vim-plug vs Vundle
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 minimal plugin manager for Vim and Neovim that installs plugins from git.
Open source · MIT
A plugin manager for Vim that installs, updates, and removes Vim plugins from your .vimrc.
The short answer
Choose vim-plug if you need…
- Vim or Neovim users who want to manage plugins without a heavy setup
- People who want to pin plugins to a branch, tag, or commit
- Users who want plugins to load on demand to speed up startup
- People who prefer a small, simple tool with minimal configuration syntax
Choose Vundle if you need…
- Vim users who want to manage plugins from a single .vimrc file
- People who already use Git and are comfortable editing configuration files
- Users who want to search for Vim scripts by name from inside Vim
Side-by-side
| vim-plug | Vundle | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Dev tool | Dev tool |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 35.8k | 23.9k |
| Setup difficulty | Beginner | Beginner |
| How you get it | See the README | Clone and build from source |
| Main language | Vim Script | Vim Script |
| Last code update | 22 days ago | 2 years ago |
What each one is
vim-plug
vim-plug is a plugin manager for the Vim and Neovim text editors. You list the plugins you want in your editor configuration file, and vim-plug downloads and updates them for you with simple commands like PlugInstall and PlugUpdate. It is distributed as a single file with no dependencies.
Vundle
Vundle (short for Vim bundle) is a plugin manager for Vim, the text editor. You list the plugins you want in your .vimrc configuration file, and Vundle downloads them from Git repositories, keeps them updated, and removes ones you no longer use. It also manages the runtime path for installed plugins and regenerates help tags after installs and updates.
Best for
vim-plug
- Vim or Neovim users who want to manage plugins without a heavy setup
- People who want to pin plugins to a branch, tag, or commit
- Users who want plugins to load on demand to speed up startup
- People who prefer a small, simple tool with minimal configuration syntax
Vundle
- Vim users who want to manage plugins from a single .vimrc file
- People who already use Git and are comfortable editing configuration files
- Users who want to search for Vim scripts by name from inside Vim
Strengths
vim-plug
- Single file with no dependencies, which the README describes as easy to set up
- Parallel installation and updates, with shallow clones to save disk space and download time
- Supports branches, tags, commits, and post-update hooks
Vundle
- Keeps all plugin configuration in one readable .vimrc file
- Handles install, update, search, and cleanup from a few Vim commands
- Has been around long enough to have 23,906 GitHub stars and a published changelog and Vimdoc
Not ideal for
vim-plug
- People who do not use Vim or Neovim, since it only works inside those editors
- Users who need plugins installed from sources other than git, because the README describes git-based installation
- Users who want a built-in package system instead of a third-party tool
Vundle
- Neovim or Vim users who prefer a different manager, since the README only describes Vim setup
- Windows users without extra setup, because the README sends them to a separate Windows setup page
- Users of non-POSIX shells such as fish, who need additional configuration according to the README
Trade-offs
vim-plug
- The README does not state the exact versions of Vim or Neovim supported beyond general claims of broad compatibility
- Relies on git being available for installing plugins
Vundle
- Requires Git, and curl for search, so it depends on external tools being installed
- Non-POSIX shells like fish need extra setup, and Windows has its own guide
- The README says the interface is undergoing a change and lists open TODO items such as dependency handling and version pinning
Getting started
vim-plug
Download plug.vim to the autoload directory on Unix (Vim)
curl -fLo ~/.vim/autoload/plug.vim --create-dirs https://raw.githubusercontent.com/junegunn/vim-plug/master/plug.vimVundle
Clone Vundle into the Vim bundle directory
git clone https://github.com/VundleVim/Vundle.vim.git ~/.vim/bundle/Vundle.vimFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between vim-plug and Vundle?
vim-plug: A minimal plugin manager for Vim and Neovim that installs plugins from git. Vundle: A plugin manager for Vim that installs, updates, and removes Vim plugins from your .vimrc. vim-plug suits vim or neovim users who want to manage plugins without a heavy setup, while Vundle suits vim users who want to manage plugins from a single .vimrc file.
Are vim-plug and Vundle free?
vim-plug: Free and open source. Vundle: Free and open source.
Is vim-plug or Vundle more popular?
vim-plug has more GitHub stars (35.8k) than Vundle (23.9k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
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.