A Free Tailwind UI Alternative for React
Tailwind UI was renamed Tailwind Plus in March 2025, and it is a paid product. If you want free Tailwind CSS components and page sections for React, Watermelon UI is an alternative with 180+ MIT licensed blocks, full dashboards, and 500+ component variants, and you do not need a license.
At a glance
| Watermelon UI | Tailwind Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price and license | Free, MIT | Paid, one-time purchase with lifetime access |
| How you use it | Copy-paste, installs with the shadcn CLI | Copy-paste blocks and templates, plus the Catalyst UI kit |
| Styling | Tailwind CSS v4 | Tailwind CSS |
| Page sections and dashboards | 180+ blocks, dashboards, templates | Large catalog of marketing and application blocks, plus templates |
Where Tailwind Plus is stronger
- It is made by the Tailwind CSS team, so the design quality and Tailwind idioms are consistent.
- It has a very large and polished catalog of marketing and application blocks.
- It includes both HTML and React versions of the blocks.
Why pick Watermelon instead
- It is free for commercial use, with no seats or license terms to track.
- Every item installs with the shadcn CLI, so it fits shadcn projects.
- It has animated components and dashboard templates.
- The code is public on GitHub, and you can contribute back.
Start here
Frequently asked questions
Is Tailwind UI free?
No. Tailwind UI, now Tailwind Plus, requires a paid license. Tailwind CSS itself is free. Check the official site for current pricing.
What is the best free alternative to Tailwind UI?
For React, Watermelon UI gives you free blocks and dashboards. Flowbite, Preline, and daisyUI are also good free options with different tradeoffs.