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GSAP vs Framer Motion
Which Should You Use?

Both GSAP and Framer Motion are excellent animation libraries for React. But they solve different problems. This guide breaks down every key difference to help you pick the right tool for your project.

TL;DR

  • Choose GSAP → Complex timelines, scroll animations, SVG morphing, 3D transforms, high-performance orchestration
  • Choose Framer Motion → Simple UI transitions, layout animations, exit animations (AnimatePresence), quick prototyping
  • Use both → GSAP for complex scroll sections, Framer Motion for UI micro-interactions

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

Performance

Winner: GSAP
GSAP

Runs on requestAnimationFrame with automatic batching. Zero layout thrashing. Handles 1000+ concurrent animations without frame drops. Industry benchmark for complex timelines.

Framer Motion

Built on React's render cycle. Good for simple animations but can cause re-renders with complex orchestrations. Spring physics are computed per-frame.

GSAP is faster for complex animations. Framer Motion is fine for simple UI transitions.

Scroll Animations

Winner: GSAP
GSAP

ScrollTrigger is the most powerful scroll-animation engine available. Pin elements, scrub timelines, create parallax effects, snap to sections — all with battle-tested performance.

Framer Motion

useScroll hook + useTransform provides basic scroll-linked animations. No built-in pinning, snapping, or complex scrubbing. Often paired with Intersection Observer for triggers.

ScrollTrigger is leagues ahead. If you need scroll animations, GSAP is the clear choice.

API Design

Winner: Framer Motion
GSAP

Imperative API with method chaining. gsap.to(), gsap.from(), gsap.timeline(). Requires understanding of the animation model but offers precise control.

Framer Motion

Declarative API with JSX props. <motion.div animate={{x: 100}} />. More React-idiomatic. Easier learning curve for React developers.

Framer Motion's declarative API is more intuitive for React devs. GSAP requires more setup but rewards with more control.

Timeline & Sequencing

Winner: GSAP
GSAP

Full timeline control with labels, nested timelines, position parameters, and .addPause(). Can seek, reverse, speed up, or loop any point in a sequence.

Framer Motion

orchestrate with staggerChildren and delayChildren in variants. No true timeline — you define sequences through parent-child variant propagation.

GSAP's timeline is unmatched for complex, multi-step animation sequences.

Bundle Size

Winner: Tie
GSAP

~26KB (core) + ~13KB (ScrollTrigger). Tree-shakeable. Plugins load separately.

Framer Motion

~32KB for the full package. Includes layout animations, gestures, and AnimatePresence.

Similar bundle sizes. Both are reasonable for modern web projects.

Next.js App Router

Winner: Tie
GSAP

Works in client components with the @gsap/react useGSAP hook. Requires "use client" directive. Auto-cleanup on unmount.

Framer Motion

Works in client components with motion components. Requires "use client" directive. AnimatePresence works with route changes.

Both work well with Next.js App Router. Framer Motion has slightly better exit animation support.

SVG & 3D Transforms

Winner: GSAP
GSAP

Native SVG morphing, drawSVG, motionPath plugins. Full 3D transform support with perspective. MorphSVG can interpolate between any two SVG shapes.

Framer Motion

Basic SVG animation via pathLength. No built-in SVG morphing. 3D transforms supported but without the depth of GSAP's plugin ecosystem.

GSAP's SVG and 3D plugin ecosystem is significantly more powerful.

Code Comparison

GSAP — Fade In on Scroll
useGSAP(() => {
  gsap.from(".card", {
    y: 60,
    opacity: 0,
    duration: 0.8,
    stagger: 0.15,
    scrollTrigger: {
      trigger: ".cards",
      start: "top 80%",
    },
  });
}, { scope: containerRef });
Framer Motion — Fade In on Scroll
<motion.div
  initial={{ y: 60, opacity: 0 }}
  whileInView={{ y: 0, opacity: 1 }}
  transition={{
    duration: 0.8,
    delay: index * 0.15,
  }}
  viewport={{ once: true }}
>
  <Card />
</motion.div>

When to Use Each Library

Use GSAP When You Need...

  • ✦ Scroll-pinned sections and parallax effects
  • ✦ Complex multi-step timelines
  • ✦ SVG morphing and path animations
  • ✦ 3D transforms with perspective
  • ✦ High-fidelity, frame-perfect animations
  • ✦ Physics-based motion (inertia, spring)
  • ✦ 60fps with 100+ animated elements

Use Framer Motion When You Need...

  • ✦ Quick UI state transitions
  • ✦ Layout animations (shared layout)
  • ✦ Exit animations (AnimatePresence)
  • ✦ Gesture-driven animations (drag, hover)
  • ✦ Rapid prototyping
  • ✦ Declarative API for small teams
  • ✦ Simple spring-based micro-interactions

Ready to Use GSAP?

TweenLabs has 22+ free, production-ready GSAP components for React and Next.js. Copy-paste or install via CLI.

Browse Components →TweenLabs Home →