Tailwind UI (Paid) vs Headless UI (Free)
Tailwind UI and Headless UI are two powerful resources created by the Tailwind Labs team. They serve different purposes and suit different needs when building modern UIs with Tailwind CSS.
1. Tailwind UI (Paid)
Tailwind UI is a premium component library built by the creators of Tailwind CSS. It provides you with beautifully designed, responsive components using Tailwind’s utility classes.
- Includes hundreds of professionally designed components
- Covers multiple categories like navbars, modals, tables, dashboards, etc.
- Available for HTML, React, and Vue
- Requires a license — one-time or team-based pricing
- Great for production-level UI work
Official site: tailwindui.com
2. Headless UI (Free)
Headless UI is an open-source library of unstyled, fully accessible components designed to integrate seamlessly with Tailwind CSS — especially for dynamic UIs.
- Includes functional components like modals, dropdowns, tabs, popovers
- No styles included — you style them yourself using Tailwind classes
- Built specifically for React and Vue
- Promotes full control over appearance and layout
- Ideal for advanced JavaScript-driven UIs with accessibility in mind
Official site: headlessui.dev
3. Comparison Summary
| Feature | Tailwind UI | Headless UI |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Free |
| Component Type | Styled UI Components | Functional (unstyled) |
| Framework Support | HTML, React, Vue | React, Vue |
| Accessibility | Yes | Yes (fully accessible) |
| Customization | Limited (pre-styled) | Full control |
Conclusion
Choose Tailwind UI if you want production-ready UI kits and time-saving design patterns. Opt for Headless UI when you need accessible components with complete visual freedom.