CSS Grid vs Flexbox — When to Use Which in 2026

The Short Answer

Use Flexbox for one-dimensional layouts (a row OR a column). Use CSS Grid for two-dimensional layouts (rows AND columns simultaneously). That's the fundamental distinction.

When to Use Flexbox

• Navigation bars — items in a single row with flexible spacing
• Card footers — buttons/links aligned on one axis
• Centering content — both vertically and horizontally
• Equal-height columns — when you have a simple row of items
• Dynamic content that needs to wrap naturally

When to Use CSS Grid

• Page layouts — header, sidebar, main, footer regions
• Card grids — consistent columns with auto-fill/auto-fit
• Dashboard layouts — complex arrangements with spanning
• Magazine/masonry layouts — items that span multiple rows/columns
• Form layouts — aligned labels and inputs in a grid

Key Differences

• Direction: Flexbox = one axis at a time; Grid = both axes simultaneously
• Content vs Layout: Flexbox sizes based on content; Grid defines the structure first
• Gap support: Both support gap, but Grid also supports row-gap and column-gap independently
• Overlap: Grid items can easily overlap using grid-area; Flexbox needs negative margins or position:absolute

The Decision Framework

Ask yourself: "Am I laying out items in a line?" → Flexbox. "Am I creating a 2D structure?" → Grid. "Both?" → Grid for the overall layout, Flexbox for components within grid cells.

Try It Yourself

Our Flexbox Generator and Grid Generator let you visually build layouts and export production-ready CSS. See the results in real-time as you adjust properties.