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Head-to-head · Code Formatting Tools

Biome vs Black

  • Updated Sep 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score Biome #5 in Code Formatting Tools 7.1/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 4 features Visit Biome
Black #6 in Code Formatting Tools 6.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 4 features Visit Black

Biome leads on 0 checks, Black on 3, and 2 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreBiome · 7.1/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresBlack · 3 of 4

Biome scores higher on our rubric for code formatting tools: 7.1 against 6.9 out of 10; our editors rank them #5 and #6.

Black offers editor integration; Biome doesn't publish it. Black offers ignore files; Biome doesn't publish it. Black offers changed-lines formatting; Biome doesn't publish it.

Biome is the better fit for web teams wanting lint and format. Black is the better fit for python formatting with stable conventions.

  • Biome fits best

    Web teams wanting lint and format

  • Black fits best

    Python formatting with stable conventions

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. We may earn a commission when you click some links. It never changes our verdict. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Biome 7.1/10 Visit ↗ Black 6.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 7.1 6.9
Ranking #5 in Code Formatting Tools #6 in Code Formatting Tools
Best for Web teams wanting lint and format Python formatting with stable conventions
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Not published Not published
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Desktop Self-hosted
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux Windows, macOS, Linux
Support Community, Docs Community, Docs
Integrations 5 integrations 12 integrations
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Biome 0/4 · Black 3/4
Editor integration Not published ✓ (best)
Ignore files Not published ✓ (best)
Changed-lines formatting Not published ✓ (best)
Library API Not published —
Specs
Supported languages Not published Python
Supported platforms Not published Windows, macOS, Linux, local HTTP API
License model Not published Open_source
Our review
Pros
  • Combines formatting, lint diagnostics, autofixes, and import sorting
  • Supports custom lint diagnostics through GritQL plugins
  • Works with VS Code, IntelliJ, Zed, CI, Docker, and standalone binaries
  • Opinionated PEP 8-compliant formatting for consistent Python style
  • Changed-line, check-only, diff, and ignore-rule support
  • Integrations across editors, GitHub Actions, pre-commit, and notebooks
Cons
  • Language support spans 17 entries, including experimental and in-progress languages
  • Not every listed language currently supports linting
  • Its focus is web projects rather than a general-purpose language toolchain
  • Supports Python rather than multiple programming languages
  • Jupyter Notebook formatting requires an optional installation extra
  • No library API is listed in the published category specifications
Our verdict

Biome is an open-source toolchain for web projects that brings together a formatter, linter, command-line interface, and Language Server Protocol integration. It is aimed at developers and web teams maintaining JavaScript, TypeScript, JSX,…

Read the review →

Black is an open-source Python code formatter for developers and teams that want repeatable style decisions and smaller diffs during code review. It reformats Python files in place and can process files, directories, standard input, and…

Read the review →
  1. BiomeCode Formatting Tools 7.1Free plan
  2. BlackCode Formatting Tools 6.9Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Biome — where it wins

    • Combines formatting, lint diagnostics, autofixes, and import sorting
    • Supports custom lint diagnostics through GritQL plugins
    • Works with VS Code, IntelliJ, Zed, CI, Docker, and standalone binaries

    Where it doesn't

    • Language support spans 17 entries, including experimental and in-progress languages
    • Not every listed language currently supports linting
    • Its focus is web projects rather than a general-purpose language toolchain

  • Black — where it wins

    • Opinionated PEP 8-compliant formatting for consistent Python style
    • Changed-line, check-only, diff, and ignore-rule support
    • Integrations across editors, GitHub Actions, pre-commit, and notebooks

    Where it doesn't

    • Supports Python rather than multiple programming languages
    • Jupyter Notebook formatting requires an optional installation extra
    • No library API is listed in the published category specifications
  • Biome7.1/10 · Free plan

    An open-source web toolchain combining formatting, linting, fixes, and editor support.

    Visit BiomeFull verdict →
  • Black6.9/10 · Free plan

    A focused open-source formatter for consistent Python style and smaller diffs.

    Visit BlackFull verdict →

More comparisons

All code formatting tools comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Sep 2026

Last updated · How we research and update