Deno vs Bun
Deno and Bun side by side: what each one is, verified plan pricing and install commands where we have them, and the full review of each.
Deno
Secure-by-default JavaScript and TypeScript runtime from Node's original creator, with built-in TypeScript, fmt, lint, and test. The Deno team joined Cloudflare in October 2026: the runtime gets one more year of bug-fix and security releases, and Deno Deploy shuts down six months after the announcement.
Bun
All-in-one JavaScript runtime, bundler, test runner, and package manager. Rewritten in Rust as of Bun 1.4 (August 2026), drop-in compatible with Node, dramatically faster install and start times.
At a glance
| Field | | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Infrastructure | Infrastructure |
| Website | deno.com | bun.sh |
| Pricing | Deno runtime - free and open source (MIT); Deno Deploy Free - $0/mo: 1M requests, 20GiB egress, 10 hr active CPU; Deno Deploy Pro - $20/mo: 5M requests (then $2/M), 200GiB egress, sandboxes, email support; Deno Deploy Builder - $200/mo: 25M requests, 2,000GiB egress, for Subhosting users; Deno Deploy Enterprise - custom pricing; Deno Deploy shuts down six months after the 2026-10-09 Cloudflare announcement | Free and open source (MIT) |
| Install | curl -fsSL https://deno.land/install.sh | sh or npm install -g deno or brew install deno | curl -fsSL https://bun.com/install | bash or npm install -g bun or brew install oven-sh/bun/bun |
| Models | Not an AI model runner: a JavaScript, TypeScript, and WebAssembly runtime on V8 with npm and Node.js compatibility (Node.js 26 compatibility as of Deno 2.9) and the JSR registry. | Not an AI model runner: a JavaScript and TypeScript runtime built on JavaScriptCore, with npm package compatibility and its own package manager, bundler, and test runner. Bun 1.4 targets Node.js 26.3.0 API compatibility. |
| Last verified | October 17, 2026 | October 17, 2026 |
In Depth
Deno
Deno is Ryan Dahl's redo of Node with the lessons of a decade applied. It runs TypeScript natively, sandboxes file and network access by default, and ships a full toolchain (fmt, lint, test, bench) in one binary. v2 added full npm and Node compatibility, which removed the biggest historical objection. The Deno team joined Cloudflare on October 9, 2026: the runtime gets one more year of monthly bug-fix and security releases, JSR moves to Cloudflare infrastructure, and Deno Deploy shuts down six months after the announcement. Weigh that support window before picking it for a greenfield TypeScript project, even if you value secure-by-default and a unified toolchain.
Bun
Bun bundles a JavaScript runtime, package manager, bundler, and test runner into a single binary written in Rust. It is largely Node-compatible, so most apps drop in without changes, and it is much faster: bun install routinely runs 10x faster than npm, and the runtime starts cold faster than Node. Bun also has first-class TypeScript and JSX support out of the box. It is the runtime of choice for new TypeScript projects that want speed without giving up the npm ecosystem.
FAQ
Answers taken from each tool's verified fact sheet, with the date it was last checked.
How much does Deno cost?
As of October 17, 2026: Deno runtime - free and open source (MIT); Deno Deploy Free - $0/mo: 1M requests, 20GiB egress, 10 hr active CPU; Deno Deploy Pro - $20/mo: 5M requests (then $2/M), 200GiB egress, sandboxes, email support; Deno Deploy Builder - $200/mo: 25M requests, 2,000GiB egress, for Subhosting users; Deno Deploy Enterprise - custom pricing; Deno Deploy shuts down six months after the 2026-10-09 Cloudflare announcement. Source: Deno is joining Cloudflare, Deno installation docs, Deno Deploy pricing, Deno blog, denoland/deno releases, denoland/deno LICENSE.
How do I install Deno?
Official install commands as of October 17, 2026: curl -fsSL https://deno.land/install.sh | sh or npm install -g deno or brew install deno.
Which models does Deno use?
As of October 17, 2026: Not an AI model runner: a JavaScript, TypeScript, and WebAssembly runtime on V8 with npm and Node.js compatibility (Node.js 26 compatibility as of Deno 2.9) and the JSR registry.
How much does Bun cost?
As of October 17, 2026: Free and open source (MIT). Source: Bun installation docs, Bun blog, Bun v1.4.3, Bun 1.4, oven-sh/bun LICENSE.
How do I install Bun?
Official install commands as of October 17, 2026: curl -fsSL https://bun.com/install | bash or npm install -g bun or brew install oven-sh/bun/bun.
Which models does Bun use?
As of October 17, 2026: Not an AI model runner: a JavaScript and TypeScript runtime built on JavaScriptCore, with npm package compatibility and its own package manager, bundler, and test runner. Bun 1.4 targets Node.js 26.3.0 API compatibility.
