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GSAP vs Framer Motion
GSAP vs Framer Motion: which animation library for the web?
GSAP is the framework-agnostic powerhouse for timelines and scroll. Framer Motion (now Motion) is the declarative, React-native way to animate. Here's how to choose.
Updated June 2026 · Written by Shaheer Malik, who ships in both
Quick answer
GSAP is an imperative, framework-agnostic animation library that excels at complex timelines and scroll-driven animation (ScrollTrigger), and went fully free in 2025. Framer Motion (Motion) is declarative and React-native, with built-in gestures and automatic layout animations. Use Framer Motion for React component motion; use GSAP for complex sequencing, scroll storytelling, or non-React stacks.
GSAP and Framer Motion (rebranded simply Motion) are the two libraries developers reach for most. They overlap, but their philosophies differ: GSAP is imperative and framework-agnostic — you script timelines that work anywhere; Framer Motion is declarative and React-native — you describe states as props and let React drive.
Notably, GSAP went fully free in 2025 (including the once-paid plugins like SplitText and MorphSVG), which reshaped this comparison. Both are excellent; the right pick depends on your framework and the kind of animation you're building.
| Dimension |  GSAP |  Framer Motion |
|---|---|---|
| Paradigm | Imperative timelines | Declarative, prop-driven |
| Framework fit | Any (vanilla, React, Vue…) | React-first |
| Timelines & sequencing | Best-in-class | Good, more manual |
| Scroll animation | ScrollTrigger — unmatched | useScroll — solid |
| Gestures (drag/hover/tap) | Manual | Built-in, elegant |
| Layout animations | Manual | Automatic (layout prop) |
| React DX | Good (with hooks) | Excellent, native |
| Cost | Fully free since 2025 | Free, open source |
Choose GSAP if…
- You're not on React, or want one library across stacks
- You need complex, precisely sequenced timelines
- Scroll-driven animation (ScrollTrigger) is central
- You want fine, imperative control over everything
Choose Framer Motion if…
- You're building in React and want idiomatic code
- You need gestures and automatic layout animations
- You prefer describing states over scripting timelines
- Component-level micro-interactions are the bulk of the work
The honest verdict
In React, Framer Motion is usually the more natural fit: declarative state-based animation, built-in drag/hover/tap gestures, and automatic layout transitions that would be fiddly to script by hand. For component micro-interactions it's hard to beat.
GSAP wins for complex sequencing, scroll-driven storytelling (ScrollTrigger has no real equal), and any project that isn't React or needs one animation library across multiple stacks. Now that GSAP is fully free, the decision is purely technical — and many teams use both: Framer Motion for component states, GSAP for timeline- and scroll-heavy sequences.
Common questions
GSAP vs Framer Motion, answered
No — GSAP became fully free in 2025, including formerly premium plugins like SplitText, MorphSVG and ScrollSmoother. That removed the main reason teams used to default to Framer Motion, so the choice is now about fit, not price.
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