affectUI vs Arc UI
Arc UI is a broad React library of animated components and blocks – menus, fields, dialogs, tables, charts, maps and flows – with a large free core and Pro plans, installed through the shadcn CLI or an MCP server. affectUI is narrower and goes deeper into AI products: agent trees, fleets, traces, approvals, inboxes and scheduled runs, plus full app screens, each component one self-contained file. Pick Arc UI for a wide general set with standout motion, affectUI for the views an agent product needs – or use both.
What each one is
- Arc UI – animated React components and blocks for shadcn/ui and Next.js projects: everyday pieces with keyboard support (command palette, dialogs, selects, date pickers, tabs), Pro motion pieces such as a revenue globe, kanban board and choropleth map, and complete blocks for larger flows. A free open core and Pro plans, installed with the shadcn CLI or its MCP server
- affectUI – components, screens and blocks for AI and agent products, each a single .tsx file with its own CSS and motion, taking plain props
Where they differ
- Scope: Arc UI covers the general parts of a product, with a strong set of charts, maps and motion; affectUI focuses on what agent products show – sub-agents as a tree, several agents side by side, traces, approvals, a decision inbox, scheduled runs, costs and context
- Setup: Arc UI's installation sets up shared styles and dependencies that its components use; affectUI components carry their own CSS and need only React 19
- Agents: both have an MCP server and docs that coding assistants can read, so Claude, Cursor or Codex can add components for you
- Price: Arc UI's free core is larger, and Pro comes yearly or lifetime, with a team plan; affectUI has 40 free MIT items and a one-time Pro license for individuals and teams
Where Arc UI fits better
- You want one wide library for every screen of a product – forms, menus, tables, charts – with motion that stands out
- You need data visualization such as maps, globes or horizon charts
- You want a lot for free: Arc UI's open core is bigger than affectUI's free set
Where affectUI fits better
- Your product is an agent or a team of agents – runs, sub-agents, approvals and work in the background need views a general library doesn't have
- You want each component as one file without shared styles or extra packages
- Both work together: they install through the same shadcn CLI, and affectUI's styles stay inside its own components
- Agent Fleet – Several agents side by side – each card sums up its sub-agents, and a click opens its tree to the right while the last one folds back into its card
- Agent Tree – Who started whom – an orchestrator and its sub-agents as a live tree, with status, cost and time on every card, costs rolling up each branch, and branches that fold to one line
- Scheduled Runs – Agent tasks sorted into a week of sessions – each session has a usage limit, small tasks fill the gaps, big ones are split across sessions, and the stack flies in one card at a time
Questions
Is affectUI an alternative to Arc UI?
For agent products, yes – affectUI covers agent trees, fleets, traces, approvals and inboxes. For a broad general library with charts, maps and motion, Arc UI covers more, and the two can be used together.
Do both work with AI coding tools?
Yes. Both have an MCP server and machine-readable docs, so Claude Code, Cursor or Codex can find and add components.
Does affectUI need Tailwind or shared styles?
No. Each affectUI component carries its own CSS with color variables and needs only React 19.
Updated 2026-11-03