Rust crate alternatives · data Oct 27, 2026
Alternatives to cross
Short answerThe closest alternatives to cross on crates.io data are cfg_aliases (2.2M real downloads a day), static_assertions (1.4M real downloads a day), proptest (663K real downloads a day). Of the 8 we list, the most used is cfg_aliases, and 5 shipped a release in the last year. cross itself gets 3,919 a day with 3 dependents.
Every alternative we found
| Alternative | Real downloads a day | vs cross | Dependents | Last release | Why it is listed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cfg_aliases Established | 2,163,249 | 551.99x | 283 | 3mo | keyword "compilation" | compare |
| static_assertions Widely used | 1,442,265 | 368.02x | 1,688 | 7.0y | keyword "testing" | compare |
| proptest Foundational | 663,355 | 169.27x | 12,243 | 14d | keyword "testing" | compare |
| arbitrary Widely used | 574,083 | 146.49x | 1,030 | 18d | keyword "testing" | compare |
| rusty-fork Pulled in | 504,858 | 128.82x | 87 | 13mo | keyword "testing" | compare |
| assert-json-diff Established | 491,066 | 125.30x | 178 | 4.3y | keyword "testing" | compare |
| serial_test Widely used | 429,325 | 109.55x | 2,974 | 3mo | keyword "testing" | compare |
| mockall Widely used | 406,667 | 103.77x | 1,393 | 4mo | keyword "testing" | compare |
How to choose
- Same job, not the same API. Each line is listed because it shares a crates.io category or keyword with cross; read its description before you swap.
- More dependents means more answered questions and a smaller chance it disappears.
- Check the last release against how fast you need fixes. For cross: is it still maintained?
Rules
Alternatives = tracked crates (top 1000 by downloads) that share a specific crates.io category (2 points each) or keyword (3 points each) with cross, most similar first; its own parts (same name prefix) and crates it depends on or that depend on it are left out, because those are companions, not substitutes. Real downloads = quiet-day median, crates.io data Oct 27, 2026. Built when we find 3 or more.
Up next
The closest alternative: Established and steady. 2,163,249 real downloads a day.cfg_aliasesRust crate. A tiny utility to help save you a lot of effort with long winded `#[cfg()]` checks. Real use: 2.2M downloads a day on quiet days; 283 crates depend on it.Read it next →Also worth your time
Art: Nicholas Roerich, Nag Lake (1925). Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
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