Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

ExpressJS VS Laravel Spark

Compare ExpressJS VS Laravel Spark and see what are their differences

ExpressJS logo ExpressJS

Sinatra inspired web development framework for node.js -- insanely fast, flexible, and simple

Laravel Spark logo Laravel Spark

Spark provides the perfect starting point for your next big idea.
  • ExpressJS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-14
  • Laravel Spark Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-01

ExpressJS features and specs

  • Fast Setup
    ExpressJS provides a minimal and flexible framework that allows rapid setup and development of web and mobile applications.
  • Middleware Support
    ExpressJS has a robust middleware system, allowing developers to add reusable functions to the request-handling pipeline.
  • Extensibility
    ExpressJS is highly extensible through third-party libraries and built-in functionality, catering to the needs of various applications.
  • Performance
    Due to its minimalist core, ExpressJS provides efficient performance and is capable of handling a high number of requests per second.
  • Community and Ecosystem
    A large and active community provides extensive documentation, support, and a wide array of open-source packages to extend functionality.
  • Flexibility
    Compared to full-stack frameworks, ExpressJS gives developers the freedom to structure their applications as they see fit.
  • Compatibility
    ExpressJS works seamlessly with various template engines, databases, and other frameworks, making it versatile for different project requirements.

Possible disadvantages of ExpressJS

  • Minimalist Core
    The minimalist nature of ExpressJS may require additional time and effort to integrate required plugins and libraries for specific features.
  • Learning Curve
    While ExpressJS is straightforward, mastering the middleware pattern and effective usage can have a learning curve for new developers.
  • Callback Hell
    Developers can encounter 'callback hell' due to nested callback functions, though this can be mitigated using Promises and async/await in modern JavaScript.
  • Lack of Convention
    Unlike opinionated frameworks, ExpressJS lacks conventions, which can lead to inconsistent code structure and maintenance challenges across different projects.
  • Security
    ExpressJS does not have built-in security features and relies on third-party solutions, requiring developers to be vigilant about applying best security practices.
  • Scalability
    While ExpressJS can handle high traffic, building and maintaining a highly scalable application might require significant additional effort, particularly in terms of codebase organization and resource management.

Laravel Spark features and specs

  • Integrated Billing
    Laravel Spark offers integrated billing solutions, allowing developers to implement subscription-based billing easily.
  • Customization
    It provides options for customizing the templates and branding, enabling developers to tailor the platform to specific needs.
  • Security
    Spark ensures high security standards with features like password recovery, two-factor authentication, and encryption.
  • User Management
    Includes user management out-of-the-box, simplifying the process of managing user profiles, teams, and permissions.
  • Laravel Ecosystem
    As a product of Laravel, it easily integrates with other Laravel packages and takes advantage of the entire Laravel ecosystem.
  • Time-Saving
    Accelerates development time by providing pre-built functionalities for user and subscription management.

Possible disadvantages of Laravel Spark

  • Cost
    Laravel Spark comes with a pricing model that could be expensive for small startups or individual developers.
  • Complexity
    May introduce additional complexity for projects that require heavy customization beyond what Spark offers.
  • Learning Curve
    Developers new to Laravel or Spark might face a learning curve due to the various features and configurations available.
  • Limited Scope
    Designed specifically for SaaS applications, hence not suitable for projects that fall outside this scope.
  • Dependency on Laravel
    Being tied closely to Laravel, it might not be the best choice for projects considering a different backend framework.

ExpressJS videos

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Laravel Spark videos

Experiencing Laravel Spark

More videos:

  • Review - Laracon 2015 - Keynote (Laravel Spark)

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to ExpressJS and Laravel Spark)
JavaScript Framework
100 100%
0% 0
Developer Tools
91 91%
9% 9
SaaS
0 0%
100% 100
Web Frameworks
97 97%
3% 3

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare ExpressJS and Laravel Spark

ExpressJS Reviews

Top JavaScript Frameworks in 2025
Express.JS is used to create Restful APIs, which is useful for accepting requests from the front end and sending the appropriate response. Express.JS supports Node.js, which is one of the best reasons developers choose to use it. Moreover, debugging becomes faster and helps in finding errors in less time.
Source: solguruz.com
The 20 Best Laravel Alternatives for Web Development
Express.js — or Express for the cool cats — is Node.js’s minimalist wingman. It’s the train tracks for your web app, setting the path, defining the stops, but letting you drive the engine.
Top 9 best Frameworks for web development
The best frameworks for web development include React, Angular, Vue.js, Django, Spring, Laravel, Ruby on Rails, Flask and Express.js. Each of these frameworks has its own advantages and distinctive features, so it is important to choose the framework that best suits the needs of your project.
Source: www.kiwop.com
9 Best JavaScript Frameworks to Use in 2023
Additionally, Express.js v4 now comes with built-in middleware for handling AJAX requests from the client side, making it even easier to get started without having to worry about 3rd party libraries. Express.js is a great tool for quickly building out web applications and APIs in Node.js.
Source: ninetailed.io
JavaScript: What Are The Most Used Frameworks For This Language?
Express.JS is a popular open-source web application framework for Node.JS, which is a server-side JavaScript runtime environment. Express.JS provides a simple, flexible and scalable way to build web applications and APIs using Node.JS. It is known for its minimalist and unimposing approach, which means it provides a basic set of features and tools but allows developers to...
Source: www.bocasay.com

Laravel Spark Reviews

We have no reviews of Laravel Spark yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, ExpressJS seems to be a lot more popular than Laravel Spark. While we know about 468 links to ExpressJS, we've tracked only 23 mentions of Laravel Spark. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

ExpressJS mentions (468)

  • Experimental Devvit Web Views
    The Devvit team just announced a new experimental way to build WebView based apps for Reddit. Previously only static HTML/JS/CSS could be used. With this new version, it is possible to run server-side code through Node including spinning up an Express server. - Source: dev.to / about 23 hours ago
  • How to Handle File Uploads with Node.js and Express - Multer Edition
    Basic knowledge of JavaScript and Express. - Source: dev.to / 3 days ago
  • Reusable API proxy in just a few lines of JavaScript
    The basis of my small API proxy is the NPM package http-proxy-middleware from Steven Chim, which I utilized to build a system that can be used via configuration for various endpoints and that runs on a server under the Node.js framework Express. - Source: dev.to / 18 days ago
  • How To Fetch Image From Database and Display In React JS
    Express Documentation This site has comprehensive guides on setting up routes, handling requests, and working with middleware in Express. - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • Show HN: MetroJS – JavaScript HTTPS Client with Middleware
    Hi, I've made a javascript https client, based on the browsers Fetch API, with added middleware support. Prebuilt middleware includes JSON, OAuth2.1 and OIDC (OpenID Connect). Differences with for example Axios, is that middleware can capture both request and response in a single function. Middleware is stackable. It is also completely backwards compatible with the Fetch API. Direct inspiration came from Express... - Source: Hacker News / about 2 months ago
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Laravel Spark mentions (23)

  • Laravel Ecosystem in 2024
    Laravel Spark: Laravel Spark offers a pre-built SaaS (Software as a Service) application template. It includes features like billing, subscription management, and team management, allowing developers to focus on building their application instead of re-creating these common features. - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
  • Ask HN: Best reputable resources on starting a lifestyle business?
    Also PHP has Laravel Spark[0]. They basically bootstrapped a SaaS but for a price. Not sure if it's worth it, but it's from the guys who made Laravel, and everyone only has good things to say about that so... [0] https://spark.laravel.com. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Show HN: Build your startup or side project faster with these SaaS templates
    I think Laravel Spark would fit in well with this list: https://spark.laravel.com/. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Launchpad to quickly start a SaaS business?
    You can try with Laravel, Jetstream and Spark. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Is there any SaaS bootstrap service with landing page,plans, client dashboard, stripe ?
    What you are looking for is usually called a 'saas boilerplate' or 'saas starter kit', in the Laravel world (my primary tech stack) we have Laravel Spark, you can probably find equivilants in most popular frameworks, just google 'node js saas starter kit' or 'ruby on rail saas starter kit' etc. Source: over 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing ExpressJS and Laravel Spark, you can also consider the following products

Node.js - Node.js is a platform built on Chrome's JavaScript runtime for easily building fast, scalable network applications

Nodewood - Save weeks or months of development time and start writing code now with Nodewood, a Vue.js/Node.js Javascript SaaS starter kit focused on setting you up for success.

Ruby on Rails - Ruby on Rails is an open source full-stack web application framework for the Ruby programming...

UseGravity.App - Build a Node.js & React app at warp speed with a SaaS boilerplate

Laravel - A PHP Framework For Web Artisans

Bullet Train - The Ruby on Rails SaaS-in-a-Box.