marimo vs Reflex
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted developer tools & git options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | marimo | Reflex |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 96 · Excellent | 98 · Excellent |
| Category | Developer Tools & Git | Developer Tools & Git |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Python | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | source, binary | docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 22,887 | ★ 28,909 |
| First released | 2023 | 2022 |
| Replaces | Jupyter, Streamlit | Streamlit, Retool |
What are marimo and Reflex?
marimo
marimo is an open-source reactive notebook for Python where cells automatically re-run when their dependencies change. Notebooks are stored as pure Python files and can be deployed as interactive web apps.
- Reactive cell execution
- Notebooks stored as Python
- Deploy as web apps
- Reproducible by design
Reflex
Reflex is an open-source framework for building and deploying full-stack web applications entirely in Python without writing JavaScript. The compiled apps can be self-hosted on your own infrastructure.
- Pure Python web apps
- No JavaScript needed
- Built-in components
- Self-hostable deploys
marimo vs Reflex: key differences
Both projects are written in Python. Reflex lists first-class Docker deployment; marimo does not.
Why pick each one
Choose marimo if…
- Reactive cell execution
- Notebooks are pure Python
- Deployable as web apps
Watch out for
- Not ipynb compatible
- Smaller ecosystem than Jupyter
Choose Reflex if…
- Pure Python full stack
- No JavaScript needed
- Compiles to React
Watch out for
- Node.js build dependency
- API still evolving
Frequently asked questions
Is marimo or Reflex better?
Neither is universally better. Reflex has the larger community, while marimo is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are marimo and Reflex free and open-source?
Yes. marimo is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Reflex under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run marimo and Reflex with Docker?
marimo: check the project docs for container support. Reflex: yes.