A modern, schema-driven Node framework built for throughput versus the long-standing default most Node apps still run on — pick based on performance ambitions and ecosystem depth.
Pick Fastify when raw throughput, JSON-schema-based validation, and a more modern plugin model matter — it's the natural upgrade for Express teams that have outgrown the middleware grab-bag and want stricter request shapes by default. Pick Express when the deepest pool of compatible middleware, tutorials, and existing in-house code is worth more than the performance delta, and you don't want to retrain the team on a new plugin lifecycle.
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| Attribute | Express | Fastify |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Backend Framework | Backend Framework |
| Pricing Model | open-source | open-source |
| Starting Price | Free | Free |
| Free Tier | Yes | Yes |
| Open Source | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | — | — |
