Comparison
Framer Motion vs CSS: animating React apps
Two approaches to animation in React applications. Here's when to use each for the best results.
Framer Motion
Production-ready React animation library. Declarative API, gesture support, layout animations, and exit animations.
CSS Animations
Browser-native animations using CSS transitions, keyframes, and the new View Transitions API.
| Feature | Framer Motion | CSS Animations |
|---|---|---|
| Developer Experience | Excellent — declarative React API | Good — familiar CSS syntax |
| Bundle Size | ~30KB gzipped | Zero — built into browser |
| Gestures | Built-in (drag, hover, tap) | Requires JavaScript |
| Layout Animations | Automatic with AnimatePresence | Very difficult |
| Exit Animations | Easy with AnimatePresence | Complex — element removal issue |
| Performance | Good — uses requestAnimationFrame | Best — GPU-accelerated |
| Server Components | Requires 'use client' | Works everywhere |
| Complexity | Handles complex orchestration | Best for simple transitions |
When to choose each
Choose Framer Motion
Choose Framer Motion when you need gesture animations, layout transitions, exit animations, complex orchestration, or drag interactions.
Choose CSS Animations
Choose CSS animations for simple hover effects, loading spinners, fade-ins, and any animation where you want zero JavaScript overhead.
Our verdict
We use both. Framer Motion powers our interactive animations (scroll reveals, page transitions, gesture interactions), while CSS handles simple transitions and hover effects. The combination gives us the best of both worlds.
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