diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index dcb77642f20886..3ec37cc79dc451 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -15000,6 +15000,10 @@
 			"resolved": "widgets/quick-draft",
 			"link": true
 		},
+		"node_modules/@wordpress/react-18": {
+			"resolved": "tools/react-18",
+			"link": true
+		},
 		"node_modules/@wordpress/react-19": {
 			"resolved": "tools/react-19",
 			"link": true
@@ -49028,6 +49032,7 @@
 				"@typescript/native": "npm:typescript@^7.0.2",
 				"@wordpress/babel-preset-default": "file:../../packages/babel-preset-default",
 				"@wordpress/build": "file:../../packages/wp-build",
+				"@wordpress/react-18": "file:../react-18",
 				"@wordpress/react-19": "file:../react-19",
 				"@wordpress/scripts": "file:../../packages/scripts",
 				"babel-plugin-inline-json-import": "^0.3.2",
@@ -49036,8 +49041,6 @@
 				"esbuild": "^0.27.2",
 				"fast-glob": "^3.2.7",
 				"magic-string": "^0.30.21",
-				"react": "^18.3.1",
-				"react-dom": "^18.3.1",
 				"rimraf": "^5.0.10",
 				"source-map": "^0.6.1"
 			}
@@ -49088,6 +49091,15 @@
 				"typescript-eslint": "^8.57.1"
 			}
 		},
+		"tools/react-18": {
+			"name": "@wordpress/react-18",
+			"version": "0.0.0",
+			"license": "GPL-2.0-or-later",
+			"dependencies": {
+				"react": "^18.3.1",
+				"react-dom": "^18.3.1"
+			}
+		},
 		"tools/react-19": {
 			"name": "@wordpress/react-19",
 			"version": "0.0.0",
diff --git a/syncpack.config.mjs b/syncpack.config.mjs
index 58d2f4631a4142..13f867c48ca595 100644
--- a/syncpack.config.mjs
+++ b/syncpack.config.mjs
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@ export default {
 			policy: 'sameRange',
 		},
 		{
-			label: '`@wordpress/react-19` is the experimental React 19 build; it intentionally declares React v19.',
+			label: '`@wordpress/react-18` and `@wordpress/react-19` are standalone React builds pinned to their respective major versions, independent of the repo-wide React version.',
 			dependencies: [ 'react', 'react-dom' ],
-			packages: [ '@wordpress/react-19' ],
+			packages: [ '@wordpress/react-18', '@wordpress/react-19' ],
 			isIgnored: true,
 		},
 		{
diff --git a/tools/build-scripts/package.json b/tools/build-scripts/package.json
index ba1a15b63b51b7..215d6832ff562f 100644
--- a/tools/build-scripts/package.json
+++ b/tools/build-scripts/package.json
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 		"@typescript/native": "npm:typescript@^7.0.2",
 		"@wordpress/babel-preset-default": "file:../../packages/babel-preset-default",
 		"@wordpress/build": "file:../../packages/wp-build",
+		"@wordpress/react-18": "file:../react-18",
 		"@wordpress/react-19": "file:../react-19",
 		"@wordpress/scripts": "file:../../packages/scripts",
 		"babel-plugin-inline-json-import": "^0.3.2",
@@ -35,8 +36,6 @@
 		"esbuild": "^0.27.2",
 		"fast-glob": "^3.2.7",
 		"magic-string": "^0.30.21",
-		"react": "^18.3.1",
-		"react-dom": "^18.3.1",
 		"rimraf": "^5.0.10",
 		"source-map": "^0.6.1"
 	},
diff --git a/tools/build-scripts/packages/build-vendors.mjs b/tools/build-scripts/packages/build-vendors.mjs
index d0710a6a0d9bd8..cdcc80dd967409 100644
--- a/tools/build-scripts/packages/build-vendors.mjs
+++ b/tools/build-scripts/packages/build-vendors.mjs
@@ -31,27 +31,21 @@ const patchReactDOM = createPatcher(
 
 const VENDOR_SCRIPTS = [
 	{
-		name: 'react',
+		name: '@wordpress/react-18/react',
 		global: 'React',
 		handle: 'react',
 		dependencies: [ 'wp-polyfill' ],
 		version: '18.3.1',
 	},
 	{
-		name: 'react-dom',
+		name: '@wordpress/react-18/react-dom',
 		global: 'ReactDOM',
 		handle: 'react-dom',
 		dependencies: [ 'react' ],
-		contents: [
-			'module.exports = {',
-			'  ...require("react-dom"),',
-			'  ...require("react-dom/client"),',
-			'};',
-		].join( '\n' ),
 		version: '18.3.1',
 	},
 	{
-		name: 'react/jsx-runtime',
+		name: '@wordpress/react-18/react-jsx-runtime',
 		global: 'ReactJSXRuntime',
 		handle: 'react-jsx-runtime',
 		dependencies: [ 'react' ],
@@ -128,7 +122,7 @@ async function patchVendorOutput( fileName, patch ) {
  * This is used to build packages like React that don't ship UMD builds.
  *
  * @param {Object}   config              Vendor script configuration.
- * @param {string}   config.name         Package name (e.g., 'react', 'react-dom', 'react/jsx-runtime').
+ * @param {string}   config.name         Entry point name (e.g., '@wordpress/react-18/react').
  * @param {string}   config.global       Global variable name (e.g., 'React', 'ReactDOM').
  * @param {string}   config.handle       WordPress script handle (e.g., 'react', 'react-dom').
  * @param {string[]} config.dependencies WordPress script dependencies.
@@ -136,7 +130,7 @@ async function patchVendorOutput( fileName, patch ) {
  * @return {Promise<void>} Promise that resolves when all builds are finished.
  */
 async function bundleVendorScript( config ) {
-	const { name, global, handle, contents, dependencies } = config;
+	const { name, global, handle, dependencies } = config;
 
 	// Plugin that externalizes the `react` package.
 	const reactExternalPlugin = {
@@ -168,6 +162,7 @@ async function bundleVendorScript( config ) {
 		globalName: global,
 		target: 'esnext',
 		platform: 'browser',
+		entryPoints: [ name ],
 		// Resolve imports from this workspace's dependencies.
 		absWorkingDir: WORKSPACE_DIR,
 		plugins: dependencies?.includes( 'react' )
@@ -175,16 +170,6 @@ async function bundleVendorScript( config ) {
 			: [],
 	};
 
-	if ( contents ) {
-		esbuildOptions.stdin = {
-			contents,
-			resolveDir: WORKSPACE_DIR,
-			loader: 'js',
-		};
-	} else {
-		esbuildOptions.entryPoints = [ name ];
-	}
-
 	await Promise.all( [
 		esbuild.build( {
 			...esbuildOptions,
diff --git a/tools/react-18/package.json b/tools/react-18/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..05980d67a11848
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/react-18/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+{
+	"name": "@wordpress/react-18",
+	"version": "0.0.0",
+	"description": "React 18 for Gutenberg.",
+	"private": true,
+	"author": "The WordPress Contributors",
+	"license": "GPL-2.0-or-later",
+	"keywords": [
+		"wordpress",
+		"gutenberg",
+		"react"
+	],
+	"homepage": "https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/tree/HEAD/tools/react-18",
+	"repository": {
+		"type": "git",
+		"url": "git+https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg.git",
+		"directory": "tools/react-18"
+	},
+	"bugs": {
+		"url": "https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues"
+	},
+	"exports": {
+		"./react": "./react.js",
+		"./react-dom": "./react-dom.js",
+		"./react-jsx-runtime": "./react-jsx-runtime.js"
+	},
+	"dependencies": {
+		"react": "^18.3.1",
+		"react-dom": "^18.3.1"
+	},
+	"publishConfig": {
+		"access": "public"
+	}
+}
diff --git a/tools/react-18/react-dom.js b/tools/react-18/react-dom.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..42c5fd1f836eb8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/react-18/react-dom.js
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+module.exports = {
+	...require( 'react-dom' ),
+	...require( 'react-dom/client' ),
+};
diff --git a/tools/react-18/react-jsx-runtime.js b/tools/react-18/react-jsx-runtime.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..8a6ae2123fa1ce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/react-18/react-jsx-runtime.js
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+module.exports = require( 'react/jsx-runtime' );
diff --git a/tools/react-18/react.js b/tools/react-18/react.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..7c2b3e225d9ceb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/react-18/react.js
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+module.exports = require( 'react' );