CardView Vs MaterialCardView: Which One Should You Use?

Both CardView and MaterialCardView are used to display content in a card format, but they have some key differences.

CardView#

CardView is part of the AndroidX library and provides a simple card layout with:

• Corner radius
• Elevation (shadow)
• Background color

<androidx.cardview.widget.CardView
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    app:cardCornerRadius="8dp"
    app:cardElevation="4dp">

    <!-- Content here -->

</androidx.cardview.widget.CardView>

MaterialCardView#

MaterialCardView extends CardView and adds Material Design features:

• Stroke/border support
• Checkable state
• Ripple effect
• Shape theming

<com.google.android.material.card.MaterialCardView
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    app:cardCornerRadius="8dp"
    app:strokeWidth="1dp"
    app:strokeColor="@color/stroke_color"
    app:checkedIcon="@drawable/ic_check">

    <!-- Content here -->

</com.google.android.material.card.MaterialCardView>

Key Differences#

When to Use What?#

• Use CardView for simple card layouts without Material Design requirements
• Use MaterialCardView when you need Material Design features or interactive cards

Conclusion#

For modern Android apps following Material Design guidelines, MaterialCardView is the better choice. It provides more features out of the box and integrates well with the Material Design system.