react-content-loader vs react-loadable
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 React component that draws grey placeholder shapes while content loads.
Open source · MIT
A React helper that loads components on demand using promises, to shrink your initial bundle.
The short answer
Choose react-content-loader if you need…
- React developers who want loading placeholders for cards, lists, or profiles
- Teams that want a small dependency for skeleton screens on the web
- React Native developers who need placeholder loaders using react-native-svg
- Developers who want to build custom placeholder layouts with the online tool
Choose react-loadable if you need…
- React developers whose main JavaScript bundle has grown large
- Apps that use Webpack and want component-level code splitting
- Teams who want to lazy-load modals, tabs, or heavy widgets that many users never open
- Projects that need server-side rendering with code splitting
Side-by-side
| react-content-loader | react-loadable | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 14k | 16.5k |
| Setup difficulty | Beginner | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| Last code update | 10 months ago | 2 years ago |
What each one is
react-content-loader
react-content-loader is a React component library that shows animated placeholder shapes, often called skeleton screens, while a page or card is still loading. It draws the placeholders as SVG, so you can use ready-made presets or define your own shapes with rectangles and circles. It also has a React Native version with the same API.
react-loadable
React Loadable is a small higher-order component: a function that wraps another component so it is loaded only when it is needed. You give it a loader that uses dynamic import(), plus a loading component to show while the code arrives. The README says it is used to split a large app bundle into smaller pieces so the page loads faster.
Best for
react-content-loader
- React developers who want loading placeholders for cards, lists, or profiles
- Teams that want a small dependency for skeleton screens on the web
- React Native developers who need placeholder loaders using react-native-svg
- Developers who want to build custom placeholder layouts with the online tool
react-loadable
- React developers whose main JavaScript bundle has grown large
- Apps that use Webpack and want component-level code splitting
- Teams who want to lazy-load modals, tabs, or heavy widgets that many users never open
- Projects that need server-side rendering with code splitting
Strengths
react-content-loader
- The README says it is lightweight, under 2kB with zero dependencies for the web version
- Presets such as Facebook-style loaders make a quick start possible
- Works on both React DOM and React Native with the same import style
react-loadable
- Small API: one Loadable call with a loader and a loading component
- The README shows example bundle size reductions reported by users, though these are anecdotal
- Handles loading states without writing the import and state logic by hand
Not ideal for
react-content-loader
- Projects not using React, since the package is a React component
- Apps that need heavy custom animation beyond the built-in shimmer options, as the README only documents speed, colors, and opacity controls
- Projects that cannot add the react-native-svg dependency on React Native, since the README says it is needed for custom shapes
react-loadable
- Projects not using React, since the library is built around React components
- Projects not using a bundler that supports dynamic import(), such as Webpack 2+, because the README ties automatic splitting to it
- Developers looking for an actively maintained option, since the README does not state a current maintenance status and the last push date is 2024-07-10
Trade-offs
react-content-loader
- React Native custom mode needs react-native-svg or the built-in Rect and Circle exports, which adds setup
- Several options, such as gradientRatio and style, are listed as React DOM only
- The README is truncated in this source, so some details may be missing
react-loadable
- The README notes the library is also meant to help with server-side rendering, but it gives little detail on setup for that
- The README's loading-component section is incomplete and the example is cut off, so some guidance is unclear
- Newer React features such as lazy and Suspense are not discussed in the README, so readers should check whether they fit their project
Getting started
react-content-loader
Install with npm
npm i react-content-loader --saveInstall with yarn
yarn add react-content-loaderreact-loadable
Install the package
yarn add react-loadableFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between react-content-loader and react-loadable?
react-content-loader: A React component that draws grey placeholder shapes while content loads. react-loadable: A React helper that loads components on demand using promises, to shrink your initial bundle. react-content-loader suits react developers who want loading placeholders for cards, lists, or profiles, while react-loadable suits react developers whose main javascript bundle has grown large.
Are react-content-loader and react-loadable free?
react-content-loader: Free and open source. react-loadable: Free and open source.
Which is easier to set up, react-content-loader or react-loadable?
react-content-loader is easier to get started with (rated beginner); react-loadable is rated intermediate and usually needs more setup.
Is react-content-loader or react-loadable more popular?
react-loadable has more GitHub stars (16.5k) than react-content-loader (14k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to react-content-loader and react-loadable?
Other options people compare them with include SkeletonView, React Native Elements, React Native for Web, NativeBase, Tamagui.
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.