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Head-to-head · Template Engine Software

Thymeleaf vs Apache Velocity

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 4 checks side by side
Higher score Thymeleaf #4 in Template Engine Software 9.1/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 4 features Visit Thymeleaf
Apache Velocity #6 in Template Engine Software 8.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 4 features Try Apache Velocity

Thymeleaf leads on 1 check, Apache Velocity on 0, 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 scoreThymeleaf · 9.1/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresThymeleaf · 2 of 4

Thymeleaf scores higher on our rubric for template engine software: 9.1 against 8.9 out of 10; our editors rank them #4 and #6.

Thymeleaf offers automatic escaping; Apache Velocity doesn't.

Thymeleaf is the better fit for java teams building HTML templates with Spring. Apache Velocity is the better fit for java teams generating text and source artifacts.

  • Thymeleaf fits best

    Java teams building HTML templates with Spring

  • Apache Velocity fits best

    Java teams generating text and source artifacts

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Side by side

Feature Thymeleaf 9.1/10 Visit ↗ Apache Velocity 8.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.1 8.9
Ranking #4 in Template Engine Software #6 in Template Engine Software
Best for Java teams building HTML templates with Spring Java teams generating text and source artifacts
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Free plan Free plan
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Self-hosted Self-hosted
Support Docs, Community Community
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Thymeleaf 2/4 · Apache Velocity 1/4
Template inheritance ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Automatic escaping ✓ (best) —
Sandbox mode Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Async rendering Not checked yet Not checked yet
Specs
Rendering mode Server Server
Syntax model Logic-based Logic-based
License model Open-source Open-source
Our review
Pros
  • Processes HTML, XML, text, JavaScript, CSS, and raw templates
  • Natural templates remain usable as static browser prototypes
  • Fragments, layout inheritance, dialects, and Spring integration support reuse
  • Generates web pages, source code, SQL, PostScript, and emails
  • Supports conditionals, collection loops, includes, and reusable macros
  • Loads templates from files, the classpath, or a database
Cons
  • Self-hosted deployment requires your own application environment
  • Rendering is server-side rather than client-side
  • Support is limited to documentation and community channels
  • Requires self-hosted deployment in a Java application or utility
  • Automatic escaping is listed as false
  • Support is community-based
Our verdict

Thymeleaf is an open-source, server-side Java template engine for web and standalone applications. It suits developers building JVM applications with or without Spring, particularly teams that want HTML templates to remain viewable as…

Read the review →

Apache Velocity is a Java-based template engine for teams that need to generate text from templates. Java code supplies objects in a context, and templates use the Velocity Template Language to reference them and control output. It can be…

Read the review →
  1. ThymeleafTemplate Engine Software 9.1Free plan
  2. Apache VelocityTemplate Engine Software 8.9Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Thymeleaf — where it wins

    • Processes HTML, XML, text, JavaScript, CSS, and raw templates
    • Natural templates remain usable as static browser prototypes
    • Fragments, layout inheritance, dialects, and Spring integration support reuse

    Where it doesn't

    • Self-hosted deployment requires your own application environment
    • Rendering is server-side rather than client-side
    • Support is limited to documentation and community channels

  • Apache Velocity — where it wins

    • Generates web pages, source code, SQL, PostScript, and emails
    • Supports conditionals, collection loops, includes, and reusable macros
    • Loads templates from files, the classpath, or a database

    Where it doesn't

    • Requires self-hosted deployment in a Java application or utility
    • Automatic escaping is listed as false
    • Support is community-based

More comparisons

All template engine software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update