Svelte

Svelte compiles your components into vanilla JavaScript at build time, no virtual DOM, no runtime overhead. You write components that look like HTML with superpowers, and the compiler turns them into the smallest, fastest code possible.

MIT, one of the most loved frameworks in every developer survey. SvelteKit (the full-stack framework built on Svelte) handles routing, SSR, and deployment. The developer experience is excellent: less boilerplate, more readable code, faster sites.

Fully free. No paid tier, no enterprise edition. Deploy anywhere.

The catch: the ecosystem is smaller than React's. If you need a specific UI component library, authentication wrapper, or enterprise integration, React probably has 10 options where Svelte has 2. Job market is also thinner. Fewer companies hiring for Svelte means fewer Stack Overflow answers when you're stuck.