RAMAnimatedTabBarController vs AutoAnimate
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 Swift library that adds animations to iOS tab bar items and icons.
Open source · MIT
A small drop-in library that adds smooth animations when elements are added, removed, or moved.
The short answer
Choose RAMAnimatedTabBarController if you need…
- iOS developers who want animated tab bar icons without writing the animation logic from scratch
- Developers building a UI prototype who want a quick visual upgrade to navigation
- Teams already using CocoaPods, Carthage, or manual folder import for iOS libraries
Choose AutoAnimate if you need…
- Frontend developers who want polished list or menu transitions without writing animation code
- Teams using Vue or React who want a quick UI improvement
- Projects that need simple motion rather than complex custom animation sequences
Side-by-side
| RAMAnimatedTabBarController | AutoAnimate | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 11.1k | 14k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Beginner |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | Swift | TypeScript |
| Last code update | 5 years ago | 4 months ago |
What each one is
RAMAnimatedTabBarController
Animated Tab Bar is an iOS library written in Swift that lets developers add motion effects to the buttons in an app's bottom tab bar, such as bounce, rotation, flip, and frame animations. It works by replacing the standard tab bar controller and items with Ramotion's custom classes, then attaching an animation to each item. It is aimed at developers who want a more lively tab bar than the default iOS look.
AutoAnimate
AutoAnimate is a JavaScript utility that adds motion to web interfaces with little setup. You attach it to a parent element and its children animate smoothly as they are added, removed, or reordered. The README says it works with Vue, React, Solid, or any other JavaScript app.
Best for
RAMAnimatedTabBarController
- iOS developers who want animated tab bar icons without writing the animation logic from scratch
- Developers building a UI prototype who want a quick visual upgrade to navigation
- Teams already using CocoaPods, Carthage, or manual folder import for iOS libraries
AutoAnimate
- Frontend developers who want polished list or menu transitions without writing animation code
- Teams using Vue or React who want a quick UI improvement
- Projects that need simple motion rather than complex custom animation sequences
Strengths
RAMAnimatedTabBarController
- Ships with nine ready-made animations that can be attached in Interface Builder or code
- Simple setup: swap in the library's tab bar controller and item classes, then add an animation
- Available through CocoaPods, Carthage, Swift Package Manager, or direct folder import, and released under MIT
AutoAnimate
- Very little code is needed to get started, per the README's one-line claim
- Works across several frameworks, including Vue, React, and Solid
- Permissively licensed under MIT and actively maintained
Not ideal for
RAMAnimatedTabBarController
- Developers targeting Android or web, since the library is iOS-only (reason: it is built with UIKit classes)
- Projects that need actively maintained code, since the last push was January 2022 and the latest release is 5.1.0 (reason: the README does not state current support status)
- Teams using SwiftUI's TabView exclusively, since the README describes UITabBarController-based setup (reason: the README does not mention SwiftUI)
AutoAnimate
- Developers who need fine-grained control over timing and keyframes, since the README presents it as a zero-config tool
- Projects that cannot add a JavaScript dependency to the frontend
Trade-offs
RAMAnimatedTabBarController
- The last push was 2022-01-26 and the README lists Xcode 10.2, so compatibility with current Xcode and iOS versions is unverified
- The README is brief and does not document the full API or how it behaves with complex layouts
- Some included examples are animation-only; there is no documented support for SwiftUI
AutoAnimate
- The README is short on details, so specific behavior and customization depend on the external docs site
- Being zero-config means less control over animation specifics
Getting started
RAMAnimatedTabBarController
Install with CocoaPods (add to Podfile)
pod 'RAMAnimatedTabBarController'AutoAnimate
npm
npm install @formkit/auto-animateyarn
yarn add @formkit/auto-animateFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between RAMAnimatedTabBarController and AutoAnimate?
RAMAnimatedTabBarController: A Swift library that adds animations to iOS tab bar items and icons. AutoAnimate: A small drop-in library that adds smooth animations when elements are added, removed, or moved. RAMAnimatedTabBarController suits ios developers who want animated tab bar icons without writing the animation logic from scratch, while AutoAnimate suits frontend developers who want polished list or menu transitions without writing animation code.
Are RAMAnimatedTabBarController and AutoAnimate free?
RAMAnimatedTabBarController: Free and open source. AutoAnimate: Free and open source.
Which is easier to set up, RAMAnimatedTabBarController or AutoAnimate?
AutoAnimate is easier to get started with (rated beginner); RAMAnimatedTabBarController is rated intermediate and usually needs more setup.
Is RAMAnimatedTabBarController or AutoAnimate more popular?
AutoAnimate has more GitHub stars (14k) than RAMAnimatedTabBarController (11.1k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to RAMAnimatedTabBarController and AutoAnimate?
Other options people compare them with include FoldingCell, Material, Hero, barba.js, React.
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.