The study investigates the deflection, crack and load carrying capacity of single span concrete beams reinforced with basalt fiber reinforced polymer (BFRP) bars and steel-reinforced concrete beams with similar reinforcement ratios, under similar loading and support conditions. The experiment focused on key parameters such as ultimate load-bearing capacity, midspan deflection, crack patterns and failure modes of the beam cross-section. Four beams (80×120×1100 mm), two reinforced with 6 mm steel bars and two with 6 mm BFRP bars, were tested. The test results reveal that concrete beams reinforced with BFRP bars showed 35% higher load carrying capacity but also greater deflection and earlier cracking than steel reinforced concrete beams. We calculated theoretical values based on different scholars’ assumptions and compared them with experimental results to validate performance.