Updated Feb 25, 2026 · 8 min read
Aceternity UI vs Chakra UI
Tailwind + animations vs CSS-in-JS + accessibility
Summary
Choose Aceternity UI for landing pages, marketing sites, and projects using Tailwind CSS. Choose Chakra UI for accessible web applications needing runtime theming and consistent design systems. Aceternity offers better animations and templates; Chakra offers better accessibility and theming APIs.
At a glance
Tailwind CSS + Framer Motion for modern landing pages and marketing sites.
- 330+ components
- Framer Motion animations
- Smaller bundle size
- 30+ templates
Feature comparison
| Feature | Aceternity UI | Chakra UI |
|---|---|---|
| Components | 330+ | 60+ |
| Animations | Excellent | Good |
| Templates | 30+ | None |
| Styling | Tailwind CSS | CSS-in-JS |
| Bundle Size | Smaller | Larger |
| Accessibility | Good | Excellent |
| Theming | Tailwind config | Runtime themes |
| Pricing | Free + $199 | Free |
When to use each
Use Aceternity UI for:
- Landing pages & marketing
- Projects using Tailwind CSS
- Animation-heavy interfaces
- Performance-critical apps
Use Chakra UI for:
- Accessibility-first apps
- Runtime theme switching
- Teams preferring style props
- Complex form-heavy apps
Key difference: Styling approach
Aceternity UI uses Tailwind utility classes - better for performance and works with existing Tailwind projects. Chakra UI uses CSS-in-JS with style props like <Box p={4} bg='blue.500'> - better for runtime theming but larger bundles.
FAQ
What's the difference?
Aceternity UI: Tailwind CSS + Framer Motion for landing pages. Chakra UI: CSS-in-JS with style props for accessible applications.
Which has better performance?
Aceternity UI has smaller bundles with Tailwind. Chakra's CSS-in-JS is heavier but enables runtime theming.
Which for accessibility?
Chakra UI is purpose-built for accessibility with WAI-ARIA compliance. It's the better choice if a11y is critical.
Which for landing pages?
Aceternity UI. Built specifically for marketing sites with hero sections, animations, and 30+ complete templates.
Which for web apps?
Chakra UI is better for complex apps needing forms, modals, and data display with consistent theming.
Can I use both?
Possible but not recommended - they use different styling paradigms. Pick one or use Aceternity for marketing, Chakra for app.
Try Aceternity UI
200+ free animated components with Tailwind CSS

