head to head · open source
motion vs thorvg
motion has 34,502 GitHub stars, 1,462 forks, 112 open issues and last shipped 3 days ago. thorvg has 1,891 stars, 257 forks, 206 open issues and last shipped 3 days ago. motion leads on adoption by 1,725% (34,502 vs 1,891 stars). motion is written in TypeScript under MIT; thorvg is written in C++ under MIT. motion has attracted 4% as many forks as stars, thorvg 14%. thorvg was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (animation), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| motion | thorvg | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 35K | ★ 1.9K |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Written in | TypeScript | C++ |
| Last push | 2026-10-23 | 2026-10-23 |
| Forks | ⑂ 1.5K | ⑂ 257 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick motion if
- You weight community size — 35K stars and counting
- You want the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick thorvg if
- You want the thorvg feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches C++
- You evaluated both and thorvg fits your workflow better
About motion
Motion An open source animation library for JavaScript, React and Vue Table of Contents 1. Why Motion? 2. 🍦 Platforms 3. 🎓 Examples 4. ⚡️ Motion+ 5. 👩🏻⚖️ License 6. 💎 Contribute 7. ✨ Sponsors Why Motion? Simple API: First class React, JavaScript, and Vue packages. Hybrid engine: Power of JavaScript combined with native browser APIs for 120fps, GPU accelerated animations. Production ready: TypeScript, extensive test suite, tree shakable, tiny footprint. Batteries included: Gestures, springs, layout transitions, scroll linked effects, timelines. 🍦 Platforms Motion is available for React, JavaScript and Vue…
read the full motion overview →
About thorvg
ThorVG Thor Vector Graphics is a production ready vector graphics engine designed for creating interactive apps and creative tools . It combines high performance with lightweight efficiency , as Thor embodies a dual meaning—symbolizing both immense strength and lightning fast agility. Embracing the philosophy of simplicity leads to reliability, the ThorVG project provides easy, user friendly interfaces while maintaining a compact footprint and minimal overhead . The following primitives are supported by ThorVG: Lines & Shapes : rectangles, circles, paths, and arbitrary vector geometry Filling : solid colors /…
read the full thorvg overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is motion or thorvg more popular?
motion has 34,502 GitHub stars and thorvg has 1,891. motion has the larger community by that measure.
Are motion and thorvg free?
Both are open source. motion is licensed under MIT and thorvg under MIT. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between motion and thorvg?
motion is written in TypeScript and thorvg in C++. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, motion or thorvg?
Choose motion if you want the larger community (34,502 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose thorvg if its feature set, stack or MIT licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.