Apollo Client vs TanStack Query
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 JavaScript and TypeScript library for loading and caching GraphQL data in web apps.
Open source · MIT
A library for fetching, caching, and updating data from servers in web apps.
The short answer
Choose Apollo Client if you need…
- Developers building React apps that query a GraphQL API
- Teams using TypeScript who want typed GraphQL operations
- Apps that need a client-side cache for GraphQL responses
Choose TanStack Query if you need…
- Frontend developers building apps that load data from a server
- Teams using React, Solid, Svelte, or Vue who want less hand-written loading and caching code
- Apps that need pagination, infinite scroll, or background refresh of data
Side-by-side
| Apollo Client | TanStack Query | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 19.8k | 50.5k |
| 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 | 5 days ago | 4 days ago |
What each one is
Apollo Client
Apollo Client is a library that lets a front-end app fetch data from a GraphQL server and keep the results in a local cache. It works with React, Vue, Angular, and plain JavaScript, according to the README. The README says it offers caching, APIs for queries, and developer tools.
TanStack Query
TanStack Query is an open-source library for managing server data in web apps. It handles fetching data from an API, caching the results, keeping them in sync, and updating them after changes. The README says it works with REST, GraphQL, or any promise-based fetching, and it has versions for React, Solid, Svelte, and Vue.
Best for
Apollo Client
- Developers building React apps that query a GraphQL API
- Teams using TypeScript who want typed GraphQL operations
- Apps that need a client-side cache for GraphQL responses
TanStack Query
- Frontend developers building apps that load data from a server
- Teams using React, Solid, Svelte, or Vue who want less hand-written loading and caching code
- Apps that need pagination, infinite scroll, or background refresh of data
Strengths
Apollo Client
- Caching is included out of the box, per the README
- Works across several front-end frameworks
- Has TypeScript support and an active maintainer team listed in the README
TanStack Query
- Covers fetching, caching, refetching, and mutations in one library
- Works with multiple frameworks and any promise-based or GraphQL data source
- Large community: about 50,000 GitHub stars and an MIT license
Not ideal for
Apollo Client
- Projects that do not use GraphQL, since the library is built around GraphQL queries
- Developers who only need a simple HTTP request library, since this adds a larger set of concepts
- Non-developers, because it is code you add to an app
TanStack Query
- People who only need a simple static site with no server data (the library adds complexity without benefit)
- Non-developers looking for a ready-made app (this is a code library, not an end-user tool)
Trade-offs
Apollo Client
- Requires understanding GraphQL and the library's caching model
- The README is truncated, so the full feature list and edge cases are not covered here
TanStack Query
- Requires learning its concepts (queries, mutations, cache keys) before it is productive
- The README is truncated here, so detailed setup and API behavior are not covered in this entry
Getting started
Apollo Client
Install the client and GraphQL package
npm install @apollo/client graphqlTanStack Query
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/TanStack/queryFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Apollo Client and TanStack Query?
Apollo Client: A JavaScript and TypeScript library for loading and caching GraphQL data in web apps. TanStack Query: A library for fetching, caching, and updating data from servers in web apps. Apollo Client suits developers building react apps that query a graphql api, while TanStack Query suits frontend developers building apps that load data from a server.
Are Apollo Client and TanStack Query free?
Apollo Client: Free and open source. TanStack Query: Free and open source.
Is Apollo Client or TanStack Query more popular?
TanStack Query has more GitHub stars (50.5k) than Apollo Client (19.8k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Apollo Client and TanStack Query?
Other options people compare them with include Relay, Apollo Server, SWR, ky, why-did-you-render.
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.