If Next.js’s bundles are only 21 to 31% larger than TanStack Start (both using React), what are you actually getting for that extra 44 to 54 kB? And more importantly, do the dominant frameworks’ baselines (React at 100.7 to 118.2 kB compressed, Vue at 72.3 kB compressed, Angular at 103.9 kB compressed) buy you anything compared to alternatives that deliver 30.6 to 54.1 kB compressed?

For anyone starting a new project, the evaluation raises an important question: Is there any reason to make your app 25.9x heavier than necessary?

If you want to build a better product than your competitors, why would you build exactly like them? When everyone uses Next.js, winning on performance means fighting upstream against React’s design. When you use Marko, SolidStart, SvelteKit, or Nuxt instead, the advantage comes easily. Your app is faster by default. Your bundle is smaller without optimization work. Your users get a better experience without extra effort, giving you genuine differentiation.

Next-Gen Frameworks Deliver Instant Performance: Marko (39ms), SolidStart (35ms), SvelteKit (38ms), and Nuxt (38ms) all achieve essentially instant First Contentful Paint in the 35-39ms range. This is 11 to 12 times faster than Next.js at 444ms