Dappness

Which Web3 Wallet SDK Should I Use

In this post, we’ll explore some of the most popular Wallet Connect SDKs.

By Gareth on 22nd Jan, 2025

In this post, we’ll explore some of the most popular wallet connection SDKs, ranked by GitHub stars, and dig into how actively each one is being maintained. By the end, you should have a clear idea of which library best fits your project’s needs.

1. AppKit (formerly Web3Modal)

  • GitHub Stars: ~5k
  • Activity:
    • Continues to see active development under the new branding.
    • Regular commits, feature enhancements, and plugin support.
  • GitHub: AppKit on GitHub
  • Website: reown.com/appkit
  • What It Offers:
    • A comprehensive SDK that goes beyond a simple modal.
    • Built-in support for multiple wallets and networks with easy integration.
    • Extensible architecture allowing you to customize or plug in additional features.
  • Opinion:
    • With the rebrand, AppKit positions itself as a robust solution for wallet connection, theming, and broader dApp support.
    • If you want an end-to-end suite (including UI components) and don’t mind the rebrand transition, this is a strong pick.

2. RainbowKit

  • GitHub Stars: ~2.5k
  • Activity: Very active—weekly/bi-weekly commits, plus a strong community presence.
  • GitHub: RainbowKit on GitHub
  • Website: rainbowkit.com
  • What It Offers:
    • Polished UI components (e.g., wallet dropdowns) out of the box.
    • Built atop Wagmi, leveraging an active ecosystem.
  • Opinion:
    • If you want a slick user onboarding experience without building custom components from scratch, RainbowKit is fantastic.
    • Frequent updates indicate a forward-looking approach—ideal for devs who want to stay on the cutting edge.

3. ConnectKit

  • GitHub Stars: ~1k
  • Activity:
    • Main branch commits have been less frequent (one of the last commits was ~5 months ago).
    • Could still be stable for many use cases, but not as rapidly evolving as RainbowKit or AppKit.
  • GitHub: ConnectKit on GitHub
  • Website: connect.family.co
  • What It Offers:
    • A clean, minimalist approach to wallet connection.
    • Also built on Wagmi, so you benefit from that library’s strengths.
  • Opinion:
    • If you prefer a lighter footprint than RainbowKit, ConnectKit is a solid alternative—but keep an eye on commit frequency if you need ongoing, cutting-edge features.

4. Web3Onboard (Blocknative)

  • GitHub Stars: ~1k
  • Activity:
    • Commits typically appear every few weeks; they frequently add new wallets, networks, and features.
  • GitHub: Web3Onboard on GitHub
  • Website: Blocknative Onboard Docs
  • What It Offers:
    • A comprehensive UI for multi-wallet onboarding.
    • Extra features like transaction insights, network detection, and advanced analytics.
  • Opinion:
    • Great for teams wanting more than just wallet connectivity—especially if you’re keen on integrated features like transaction previews.

Which One Would I Choose?

If I were building a new project meant to scale and evolve over time, I’d lean towards:

  1. RainbowKit

    • Why? Great track record of updates, polished UI, strong community, and it’s built on top of Wagmi for robust Ethereum support.

  2. AppKit (formerly Web3Modal)

    • Why? With the rebrand, it’s positioning itself as a comprehensive solution, actively updated, and suitable if you want a one-stop shop for wallet connection.

Web3Onboard is a close contender if you need its extra features like transaction tracking, and ConnectKit is a lighter alternative but with less frequent updates so may have more bugs.

Final Take

  • AppKit is evolving beyond the simple “modal” approach—it might be perfect if you want a well-rounded toolkit without stitching multiple pieces together.
  • RainbowKit remains my personal favorite for its community momentum and polished design.

Either way, you’re in safe hands if you pick a tool that fits your feature needs and aligns with its commit activity.