We've built over 50 websites in the past two years using various frameworks. Here's the honest comparison of when to use each one—and when to avoid them.
The Quick Comparison
| Criteria | React | Next.js | Astro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Performance | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Developer Experience | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| SEO (out of box) | ⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Learning Curve | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Ecosystem | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Best For | SPAs, Dashboards | Full-stack, E-commerce | Content sites, Blogs |
When to Use React (Vanilla)
React is still the most popular choice, and for good reason—but only in the right scenarios:
- Web apps with heavy interactivity: Think Figma, Notion, or complex dashboards where most content changes dynamically.
- Mobile apps: React Native shares logic with React web projects.
- Teams with existing React experience: Don't switch frameworks just because it's trending.
Avoid React for: Simple marketing sites, blogs, or anything where SEO matters. The hydration overhead kills your Core Web Vitals.
When to Use Next.js
Next.js is our default choice for most client projects. Here's why:
- E-commerce sites: Server-side rendering + static generation = fast + SEO-friendly + dynamic cart.
- SaaS applications: API routes, authentication, and database integration built-in.
- Content-heavy sites with dynamic elements: User accounts, comments, real-time features.
- When you need the best of both worlds: Static pages that can go dynamic when needed.
Next.js 14+ with the App Router has made server components the default, reducing client-side JavaScript significantly.
When to Use Astro
Astro is our secret weapon for content-focused sites. It's the fastest option when used correctly:
- Blogs and documentation: Markdown-first, near-zero JavaScript by default.
- Marketing sites: If it's mostly static content with occasional interactivity, Astro wins.
- Landing pages: We built 12 landing pages with Astro this year. Average Lighthouse score: 99.
- Performance-critical sites: When every millisecond counts (and it should).
Our 2026 Stack Recommendations
Based on real projects and real results:
- Marketing website / Blog: Astro + Tailwind
- E-commerce (under 100 products): Astro + Shopify Storefront API
- E-commerce (100+ products): Next.js + headless CMS
- SaaS / Web App: Next.js + Prisma + Vercel
- Dashboard / Admin: React + Vite + React Query
The "best" framework is the one your team knows well and matches your project requirements. But if you're starting fresh and want our recommendation: Astro for content, Next.js for everything else.
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