Pagination vs Infinite Scroll: When to Use Each Pattern (2025)
Choose the right content loading pattern based on your user needs and content type
Choosing between pagination and infinite scroll is a crucial decision that impacts your users' experience. Each pattern has its strengths and trade-offs, making the choice highly dependent on your specific use case.
Use our interactive decision flow below to guide your choice based on factors like content type, user behavior, and technical requirements. Follow the path that best matches your needs to find the recommended pattern for your application.
Interactive Decision Flow
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Quick Comparison
Choose When
- ✓ SEO is critical
- ✓ Users need to bookmark specific pages
- ✓ Content is structured and searchable
- ✓ Memory usage is a concern
Choose When
- ✓ Content is discovery-focused
- ✓ Mobile is the primary platform
- ✓ User engagement is key
- ✓ Content flow should be seamless
Performance Impact
Initial Load
Time taken to load and display the first set of content
Memory Usage
RAM consumption during normal usage
Real-world Examples
Pagination
Infinite Scroll
Next steps
Ready to implement your chosen pattern? Check out our detailed implementation guides:
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