Astro vs Next.js 2025:
Which Framework Wins?
Astro or Next.js? Thousands of developers are asking this question in 2025. Both frameworks are powerful, modern, and production-ready - but they follow fundamentally different philosophies. Astro focuses on "Zero JavaScript by Default", Next.js on "React Everywhere". In this ultimate comparison, you'll learn: Performance benchmarks, costs, best use cases, and when each framework is the right choice.
Quick Verdict
Choose Astro when:
- Content-focused websites (Blogs, Docs, Marketing)
- Performance is the absolute priority
- SEO is critically important
- Budget is limited
- You want to mix multiple frameworks
Choose Next.js when:
- Highly interactive web apps (SaaS, Dashboards)
- You have React expertise in your team
- Server-Side Rendering is critical
- E-Commerce with high interactivity
- You want to use the Vercel ecosystem
Framework Overview
What is Astro?
Astro is a modern Static Site Generator framework, developed in 2021 with a focus on maximum performance. The core philosophy: "Zero JavaScript by Default" - Astro generates pure HTML by default, JavaScript is only loaded when explicitly needed.
What is Next.js?
Next.js is a React-based framework developed by Vercel since 2016. It offers Server-Side Rendering (SSR), Static Site Generation (SSG), and many powerful features out of the box.
Performance Comparison
Performance is where Astro really shines. By shipping zero JavaScript by default, Astro pages load significantly faster than Next.js pages with client-side hydration.
Astro Performance
- Lighthouse Score: 95-100
- Time to Interactive: ~0.5s
- Bundle Size: 0KB default JS
- First Contentful Paint: ~0.8s
Next.js Performance
- Lighthouse Score: 80-95
- Time to Interactive: ~1.5s
- Bundle Size: 70-200KB+ JS
- First Contentful Paint: ~1.2s
Best Use Cases
When to Use Astro
- Content-heavy websites (blogs, documentation, marketing)
- Portfolio websites and landing pages
- E-commerce with primarily static content
- Projects requiring multiple frameworks (React + Vue + Svelte)
- When SEO and Core Web Vitals are critical
When to Use Next.js
- Complex web applications (SaaS, dashboards)
- E-commerce with heavy interactivity
- Apps requiring real-time features
- Teams with strong React expertise
- Projects needing the Vercel ecosystem benefits
Conclusion
Both Astro and Next.js are excellent choices in 2025. Astro wins for content-focused sites where performance and SEO are paramount. Next.js excels for interactive applications where React's component model and rich ecosystem are needed.
At Senorit, we use both frameworks depending on project requirements. Our website uses Astro for its incredible performance, while we build complex web applications with Next.js.