Bun vs Node in 2026: which to pick for indie SaaS

For years, npm on Node was the unquestioned default. In 2026 Bun has enough mileage to be a serious alternative, not an experiment. If you're starting a new project, sit down for 5 minutes and decide. This guide compares Bun and Node across real indie SaaS scenarios and calls out when each one wins. ## Speed | Operation | npm + Node | Bun | | -------------------------- | ------------------------ | -------------------- | | `install` (medium project) | ~38s | ~4s | | Cold start `next dev` | ~4.2s | ~1.1s | | Run `script.ts` | needs `tsx` or `ts-node` | native, no transpile | The difference isn't cosmetic. In local dev, Bun saves several hours a week. In CI, pipelines drop from ~3 min to ~30s on small projects. ## Compatibility Bun runs: - TypeScript without any config - ESM and CommonJS - Most npm libraries (React, Next.js, Prisma, etc.) - Web APIs (fetch, Request, Response) with no polyfills What still limps (Mar 2026, improving fast): - Some native libraries with weird bindings (rarely needed) - Next.js Edge runtime uses V8, not JavaScriptCore (Bun's engine) — for edge deploys, Node still rules ## Real-world Next.js compatibility Next.js 16 works great with Bun in dev and build. `bunx next dev` is the daily driver. For production, depends on the runtime: - **Node runtime**: Bun build works, deploy to Hetzner/Coolify/any VPS. Done. - **Edge runtime**: your provider (Vercel, Cloudflare) uses its own runtime. Doesn't matter what you used to build. ## Package manager Bun ships an integrated package manager. Replaces npm/yarn/pnpm: ```bash bun add prisma # equivalent to npm install bun remove prisma # equivalent to npm uninstall bun update # equivalent to npm update bun run dev # equivalent to npm run dev ``` It handles `package.json` exactly the same. No lock-in: if you ever want to go back to npm, you do so without rewrites. ## Test runner Bun ships a native test runner (`bun test`). Jest-like syntax, but startup and run is instant: ```ts import { test, expect } from 'bun:test'; test('addition works', () => { expect(2 + 2).toBe(4); }); ``` If your test suite is deeply tied to Jest, migrating is work. If you start today, beginning with `bun:test` saves dependencies. ## When NOT to use Bun - Legacy project with custom webpack/Jest/Babel config - If you depend on a specific library that isn't compatible yet (rare but possible) - Large team with no bandwidth to validate everything In those cases, Node is still valid and mature. ## When Bun clearly wins - New project in 2026 - Indie hacker / small team - Fast feedback loop matters (change code → see it in 1s, not 4s) - Frequently run TypeScript scripts - CI with a tight budget ## Common migration mistakes **1. Not updating `engines` in package.json**: if you leave `"node": ">=18"`, tools that respect this may complain. Add `"bun": ">=1.1"` too. **2. Assuming everything works first try**: 95% does. 5% needs tweaking. Budget 30 minutes for debugging. **3. Mixing `bun install` with `npm install`**: each generates its own lockfile. Pick one and stick with it. ## Bottom line In 2026 Bun isn't the only path, but it's the fast one. For new indie SaaS, the 30-minute validation pays back in dev speed across the whole project. If you've been on Node for years and everything works, migrating isn't urgent. But start your next project with Bun. You'll feel the difference on day 1.