Tiptap vs Trix
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 headless rich text editor framework for JavaScript apps, with no built-in look.
Open source · MIT
A rich text editor web component for writing messages, comments, and articles in web apps.
The short answer
Choose Tiptap if you need…
- Developers building a custom text editor into a web product
- Teams using Vue, React, or plain JavaScript who want one editor across frameworks
- Projects that need full control over the editor's design
- Developers who want to add their own custom blocks or nodes
Choose Trix if you need…
- Developers adding a rich text box to a Rails or other web app
- Teams that want simple, consistent HTML output for comments or messages
- Projects that need embedded attachments inside text
- Developers who want control over editor behavior instead of browser contenteditable quirks
Side-by-side
| Tiptap | Trix | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 38.9k | 20k |
| 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 | 10 days ago |
What each one is
Tiptap
Tiptap is an editor component you add to a web app so users can write formatted text, such as bold, lists, and headings. It is headless, meaning it ships without a ready-made user interface, so you design the look yourself. It is built on the ProseMirror library and extended through add-ons called extensions.
Trix
Trix is a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) text editor that you add to a web page so users can format text with bold, lists, quotes and links. It is built from standard web components and produces simple, consistent HTML. It comes from 37signals, the company behind Basecamp, and is used there.
Best for
Tiptap
- Developers building a custom text editor into a web product
- Teams using Vue, React, or plain JavaScript who want one editor across frameworks
- Projects that need full control over the editor's design
- Developers who want to add their own custom blocks or nodes
Trix
- Developers adding a rich text box to a Rails or other web app
- Teams that want simple, consistent HTML output for comments or messages
- Projects that need embedded attachments inside text
- Developers who want control over editor behavior instead of browser contenteditable quirks
Strengths
Tiptap
- Headless design gives full control over appearance and behavior
- Built on the established ProseMirror library and works across frameworks
- Large extension ecosystem with over 100 extensions listed in the docs
Trix
- Built on standard web APIs such as Custom Elements and Element Internals
- Treats contenteditable as an input device, giving consistent behavior across browsers
- Produces terse, consistent HTML output
Not ideal for
Tiptap
- Non-developers who want a ready-made editor with no coding, because it requires building the interface yourself
- Projects that need the advanced paid features, since Pro Extensions require a valid subscription
Trix
- Non-developers looking for a ready-made app; Trix is a component to integrate, not a standalone product
- Projects needing complex document features like tables or heavy page layout, which the README does not describe
- Sites that must support old browsers, since it targets evergreen desktop and mobile browsers
Trade-offs
Tiptap
- Advanced features such as collaboration, commenting, and AI are in paid Pro Extensions that need a subscription
- Without a UI, you must write more code to get a finished editor
- Setup details beyond the README are only in the external documentation
Trix
- The README describes only basic editing; advanced features are not detailed in the excerpt
- Requires JavaScript integration work and some HTML knowledge to set up forms and toolbars
- Trix content must be sanitized carefully when loaded from untrusted sources
Getting started
Tiptap
Install the agent skill (optional, from README)
npx skills add ueberdosis/tiptap --skill tiptapTrix
Include from npm CDN (simplest)
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="https://unpkg.com/trix@2.0.8/dist/trix.css"> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://unpkg.com/trix@2.0.8/dist/trix.umd.min.js"></script>Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Tiptap and Trix?
Tiptap: A headless rich text editor framework for JavaScript apps, with no built-in look. Trix: A rich text editor web component for writing messages, comments, and articles in web apps. Tiptap suits developers building a custom text editor into a web product, while Trix suits developers adding a rich text box to a rails or other web app.
Are Tiptap and Trix free?
Tiptap: Free and open source. Trix: Free and open source.
Is Tiptap or Trix more popular?
Tiptap has more GitHub stars (38.9k) than Trix (20k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Tiptap and Trix?
Other options people compare them with include Lexical, Slate, Milkdown, Vditor, pell.
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.