Comparison
Guide.js vs Onborda
Next.js-only tour library that requires Framer Motion and Tailwind CSS
Bundle
License
React
TypeScript
API style
Step types
Where Guide.js wins
- ✓ Works with any React app — not locked to Next.js
- ✓ No framer-motion or Tailwind dependency
- ✓ Actively maintained
- ✓ Banner and Announcement step types
- ✓ Smaller effective bundle
Where Onborda wins
- → Built-in route transitions between tour steps (Next.js router integration)
- → Smooth animations via Framer Motion if already in your stack
- → Keyhole spotlight overlay
Onborda is purpose-built for Next.js App Router apps. If you're on that stack and already have framer-motion and Tailwind installed, the implicit dependency cost is zero. If you're not, you're pulling in ~34 KB of Framer Motion for tour animations. The project has had no commits since December 2024, which raises maintenance questions for a long-term dependency.
Next.js lock-in
Onborda is designed exclusively for Next.js App Router. It uses Next.js router APIs internally to navigate between steps that live on different routes. This is a genuine capability — multi-page tours that navigate the app. But it also means Onborda is completely unusable in a plain React app, Remix, Vite SPA, or any non-Next.js environment. Guide.js works wherever React runs.
Implicit dependencies
Onborda lists framer-motion and Tailwind CSS as peer dependencies. Framer Motion weighs approximately 34 KB gzipped. If your app already uses both, this is free. If it doesn't, you're adding substantial weight for animations in a tour component. Guide.js lists only React as a peer dependency — no animation library, no utility CSS framework.
Maintenance status
The last commit to Onborda's public repository was in December 2024. As of early 2026, the library has been quiet for over a year with no bug fixes, dependency updates, or new features. With 1.4k stars and a small community, the risk of the project being abandoned is real. Guide.js is actively maintained by the Userorbit team with ongoing development.
Context provider model
Like Reactour, Onborda uses a context provider: `<OnbordaProvider>` wraps your layout, and tours are defined as config objects. This is fine for Next.js apps where a root layout is the natural place for a provider. In any other React setup, the provider pattern adds global state for what is fundamentally a local UI element. Guide.js renders as `<Guide>` inline — no root layout changes needed.
The Guide.js API
See for yourself
No boilerplate. No providers. Just a component.
import { Guide } from "guide.js";
import "guide.js/styles.css";
// Pass steps as props. That's it.
<Guide
tour={{ id: "onboarding", title: "Get started", steps }}
steps={steps}
isActive
/> Other comparisons
See how Guide.js stacks up
Ready to switch?
Install Guide.js in one command and render your first tour in under two minutes.