Bootstrap for Sass vs Bulma
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
Bootstrap 3's CSS framework packaged as Sass for Rails, npm, and Bower projects.
Open source · MIT
A CSS framework built on Flexbox that gives you styled layout and UI classes.
The short answer
Choose Bootstrap for Sass if you need…
- Rails developers who already use the asset pipeline and want Bootstrap 3
- Node.js projects that want Bootstrap 3 Sass via npm
- Teams that need to customize Bootstrap by overriding Sass variables before import
- Developers maintaining an existing Bootstrap 3 site
Choose Bulma if you need…
- Developers who want a quick, consistent styling baseline for a web page
- Projects that already have their own JavaScript and only need a style layer
- Teams that want to customize styles through Sass variables
- Developers working with Vue, React, or other frameworks who want Bulma-based component libraries
Side-by-side
| Bootstrap for Sass | Bulma | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 12.5k | 50k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Beginner |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | SCSS | CSS |
| Last code update | 10 months ago | 46 days ago |
What each one is
Bootstrap for Sass
bootstrap-sass is an official port of Bootstrap 3, a popular front-end toolkit for styling websites, written in Sass so you can customize its variables and mixins. It is meant to be dropped into an existing project, mainly Ruby on Rails apps, or installed through npm or Bower. The README says it covers Bootstrap 3 only; Bootstrap 4 has its own repositories.
Bulma
Bulma is a CSS framework based on Flexbox. It ships as a single CSS file with ready-made classes for layout and common interface elements, so you can style a web page without writing much custom CSS. It contains no JavaScript, so you add your own scripts for any interactive behavior.
Best for
Bootstrap for Sass
- Rails developers who already use the asset pipeline and want Bootstrap 3
- Node.js projects that want Bootstrap 3 Sass via npm
- Teams that need to customize Bootstrap by overriding Sass variables before import
- Developers maintaining an existing Bootstrap 3 site
Bulma
- Developers who want a quick, consistent styling baseline for a web page
- Projects that already have their own JavaScript and only need a style layer
- Teams that want to customize styles through Sass variables
- Developers working with Vue, React, or other frameworks who want Bulma-based component libraries
Strengths
Bootstrap for Sass
- Official port maintained under the Bootstrap organization
- Supports Rails, npm, and Bower setups documented in the README
- Lets you customize Bootstrap by overriding Sass variables and importing only needed components
Bulma
- Based on Flexbox, with a single CSS file as its output
- No JavaScript included, so it does not force a particular JS environment
- Customizable through Sass source files and variables
Not ideal for
Bootstrap for Sass
- New projects that want Bootstrap 4 or later: the README directs you to the main Bootstrap repo or the Bootstrap rubygem instead
- Users who only need plain CSS with no build step: the README describes a Sass-based setup
- Rails 3 apps: the README says the gem is no longer compatible with Rails 3, with v3.1.1.0 as the last version supporting Rails 3.2
Bulma
- People who need interactive components like modals or dropdowns out of the box, since Bulma has no JavaScript and you must supply it
- Projects that must support Internet Explorer fully, since the README says IE 10+ is only partially supported
- Teams that want a heavily opinionated design system with a fixed look, since much of the appearance is meant to be customized
Trade-offs
Bootstrap for Sass
- Covers only Bootstrap 3, which is an older major version
- Requires setup details such as Sass number precision of 8 and Autoprefixer configuration
- Rails JavaScript setup needs jQuery and a choice between concatenated and individual JS files
Bulma
- Browser support is limited to recent versions of major browsers, with only partial support for IE 10+
- Interactive behavior must be written or added separately
- The README notes the project is in constant development, so details may change between releases
Getting started
Bootstrap for Sass
npm install
npm install bootstrap-sassBower install
bower install bootstrap-sassBulma
Install with npm
npm install bulmaInstall with Yarn
yarn add bulmaFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Bootstrap for Sass and Bulma?
Bootstrap for Sass: Bootstrap 3's CSS framework packaged as Sass for Rails, npm, and Bower projects. Bulma: A CSS framework built on Flexbox that gives you styled layout and UI classes. Bootstrap for Sass suits rails developers who already use the asset pipeline and want bootstrap 3, while Bulma suits developers who want a quick, consistent styling baseline for a web page.
Are Bootstrap for Sass and Bulma free?
Bootstrap for Sass: Free and open source. Bulma: Free and open source.
Which is easier to set up, Bootstrap for Sass or Bulma?
Bulma is easier to get started with (rated beginner); Bootstrap for Sass is rated intermediate and usually needs more setup.
Is Bootstrap for Sass or Bulma more popular?
Bulma has more GitHub stars (50k) than Bootstrap for Sass (12.5k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Bootstrap for Sass and Bulma?
Other options people compare them with include Bootstrap, Tailwind CSS, Milligram, Spectre.css, Materialize.
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.