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Head-to-head · Code Formatting Tools

Prettier vs Spotless

  • Updated Sep 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 4 checks side by side
Higher score Prettier #2 in Code Formatting Tools 8.2/10 Open source ✓ 3 of 4 features Visit Prettier
Spotless #3 in Code Formatting Tools 7.7/10 Open source ✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Spotless

Prettier leads on 0 checks, Spotless on 1, and 3 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 4 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scorePrettier · 8.2/10
  • Most featuresSpotless · 4 of 4

Prettier scores higher on our rubric for code formatting tools: 8.2 against 7.7 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #3.

Spotless offers changed-lines formatting; Prettier doesn't publish it.

Prettier is the better fit for web development teams. Spotless is the better fit for JVM build-driven projects.

  • Prettier fits best

    Web development teams

  • Spotless fits best

    JVM build-driven projects

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 Prettier 8.2/10 Visit ↗ Spotless 7.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.2 7.7
Ranking #2 in Code Formatting Tools #3 in Code Formatting Tools
Best for Web development teams JVM build-driven projects
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Not published Not published
Free plan Not published Not published
Free trial — —
Support Docs Docs
Integrations 7 integrations 5 integrations
Features Prettier 3/4 · Spotless 4/4
Editor integration ✓ ✓
Ignore files ✓ ✓
Changed-lines formatting Not published ✓ (best)
Library API ✓ ✓
Specs
Supported languages JavaScript, JSX, Angular, Vue, Flow, TypeScript, CSS, Less, SCSS, HTML, Ember/Handlebars, JSON, GraphQL, Markdown, GFM, MDX v1, YAML, LWC, MJML ANTLR, C, C#, C++, CSS, Flow, GraphQL, Groovy, HTML, Java, JavaScript, JSON, JSX, Kotlin, Less, Markdown, Objective-C, Protobuf, Python, Scala, SCSS, Shell, SQL, TypeScript, Vue, YAML, Gherkin, Go, RDF, Anything
Supported platforms Browser and JavaScript API Gradle, Maven, SBT, other build systems
License model Open_source Open_source
Our review
Pros
  • Covers JavaScript, TypeScript, CSS, HTML, JSON, GraphQL, Markdown, and YAML
  • Works across major editors, command line, CI, pre-commit hooks, and JavaScript APIs
  • Supports ignore rules, formatting checks, and plugins for additional languages
  • Supports many programming, markup, configuration, and data languages
  • Deep Gradle and Maven integration with external SBT support
  • Ratcheting, exclusions, hooks, linting, and custom formatter steps
Cons
  • Self-hosted deployment requires teams to manage how it runs
  • Support is provided through documentation
  • Does not include AI features
  • Build-system plugins may not suit teams seeking a hosted SaaS product
  • Its workflow centers on build automation rather than a standalone editor
  • Broad configuration options may require more setup than a narrow formatter
Our verdict

Prettier is an open-source code formatter for teams that want a consistent style across web-language source files. It parses and reprints supported files, including JavaScript, JSX, Angular, Vue, Flow, TypeScript, CSS, Less, SCSS, HTML,…

Read the review →

Spotless is an open-source code-formatting and linting tool for software projects. It is designed for developers and teams that want formatting checks and automatic fixes inside their build process, particularly JVM projects using Gradle,…

Read the review →
  1. PrettierCode Formatting Tools 8.2Open source
  2. SpotlessCode Formatting Tools 7.7Open source

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Prettier — where it wins

    • Covers JavaScript, TypeScript, CSS, HTML, JSON, GraphQL, Markdown, and YAML
    • Works across major editors, command line, CI, pre-commit hooks, and JavaScript APIs
    • Supports ignore rules, formatting checks, and plugins for additional languages

    Where it doesn't

    • Self-hosted deployment requires teams to manage how it runs
    • Support is provided through documentation
    • Does not include AI features

  • Spotless — where it wins

    • Supports many programming, markup, configuration, and data languages
    • Deep Gradle and Maven integration with external SBT support
    • Ratcheting, exclusions, hooks, linting, and custom formatter steps

    Where it doesn't

    • Build-system plugins may not suit teams seeking a hosted SaaS product
    • Its workflow centers on build automation rather than a standalone editor
    • Broad configuration options may require more setup than a narrow formatter

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