Home
Blog
React Native UI Libraries vs. React Native Elements: Which Is Right for Your App?

Summary

While building mobile apps with React Native, choosing the right React Native UI library is a very challenging part for efficiency and user experience. React Native Elements is a popular option, offering a set of customisable UI components, while on other hand React Native UI libraries provide more exclusive features and design systems. This blog compares both elements to help you to choose the right decision based on your project needs.

Introduction

While developing cross-platform mobile apps with React Native, one of the major challenges faced by developers is which React Native UI library to use. UI libraries provide pre-built components and help developers quickly create great user interfaces without having to write code from scratch. React Native Elements is one of the popular libraries in the market, known for its reliability and usability. However, other React Native UI libraries like NativeBase and React Native Paper offer more extensive features and come with built-in design systems. Choosing the right UI library is crucial for developers, and partnering with a skilled React Native app development company can help ensure the best library is selected to match project requirements and deliver high-quality user experiences.

What Are React Native UI Libraries?

A React Native UI library is a turbocharger for React native mobile app which comes with a set of pre-developed components that you can use to design the user interface of a mobile app. These libraries offer everything from basic components like buttons, cards, and forms to more advanced elements like navigation drawers, modals, and sliders. The main advantage of utilizing a UI library is that it allows for time savings in the design process while ensuring a uniform design language across your application.

Popular React Native UI libraries include:

React Native Paper
NativeBase
UI Kitten
Shoutem UI

Each library comes with a different set of components and design philosophies, but they all aim to simplify the UI development process.

What is React Native Element?

React Native Elements is a specific React Native UI library that offers a set of customizable, high-quality components. The library provides a range of classic, easy-to-use components like buttons, icons, input fields, and cards. It’s designed to help developers create polished, functional apps quickly, with minimal effort.

What makes React Native Elements stand out is its flexibility:

It offers basic components for most use cases.
It allows easy customization with a built-in theming system.
It works well on both iOS and Android, providing a consistent look across platforms.

With React Native Elements, you can easily tweak components to match your app’s branding without spending too much time on complex customizations.

Feature Comparison: React Native UI Libraries vs. React Native Elements

Let’s dive deeper into the features and compare React Native UI libraries with React Native Elements in key areas.

1. Component Variety

React Native UI Libraries:
- React Native UI libraries like NativeBase and React Native Paper offer a large set of components designed to cover a variety of use cases, including complex UI elements, navigation patterns, and charts. These libraries typically adhere to established design systems like Material Design or iOS’s Human Interface Guidelines.

Example:

import { Button, Card, TextInput, Text } from 'react-native-paper';
const ReactNativePaperExample = () => {
  return (
    <View style={styles.container}>
      <Text variant="headlineMedium" style={styles.title}>
        React Native Paper Example
      </Text>
      <Card style={styles.card}>
        <Card.Title title="Card Title" subtitle="Card Subtitle" />
        <Card.Content>
          <Text variant="bodyMedium">This is an example of a card.</Text>
        </Card.Content>
      </Card>
      <TextInput
        label="Enter your text"
        mode="outlined"
        style={styles.input}
      />
      <Button mode="contained" onPress={() => console.log('Button pressed!')}>
        Submit
      </Button>
    </View>
  );
};
export default ReactNativePaperExample;

React Native Elements:
- React Native Elements offers a more focused set of components, primarily basic UI elements such as buttons, forms, modals, and cards. While this is often sufficient for most apps, developers looking for more specialized or complex components might find it lacking compared to other React Native UI libraries.

Example:

import { Button, Card, Input, Text } from 'react-native-elements';
const ReactNativeElementsExample = () => {
  return (
    <View style={styles.container}>
      <Text h4 style={styles.title}>
        React Native Elements Example
      </Text>
      <Card containerStyle={styles.card}>
        <Card.Title>Card Title</Card.Title>
        <Card.Divider />
        <Text>This is an example of a card.</Text>
      </Card>
      <Input
        placeholder="Enter your text"
        containerStyle={styles.input}
      />
      <Button
        title="Submit"
        onPress={() => console.log('Button pressed!')}
        containerStyle={styles.button}
      />
    </View>
  );
};
export default ReactNativeElementsExample;

2. Customization and Theming

React Native UI Libraries:
- Libraries like React Native Paper come with a rich theming system that allows you to customize the appearance of components globally. These libraries also offer design systems (e.g., Material Design) that help maintain consistency across your app’s UI.

Example:

import React from 'react';
import { Provider as PaperProvider, MD3LightTheme, Text, Button } from 'react-native-paper';
import { View, StyleSheet } from 'react-native';
const theme = {
  ...MD3LightTheme,
  colors: {
    ...MD3LightTheme.colors,
    primary: '#6200ee',
    accent: '#03dac4',
    background: '#f5f5f5',
    surface: '#ffffff',
    text: '#000000',
  },
  fonts: {
    ...MD3LightTheme.fonts,
    headlineMedium: { fontFamily: 'Roboto', fontSize: 20, fontWeight: 'bold' },
  },
};
const ReactNativePaperThemingExample = () => {
  return (
    <PaperProvider theme={theme}>
      <View style={styles.container}>
        <Text variant="headlineMedium">Custom Themed Text</Text>
        <Button mode="contained" onPress={() => console.log('Button Pressed')}>
          Themed Button
        </Button>
      </View>
    </PaperProvider>
  );
};
const styles = StyleSheet.create({
  container: {
    flex: 1,
    justifyContent: 'center',
    alignItems: 'center',
    backgroundColor: theme.colors.background,
    padding: 16,
  },
});

export default ReactNativePaperThemingExample;

React Native Elements:
- React Native Elements provides a simple, straightforward theming system. You can define primary colors, fonts, and other styles globally, and easily override the default component styles. While the theming system is not as extensive as those in other React Native UI libraries, it is easy to use and highly flexible for most use cases.

Example:

import React from 'react';
import { View, StyleSheet } from 'react-native';
import { ThemeProvider, Button, Text } from 'react-native-elements';
const theme = {
  colors: {
    primary: '#6200ee',
    secondary: '#03dac4',
    background: '#f5f5f5',
    text: '#000000',
  },
  Button: {
    raised: true,
    buttonStyle: {
      backgroundColor: '#6200ee',
    },
    titleStyle: {
      color: '#ffffff',
    },
  },
  Text: {
    h4Style: {
      fontSize: 24,
      fontWeight: 'bold',
      color: '#000000',
    },
  },
};
const ReactNativeElementsThemingExample = () => {
  return (
    <ThemeProvider theme={theme}>
      <View style={styles.container}>
        <Text h4>Custom Themed Text</Text>
        <Button title="Themed Button" onPress={() => console.log('Button Pressed')} />
      </View>
    </ThemeProvider>
  );
};
const styles = StyleSheet.create({
  container: {
    flex: 1,
    justifyContent: 'center',
    alignItems: 'center',
    backgroundColor: theme.colors.background,
    padding: 16,
  },
});
export default ReactNativeElementsThemingExample;

3. Ease of Use

React Native UI Libraries:
- Some React Native UI libraries (e.g., NativeBase) require more initial setup and configuration, especially if you want to customize themes or use more advanced components. This may add extra development time.

Example:

import React from 'react';
import { NativeBaseProvider, Box, Button, Heading } from 'native-base';
import { StyleSheet } from 'react-native';
const theme = {
  colors: {
    primary: {
      50: '#e8f0fe',
      500: '#3b82f6', // Primary color
      900: '#1d4ed8',
    },
  },
};
const NativeBaseEaseOfUseExample = () => {
  return (
    <NativeBaseProvider theme={theme}>
      <Box style={styles.container}>
        <Heading size="lg" color="primary.500">
          NativeBase Ease of Use
        </Heading>
        <Button colorScheme="primary" onPress={() => console.log('Button Pressed')}>
          Press Me
        </Button>
      </Box>
    </NativeBaseProvider>
  );
};
const styles = StyleSheet.create({
  container: {
    flex: 1,
    justifyContent: 'center',
    alignItems: 'center',
    backgroundColor: '#e8f0fe',
    padding: 16,
  },
});
export default NativeBaseEaseOfUseExample;

React Native Elements:
- One of the standout features of React Native Elements is its simplicity. The library’s components are ready to use out of the box, and the API is clean and easy to work with. It’s ideal for developers who want a lightweight, straightforward library that doesn’t require a lot of boilerplate.

Example:

import React from 'react';
import { View, StyleSheet } from 'react-native';
import { Button, Text } from 'react-native-elements';
const ReactNativeElementsEaseOfUseExample = () => {
  return (
    <View style={styles.container}>
      <Text h4>React Native Elements Ease of Use</Text>
      <Button title="Press Me" onPress={() => console.log('Button Pressed')} />
    </View>
  );
};
const styles = StyleSheet.create({
  container: {
    flex: 1,
    justifyContent: 'center',
    alignItems: 'center',
    backgroundColor: '#f5f5f5',
    padding: 16,
  },
});
export default ReactNativeElementsEaseOfUseExample;

4. Performance

React Native UI Libraries:
- Larger React Native UI libraries (e.g., NativeBase, Shoutem UI) come with a lot of built-in components, which can sometimes lead to larger bundle sizes and potential performance hits.

Example:

import React from 'react';
import { NativeBaseProvider, VStack, Button, Box } from 'native-base';
const NativeBasePerformanceExample = () => {
  return (
    <NativeBaseProvider>
      <Box flex={1} justifyContent="center" alignItems="center">
        <VStack space={4} alignItems="center">
          <Button onPress={() => console.log('Button 1 Pressed')}>Button 1</Button>
          <Button onPress={() => console.log('Button 2 Pressed')}>Button 2</Button>
          <Button onPress={() => console.log('Button 3 Pressed')}>Button 3</Button>
        </VStack>
      </Box>
    </NativeBaseProvider>
  );
};
export default NativeBasePerformanceExample;

React Native Elements:
- React Native Elements is known for its lightweight nature, offering only essential components. This means smaller bundle sizes and better performance, especially for small-to-medium-sized apps.

Example:

import React from 'react';
import { View, StyleSheet } from 'react-native';
import { Button, Text } from 'react-native-elements';
const ReactNativeElementsPerformanceExample = () => {
  return (
    <View style={styles.container}>
      <Text h4>Optimized Performance</Text>
      <Button title="Button 1" onPress={() => console.log('Button 1 Pressed')} />
      <Button title="Button 2" onPress={() => console.log('Button 2 Pressed')} />
      <Button title="Button 3" onPress={() => console.log('Button 3 Pressed')} />
    </View>
  );
};
const styles = StyleSheet.create({
  container: {
    flex: 1,
    justifyContent: 'center',
    alignItems: 'center',
    backgroundColor: '#ffffff',
  },
});
export default ReactNativeElementsPerformanceExample;

5. Community and Support

React Native UI Libraries:
- The support and community for React Native UI libraries like NativeBase and React Native Paper are generally very strong. These libraries are widely used and well-maintained, with plenty of resources, documentation, and community forums to turn to.
React Native Elements:
- React Native Elements also boasts a large, active community. With consistent updates and a robust GitHub repository, the library has great support and is regularly improved by its developers and contributors.

When to Choose React Native UI Libraries?

Need a Rich Set of Components: If your app needs a wide variety of components for advanced UI elements like complex navigation, forms, or custom charts, a more comprehensive React Native UI library like NativeBase or React Native Paper might be a better choice.
Design Systems: If you want a pre-defined design system (like Material Design or iOS’s Human Interface Guidelines) to guide your app’s UI development, libraries like React Native Paper and NativeBase provide these out of the box.

When to Choose React Native Elements?

Simplicity and Speed: If you need a simple, easy-to-implement solution that lets you get started quickly, React Native Elements is the ideal choice. It provides essential components that you can use right away without the need for heavy configuration.
Customizable, Lightweight Apps: For apps that need light customization and a minimalist design, React Native Elements is a great option. It’s easy to tweak and doesn’t require a lot of overhead.

Conclusion

Both React Native UI libraries and React Native Elements offer unique advantages, but the choice ultimately depends on your specific project needs. If you’re looking for a rich set of components and are working on a larger app with complex UI requirements, you may want to go with a more comprehensive library like React Native Paper or NativeBase. However, for projects that prioritize simplicity, speed, and a lightweight setup, React Native Elements is an excellent choice.

At Creole Studios, we help businesses choose the right React Native UI library for their mobile app development projects. Our expert team understands the nuances of each library and can guide you in selecting the one that best aligns with your app’s requirements and goals. If you’re looking to hire React Native developers, we can connect you with skilled professionals who specialize in building efficient, user-friendly mobile apps. Whether you need quick prototypes or a fully custom UI, we provide tailored solutions to streamline your development process.

React Native