The Question Everyone Asks
Every client who comes to us building a web product eventually asks: "Should we use React or Next.js?" The short answer: they're not mutually exclusive. Next.js is React — it just adds a framework on top.
The real question is: plain React (with Vite/CRA) vs Next.js.
When to Choose Next.js
Next.js wins when:
- You need SEO (blogs, marketing sites, e-commerce)
- You're building a public-facing website
- You want server-side rendering or static generation
- You need API routes without a separate backend
- You're doing file-based routing
When Plain React is Fine
Stick with plain React when:
- Building an internal dashboard or SaaS app (SEO doesn't matter)
- Your team knows React but not Next.js
- You need maximum flexibility in routing
- Deploying to environments where Node.js isn't available
Performance Comparison
In 2025, Next.js App Router with React Server Components has changed the game. You get:
- Zero JavaScript for non-interactive components
- Automatic code splitting
- Streaming HTML for faster perceived performance
For most projects, Next.js will perform better out of the box.
Our Recommendation
For 90% of projects: Next.js. The overhead of learning it is small, the benefits are large, and it's the direction the React ecosystem is moving.
The 10% exception: internal tools and admin dashboards where SEO is irrelevant and you want maximum simplicity.
