Axios vs Fetch: Which Should You Use in 2025?

JavaScript provides developers with several ways to make HTTP requests, including Axios and the Fetch API. These tools are designed to help your app communicate with a server, send data, receive information, and more.

In modern environments like Node.js v18+, Bun, or Vite, it’s essential to choose the right tool. Each platform handles HTTP requests slightly differently, and knowing how Axios vs Fetch stack up is key to writing clean, reliable code.

Axios vs Fetch: Side-by-Side Feature Comparison

Let’s break down Axios vs Fetch by the features that developers care about the most:

Platform Support: Axios vs Fetch in Browsers and Node.js

The Fetch API is now everywhere. Modern browsers, Node.js v18+, Deno, Bun, and even Cloudflare Workers all support it out of the box. You can write a Fetch request, and it’ll just work without any installations.

Axios, on the other hand, still runs reliably across more setups, including older versions of Node.js and legacy browsers. If you’re supporting older systems, it’s still a solid option.

For older platforms without native Fetch API support, you can use polyfills. Axios, since it’s a full library, already includes what it needs to run.

Syntax Differences Between Axios and Fetch

Although both Fetch and Axios are designed to make HTTP requests, they differ in how GET requests and POST requests are written, how they deliver the response data, and more.

Basic GET and POST Requests

Let’s take a look at how a simple GET request differs between the two tools.

Axios:

import axios from 'axios';

// GET request with error handling
axios.get('/api/data')
  .then(response => {
    // response.data is already parsed JSON
    console.log('Data:', response.data);
    console.log('Status:', response.status);
    console.log('Headers:', response.headers);
  })
  .catch(error => {
    if (error.response) {
      // Server responded with error status
      console.error('Error data:', error.response.data);
      console.error('Error status:', error.response.status);
    } else if (error.request) {
      // Request made but no response
      console.error('No response received:', error.request);
    } else {
      // Request setup error
      console.error('Error:', error.message);
    }
  });

Fetch:

fetch('/api/data')
  .then(response => {
    // Check if response is OK (status 200-299)
    if (!response.ok) {
      throw new Error(`HTTP error! status: ${response.status}`);
    }
    return response.json(); // Parse JSON
  })
  .then(data => {
    console.log('Data:', data);
  })
  .catch(error => {
    // Network error or parsing error
    console.error('Error:', error.message);
  });

And here’s a POST request.

Axios:

import axios from 'axios';

const userData = {
  name: 'John Doe',
  email: '[email protected]'
};

axios.post('/api/users', userData, {
  headers: {
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
    'Authorization': 'Bearer token123'
  },
  timeout: 5000 // 5 second timeout
})
  .then(response => {
    console.log('Created user:', response.data);
    console.log('Status:', response.status);
  })
  .catch(error => {
    if (error.code === 'ECONNABORTED') {
      console.error('Request timeout');
    } else if (error.response) {
      console.error('Server error:', error.response.data);
    } else {
      console.error('Error:', error.message);
    }
  });

Fetch:

const userData = {
  name: 'John Doe',
  email: '[email protected]'
};

// Setup timeout with AbortController
const controller = new AbortController();
const timeoutId = setTimeout(() => controller.abort(), 5000);

fetch('/api/users', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
    'Authorization': 'Bearer token123'
  },
  body: JSON.stringify(userData), // Must stringify manually
  signal: controller.signal
})
  .then(response => {
    clearTimeout(timeoutId);
    if (!response.ok) {
      throw new Error(`HTTP error! status: ${response.status}`);
    }
    return response.json();
  })
  .then(data => {
    console.log('Created user:', data);
  })
  .catch(error => {
    if (error.name === 'AbortError') {
      console.error('Request timeout');
    } else {
      console.error('Error:', error.message);
    }
  });

Handling JSON

Axios parses JSON automatically when the response data has a JSON Content-Type, so you usually get parsed response data right away. With Fetch API, you have to manually use .json() every time, which adds a step and opens the door to JSON parsing errors.

File Uploads

If you need to upload files, Axios handles multipart/form-data smoothly. You just pass a FormData object. With Fetch, it works too, but handling streams or large files can be clunky. Streamed file uploads with Fetch and Axios differ significantly under the hood.

Config Objects vs Options

Axios uses a single config object with named keys for everything. Fetch API uses an init object. It’s flexible but not as clean. It’s where beginners usually trip up.

Axios vs Fetch: Error Handling Behavior

Fetch and Axios handle errors and status codes differently.

Axios Defaults

Axios automatically throws an error if the status code isn’t 2xx. It also provides detailed error handling through objects such as error.response. This structured output makes it easier to track network errors and debug quickly.

Fetch Manual Checks

With Fetch API, a failed HTTP request still counts as “successful” unless there’s a network error. That means a bad status code won’t throw, unless you manually check response.ok. It often leads to silent bugs unless you’re careful, and it’s easy to forget.

Advanced Features in Axios vs Fetch

Interceptors

Axios supports response interceptors that run before or after a response. You can inject tokens, log data, or modify headers without touching every call.

To get the same thing with Fetch API, you’d need to write wrapper functions. It’s doable, but not nearly as clean.

Timeouts & Cancellation

Axios supports timeouts via config, and request cancellation is done with AbortController. You just set them up in the config. Fetch can also perform request cancellation, but you need to create an AbortController and wire it manually.

Upload/Download Progress

Axios supports progress tracking in browsers via built-in hooks. In Node.js, it requires additional setup. With Fetch API, it’s trickier. You need to access the response body stream and handle it chunk by chunk, which is not beginner-friendly.

Performance and Bundle Size

If your app runs in a tight space, this part is important. Axios adds around 11.7kB (gzipped) to your bundle. That’s fine for big apps, but could be overkill for small scripts. The Fetch API is already built in, so it adds nothing. If loading speed or bundle size matters, then Fetch wins.

As for actual HTTP request performance, there’s almost no difference. Both are fast.

When to Use Axios vs Fetch

Use Fetch API if:

• You’re writing small tools, static sites, or serverless functions.
• You’re deploying on edge platforms like Cloudflare Workers or Bun.
• You want zero bundle bloat.

Use Axios if:

• You’re building a large app where error handling, interceptors, or request cancellation are common.
• Your team wants cleaner JSON parsing and better response data structures.
• You’re supporting older systems or browsers.

Also, don’t forget: libraries like ky or wretch let you wrap Fetch to act more like Axios.

Final Verdict: Which Should You Choose?

The Fetch API is native, minimal, and ideal for modern platforms, while Axios offers advanced features such as response interceptors, structured error handling, and a mature ecosystem.

So, when choosing between Axios vs Fetch, consider your environment and needs. You don’t always need all the extras, but when you do, Axios could be the better choice.

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