You're building a React app and need a data table. React Data Table Component (182k weekly downloads, 2,175 GitHub stars) promises declarative configuration with built-in sorting, pagination, and selection. It's actively maintained and has excellent TypeScript support. But is it the right choice?
React Data Table Component focuses on simplicity. You pass data and columns, and it renders a responsive, themed table with basic interactions. It's designed for developers who want something that "just works" without deep customization. The library is Apache 2.0 licensed and published about a year ago (2023).
Simple Table takes a different approach: maximum power in minimal size. Despite being 2× smaller (42KB vs 94KB), it includes built-in virtualization for handling 1M+ rows, row grouping, column pinning, and advanced customization React Data Table Component lacks. For a broader comparison, see our guide to free React data grids.
This comparison explores when React Data Table Component's simplicity is enough, and when Simple Table's advanced features justify the different API. We'll look at bundle size, features, customization, and real-world scenarios to help you choose.
Quick Comparison at a Glance
| Criteria | React Data Table Component | Simple Table |
|---|---|---|
| License | Apache 2.0 (Free) | MIT (Free) |
| Bundle Size (min+gzip) | 94 kB* | 42 kB |
| Weekly Downloads | 182k | Growing |
| GitHub Stars | 2,175 | Growing |
| Last Updated | 1 year ago (2023) | Active (2026) |
| Virtualization | ✗ Not built-in | ✓ Built-in |
| Row Grouping | ✗ | ✓ |
| Column Pinning | ✗ | ✓ |
| Best For | Basic tables, rapid prototyping | Enterprise features, large datasets |
Bundle Size: Simple Table is 2× Smaller
React Data Table Component weighs ~94KB min+gzipped, while Simple Table is just 42KB—2.2× smaller. This is surprising because Simple Table includes advanced features React Data Table Component lacks.
Bundle Size Breakdown
Size difference: 52 KB —Simple Table saves enough to load another small library or custom code.
Real-World Impact
On a 3G connection (750 Kbps), React Data Table Component adds ~1 second to load time vs Simple Table. For mobile users or bandwidth-constrained markets, this matters. Simple Table's smaller size improves Time to Interactive (TTI) and Core Web Vitals scores.
Feature Comparison: Basic vs Enterprise
React Data Table Component covers the basics well. Simple Table adds enterprise features for complex use cases:
| Feature | React Data Table Component | Simple Table |
|---|---|---|
| Core Table Features | ||
| Sorting | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pagination | ✓ | ✓ |
| Row Selection | ✓ | ✓ |
| Expandable Rows | ✓ | ✓ Nested |
| Column Visibility | ✓ Via omit | ✓ |
| Responsive Design | ✓ x-scroll/flex | ✓ |
| Advanced Features | ||
| Virtualization | ✗ | ✓ Built-in |
| Column Pinning | ✗ | ✓ |
| Row Grouping | ✗ | ✓ |
| Column Resizing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Column Reordering | ✓ Via props | ✓ |
| Multi-Column Sort | ✗ Single | ✓ |
| Filtering | △ Manual | ✓ Built-in |
| Customization & Theming | ||
| Theming | ✓ Built-in | ✓ CSS-in-JS |
| Custom Cell Render | ✓ | ✓ |
| CSS Overrides | ✓ | ✓ |
| TypeScript | ✓ Excellent | ✓ Excellent |
Feature gap: React Data Table Component covers basic use cases well. If you need virtualization (for 10k+ rows), grouping, pinning, or resizing, you'll need to add third-party libraries or custom code—negating the simplicity advantage.
Developer Experience: Declarative vs Powerful
React Data Table Component emphasizes declarative simplicity. You define columns and pass data—done. Simple Table offers a more powerful API with granular control over features.
React Data Table Component: Quick Setup
- Minimal config: Just columns array and data
- Built-in theming: Light/dark themes out of the box
- Props-based: Enable features via boolean props
- Limited control: Hard to add features not provided
Simple Table: Powerful & Flexible
- Granular control: Enable/configure each feature independently
- State hooks: Access and control table state programmatically
- Render callbacks: Full control over rendering
- TypeScript-first: Excellent type inference and autocomplete
Learning Curve
React Data Table Component: 5 minutes to first table. Simple Table: 15 minutes to understand the API, but then you have access to all enterprise features without additional libraries.
Decision Framework: Which Library for Your Project?
Choose React Data Table Component When:
- Building a prototype or MVP (speed over features)
- Need basic table features (sorting, pagination, selection)
- Working with small datasets (<1,000 rows)
- Want minimal configuration and "just works" behavior
- Don't need virtualization, grouping, or pinning
Choose Simple Table When:
- Building production applications with complex requirements
- Need large dataset support (10k+ rows with virtualization)
- Require advanced features (grouping, pinning, resizing)
- Want smallest bundle size (42KB vs 94KB)
- Need active maintenance and frequent updates
Real-World Scenarios
Scenario 1: Admin Dashboard with User List
Context: Display 500 users with sorting, pagination, and row selection for bulk actions.
React Data Table Component
Great fit. Built-in sorting, pagination, selection. Minimal setup. 94KB is acceptable for admin tools.
Simple Table
Also works, with smaller bundle. If you plan to add features later (filters, exports), start here.
Scenario 2: Financial Reporting with 50k Rows
Context: Display transaction data with grouping by date, pinned total columns, virtualized scrolling.
React Data Table Component
Not suitable. No virtualization = performance issues. No grouping or pinning built-in. You'd need to add libraries, losing simplicity.
Simple Table
Perfect fit. Built-in virtualization handles 50k rows smoothly. Row grouping and column pinning included. See our 1M row guide.
Scenario 3: E-commerce Product Catalog
Context: Display 2,000 products with images, custom cell rendering, expandable rows for details.
React Data Table Component
Good choice. Expandable rows and custom cell rendering supported. 2k rows is manageable without virtualization.
Simple Table
Better performance with virtualization. If you add filtering or sorting later, you're already set.
The Verdict: Choose Based on Complexity
React Data Table Component and Simple Table serve different needs:
React Data Table Component: Quick & Simple
- ✓ Best for prototypes, MVPs, and basic use cases
- ✓ Minimal configuration, fast setup
- ✓ Solid TypeScript support
- △ 94KB bundle (2× larger than Simple Table)
- ✗ No virtualization, grouping, or pinning
- ✗ Last updated 1 year ago
Simple Table: Enterprise Features, Minimal Size
- ✓ 42KB—2× smaller than React Data Table Component
- ✓ Built-in virtualization (handles 1M+ rows)
- ✓ Row grouping, column pinning, resizing
- ✓ Actively maintained (2026)
- ✓ Granular API control
- △ Slightly more complex API (15-min learning curve)
Our recommendation: For rapid prototyping and simple tables, React Data Table Component gets you started quickly. But for production apps—especially with large datasets or complex requirements—Simple Table's 2× smaller bundle, built-in virtualization, and enterprise features make it the better long-term choice.
If you're evaluating other options, check out our comparisons with TanStack Table, Material React Table, or see our complete guide to free React data grids.