I’ve used both, and honestly… this comparison isn’t about features.
It’s about how you like to build.
With shadcn/ui, nothing is really “given” to you. You copy components, tweak them, break them, fix them and over time, it starts feeling like your system.
With Chakra UI, it’s the opposite. You install it, import components, and things just work. It’s smooth, especially in the beginning.
The difference shows up later.
Chakra is great when you want to move fast. MVPs, internal tools, quick dashboards. It does the job without much thinking.
But when your UI starts getting more specific, you may find yourself working around the library instead of with it.
shadcn/ui feels slower at first. You spend more time setting things up, understanding Tailwind, adjusting components.
But once things click, you stop fighting the system. You control it.
That’s really the trade off:
<ul>
<li>Chakra UI gives you speed</li>
<li>shadcn/ui gives you control</li>
</ul>
One thing I’ve noticed recently that more developers are leaning toward shadcn/ui not just because it’s easier (it’s not) but because current projects need more flexibility.
Pre-built components are great… until they aren’t.
If you just want to deliver something quickly, Chakra UI is still a solid choice.
But if you’re building something you expect to grow i.e a SaaS, a product, a proper dashboard then you’ll probably appreciate having full control sooner than later.
No clear winner here.
Just different priorities.

Brijesh Dobariya

A practical comparison of shadcn/ui and Chakra UI framed around developer philosophy rather than feature lists. Chakra UI offers speed and ease out of the box, making it ideal for MVPs and internal tools. shadcn/ui requires more upfront setup but gives full control over components, making it better suited for long-term projects like SaaS products. The core trade-off is speed vs. control, with a noted trend of developers gravitating toward shadcn/ui for its flexibility as projects scale.

shadcn/ui vs Chakra UI: depends on how you like to build