verify current usage against the docs
- Layout is driven by styles in the README example (flexbox-style), which may take time to learn for print layouts
react-three-fiber
- Requires solid knowledge of both React and Three.js; the README explicitly warns beginners
- Major versions must match the React major version, which adds upkeep when upgrading React
- The README's claims of no overhead and no limitations are the maintainers' own statements and are not independently verified here
Getting started
react-three-fiber
Install three, its types, and react-three-fiber
npm install three @types/three @react-three/fiberFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between react-pdf and react-three-fiber?
react-pdf: A React renderer that creates PDF files in the browser or on a server. react-three-fiber: A React renderer that lets you build Three.js 3D scenes as React components. react-pdf suits react developers who need to generate pdf reports or invoices, while react-three-fiber suits react developers who want to add 3d scenes to a web app.
Are react-pdf and react-three-fiber free?
react-pdf: Free and open source. react-three-fiber: Free and open source.
Is react-pdf or react-three-fiber more popular?
react-three-fiber has more GitHub stars (33.4k) than react-pdf (16.8k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to react-pdf and react-three-fiber?
Other options people compare them with include jsPDF, PDFKit, Ink, react-pdf, PixiJS.
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.