NativeBase vs React Native Paper
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
Accessible React Native and web UI component library; now in maintenance mode, succeeded by gluestack-ui.
Open source · MIT
A React Native UI kit of Material Design components for Android and iOS apps.
The short answer
Choose NativeBase if you need…
- Teams maintaining an existing app already built on NativeBase
- Developers who need to keep an existing NativeBase v3 codebase running
- Developers who want a single component set across mobile and web, as described in the README
Choose React Native Paper if you need…
- React Native developers who want ready-made Material Design components
- Teams building iOS and Android apps with a shared codebase
- Developers who want theming control over colors and styles
- Projects that need components which adapt to each platform's conventions
Side-by-side
| NativeBase | React Native Paper | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 20.4k | 14.5k |
| 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 | 9 months ago | 4 days ago |
What each one is
NativeBase
NativeBase is a set of pre-built user interface components for React Native and React, intended to let developers build a consistent look across Android, iOS and web. The README says it includes roughly 40 components, accessibility support via React ARIA, and theming with utility style props. The README now carries a deprecation notice: NativeBase is entering maintenance mode and the maintainers recommend gluestack-ui for new projects.
React Native Paper
React Native Paper is a UI kit library for React Native that provides a set of customizable components following Google's Material Design guidelines. It helps developers build mobile apps that look consistent on both Android and iOS without designing every button and form control from scratch. It also supports theming so the look can be adjusted to match an app's brand.
Best for
NativeBase
- Teams maintaining an existing app already built on NativeBase
- Developers who need to keep an existing NativeBase v3 codebase running
- Developers who want a single component set across mobile and web, as described in the README
React Native Paper
- React Native developers who want ready-made Material Design components
- Teams building iOS and Android apps with a shared codebase
- Developers who want theming control over colors and styles
- Projects that need components which adapt to each platform's conventions
Strengths
NativeBase
- The README describes built-in accessibility integration with React ARIA and React Native ARIA
- Components are described as consistent across Android, iOS and web
- MIT license, with a public kitchen sink demo app and documentation site
React Native Paper
- Components follow Material Design guidelines by default
- Works on both iOS and Android and follows platform adaptation guidelines
- Includes theming support and is MIT licensed
Not ideal for
NativeBase
- New projects: the README recommends gluestack-ui instead because NativeBase is in maintenance mode
- Developers who need active new feature development, since the README signals the project is winding down in favor of gluestack-ui
React Native Paper
- Developers who are not using React Native, since this library is built specifically for it
- Teams that need a non-Material visual style without heavy customization, because the defaults follow Material Design
- Non-developers looking for a no-code tool
Trade-offs
NativeBase
- The README marks the project as deprecated and in maintenance mode, so new development is unlikely to continue here
- The README targets NativeBase 3.0 features and a compatibility table that stops at early React Native versions, so current compatibility is unclear
React Native Paper
- Focused on Material Design, so it is less suited to apps wanting a different visual language
- Installation and setup details are in the external documentation rather than the README shown here
Getting started
React Native Paper
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/callstack/react-native-paperFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between NativeBase and React Native Paper?
NativeBase: Accessible React Native and web UI component library; now in maintenance mode, succeeded by gluestack-ui. React Native Paper: A React Native UI kit of Material Design components for Android and iOS apps. NativeBase suits teams maintaining an existing app already built on nativebase, while React Native Paper suits react native developers who want ready-made material design components.
Are NativeBase and React Native Paper free?
NativeBase: Free and open source. React Native Paper: Free and open source.
Is NativeBase or React Native Paper more popular?
NativeBase has more GitHub stars (20.4k) than React Native Paper (14.5k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to NativeBase and React Native Paper?
Other options people compare them with include Tamagui, React Native Elements, SWR, react-native-calendars, React Native for Web.
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.