Simple Table vs PrimeNG Table: Standalone Angular Data Grid Comparison
PrimeNG Table is the default Angular table for teams already on PrimeNG. Simple Table for Angular wins when you don't want to adopt the whole PrimeNG ecosystem just to get a serious data grid.
PrimeNG's <p-table> is the well-known Angular component table from PrimeFaces. It's full-featured, but it ships as part of a much larger UI library—pulling in PrimeNG runtime, theming primitives, and PrimeIcons. If you only need a data grid, that's a lot of dependencies for one component.
Simple Table for Angular gives you a focused, MIT-licensed data grid that sits on Angular 17+ standalone components. It ships virtualization for 1M+ rows, column pinning, row grouping with aggregations, and inline editing in a single ~70 kB gzipped package.
This comparison helps you decide whether to keep adding PrimeNG just for the table—or swap it for a slimmer, idiomatic Angular grid.
Choose Simple Table for Angular when…
- You don't already use PrimeNG and don't want to pull it in just for one table component.
- You want a smaller bundle dedicated to the data grid use case.
- You need real virtualization for 100k+ rows; PrimeNG's virtualScroll mode is workable but adds complexity.
- You want row grouping with aggregations + inline editing in a single batteries-included grid.
- You also ship React/Vue/Svelte/Solid apps and want a single shared engine.
Choose PrimeNG Table when…
- You already use PrimeNG broadly (forms, dialogs, charts, dropdowns).
- You're standardized on a PrimeNG theme (Aura, Lara, Material) across your app.
- You rely on PrimeNG-specific TreeTable, OrderList, or PickList patterns and want them all from one vendor.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Simple Table for Angular | PrimeNG Table |
|---|---|---|
| Standalone-component support (Angular 17+) | Native standalone. | Standalone provider available. |
| Bundle size (gzipped) | ~70 kB total. | Adds PrimeNG runtime + theme assets. |
| Row + column virtualization (1M+ rows) | Built-in. | scrollable + virtualScroll mode; less robust at extremes. |
| Column pinning (left / right) | Built-in, runtime drag. | frozenColumns supported; less ergonomic. |
| Row grouping with aggregations | Built-in. | rowGroupMode='subheader' available; aggregations are manual. |
| Inline cell editing | Built-in. | p-cellEditor template. |
| Custom cell / header / footer renderers | Any Angular component. | ng-template directives. |
| Theming | CSS variables; bring-your-own theme. | PrimeNG themes (Aura, Lara, Material). |
| License | MIT. | MIT. |
Bundle: Simple Table for Angular ships ~70 kB gzipped including the engine and Angular bindings. PrimeNG's @primeng/table requires the broader primeng package + theme assets, typically adding 200–400 kB depending on which theme is loaded.
Migrate to Simple Table on Angular
Replace your existing PrimeNG Table usage with @simple-table/angular.
npm install @simple-table/angularPrimeNG's columns + value inputs map to Simple Table's defaultHeaders + rows. Cell templates with pTemplate="body" become standalone components passed as renderers.
FAQ
- Should I drop PrimeNG entirely if I move to Simple Table?
- Not necessarily. Many teams keep PrimeNG for forms and dialogs while moving the data grid to Simple Table to reduce bundle and use a more modern, signal-friendly API. Both can coexist.
- Does Simple Table for Angular support theming?
- Yes—via CSS variables. You can match an existing PrimeNG theme by mapping CSS variables, or ship a custom theme without PrimeNG dependencies.
- Can I edit cells inline like p-cellEditor?
- Yes. Simple Table ships built-in inline cell editing with custom Angular component editors.
Bottom line
If PrimeNG is core to your app, p-table will probably stay. If your only PrimeNG usage is the table, Simple Table for Angular gives you a focused, smaller, standalone-first grid with the same headline features.