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Tabs vs accordion 0:41
A 41-second explainer of Tabs vs accordion, narrated over the same demo you can try yourself.
Try the interactive Tabs vs accordion demo
What this video covers
Both hide content behind clickable labels, but tabs display them side by side horizontally, revealing one at a time, while accordions stack them vertically and let panels expand in place. The choice often depends on how many sections there are and screen width.
Flip the same four sections between the two and the rule of thumb appears on its own: tabs feel right for a few peer sections you switch between; the accordion feels right when there are many, or when the screen is narrow and a row of tabs would never fit. Same content, and the better container depends entirely on shape and quantity.
