@fastify/helmet vs @hapi/crumb: Side-by-Side Comparison (2026)
Features, pricing, ratings, and pros & cons — compared head-to-head.
@fastify/helmet is a free api security tool. @hapi/crumb is a free api security tool. Compare features, ratings, integrations, and community reviews side by side to find the best api security fit for your security stack.
CST VerdictBased on our analysis of available product data, here is our conclusion:
Fastify teams building APIs that need HTTP header security without operational overhead should start with @fastify/helmet; it's a thin wrapper around the battle-tested helmet library, meaning you get OWASP Top 10 mitigations (CSP, HSTS, X-Frame-Options) with minimal configuration beyond `fastify.register()`. The 453 GitHub stars and zero-friction npm install make adoption frictionless for small-to-mid teams. Skip this if you need dynamic policy management, request-level header mutation, or centralized policy enforcement across multiple services; @fastify/helmet is intentionally static and Fastify-bound, not a gateway or orchestration tool.
Hapi framework teams who need lightweight CSRF protection without external dependencies should reach for @hapi/crumb; it integrates directly into request lifecycle with minimal configuration overhead. The tool has 170 GitHub stars and sees active maintenance within the hapi ecosystem, signaling real production adoption. Skip this if you're running a polyglot stack or need CSRF defense that works across multiple frameworks; @hapi/crumb is purpose-built for hapi applications and won't generalize.
