Animation Libraries

Framer Motion vs GSAP

React-native animations vs the professional animation toolkit — compare downloads and adoption

framer-motiongsap

Weekly Downloads — Last 6 Months

framer-motion

v12.37.0

A simple and powerful JavaScript animation library

npm GitHub

Weekly

23.9M

Monthly

122.3M

Growth

+86%

Bundle (gzip)

57.6 kB

gsap

v3.14.2

GSAP is a framework-agnostic JavaScript animation library that turns developers into animation superheroes. Build high-performance animations that work in **every** major browser. Animate CSS, SVG, canvas, React, Vue, WebGL, colors, strings, motion paths,

npm GitHub

Weekly

1.4M

Monthly

8.6M

Growth

+74%

Bundle (gzip)

26.6 kB

Package Breakdown

framer-motionRecommended

Declarative React animation library with gestures and layout animations

✓ Best For

React applications, UI transitions, page animations, drag interactions, and developers who want animations that feel native to React

✗ Weakness

React-only (until recent Motion rebranding), less precision for complex choreographed sequences, larger bundle than lightweight alternatives

gsap

Professional-grade animation platform with timeline control and plugins

✓ Best For

Complex choreographed animations, scroll-driven experiences, SVG animation, and creative/agency work requiring precise timing control

✗ Weakness

Imperative API requires more code in React, commercial license required for some plugins, steeper learning curve for timeline model

Framer Motion or GSAP?

For React application developers building UI animations — page transitions, hover effects, modals, list animations — Framer Motion is the clear choice. The declarative API integrates naturally with React, layout animations work automatically, and the developer experience is excellent. You'll be productive in an afternoon.

For creative developers building scroll-driven experiences, complex animation sequences, or interactive marketing sites — GSAP is the professional standard. ScrollTrigger alone justifies using GSAP for scroll-based work. No other library comes close to GSAP's timeline precision and plugin ecosystem for serious motion work.

Many experienced frontend developers use both: Framer Motion for React UI animations, GSAP for complex sequences or scroll-driven sections where timeline control is required.

Recommended: framer-motion

For React developers, the declarative API and layout animations make it the most productive choice for UI animation work.

Which to Use For Each Use Case

Use Case	Winner	Why
React page transitions	framer-motion	AnimatePresence handles enter/exit animations perfectly
Scroll-driven animations	gsap	ScrollTrigger is the best scroll animation tool available
Drag and drop interactions	framer-motion	Built-in drag gesture with constraints and spring physics
SVG animation	gsap	MorphSVG and DrawSVG plugins have no equivalent
Agency/creative site	gsap	Industry standard for award-winning interactive experiences
React UI microinteractions	framer-motion	Hover, tap, and focus animations as simple props

FAQ

Can I use GSAP in a React project?+

Yes, and many developers do. GSAP works with React via refs — you animate DOM elements directly using useRef and useEffect or useGSAP (GSAP's official React hook). The main consideration is that GSAP's imperative model works alongside React's declarative model rather than within it, which can feel awkward for simple UI animations but is perfectly fine for complex sequences.

Is GSAP free to use?+

GSAP's core library and most plugins are free for use in projects, including commercial ones. Some premium plugins (SplitText, MorphSVG, DrawSVG) require a paid Club GreenSock membership for use in commercial projects. For most developers, the free tier covers everything needed.

What is Motion (the Framer Motion rebrand)?+

Framer Motion rebranded to Motion in 2024, expanding beyond React to support vanilla JavaScript, Vue, and other frameworks. The React version remains the most mature, but the rebrand signals the library's ambition to become a universal animation library rather than a React-specific one. Existing Framer Motion code continues to work.

Which has better performance, Framer Motion or GSAP?+

GSAP has a strong performance reputation — it uses requestAnimationFrame efficiently and has decades of optimization work. Framer Motion performs well for UI animations but can struggle with very high-frequency animations or animating hundreds of elements simultaneously. For performance-critical animation work, GSAP is the safer choice.

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Animation in web applications has two distinct audiences: React developers who want declarative, component-integrated animations, and creative developers and motion designers who need timeline-based, precise control over complex sequences. Framer Motion serves the first group; GSAP (GreenSock Animation Platform) serves the second — and both do their job exceptionally well.

The download comparison here is interesting because GSAP's numbers are lower in npm terms but its real-world usage is broader — many GSAP users load it via CDN rather than npm, especially in non-React environments like WordPress, vanilla JS projects, and agency sites.

Two Different Animation Philosophies

Framer Motion was built specifically for React. Animations are declared as props — animate={{ opacity: 1, x: 0 }} — and the library handles the imperative animation logic underneath. Layout animations, shared element transitions, gesture recognition (drag, hover, tap), and exit animations all work within React's component model. It's the library that made sophisticated React animations accessible to developers who aren't animation specialists.

GSAP (GreenSock) predates React and works with any JavaScript environment. Its timeline model — sequence animations, control playback speed, reverse, repeat — is the professional standard for complex, choreographed motion. Major studios, award-winning agency sites, and interactive experiences almost universally use GSAP. The GreenSock plugin ecosystem (ScrollTrigger, MorphSVG, DrawSVG) extends it for scroll-driven animations and SVG manipulation that no other library matches.

The rebranded Motion library (formerly Framer Motion) in its latest versions has expanded beyond React, but GSAP's timeline precision and plugin ecosystem remain unmatched for complex animation work.

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