Curious about the future of app development? These top cross-platform frameworks are your gateway to building apps for all platforms!
There are more than 3.5 billion mobile phone users globally and this figure is anticipated to keep increasing year after year. Over 70% of mobile users download applications using the App Store or Google Play Store and use on average 90% of their time on apps, while a mere 10% of their time is spent on mobile websites. Missing your presence on either platform will hinder your reach to the audience. So, why is it a problem to create a mobile application for both operating systems? The reason is small businesses on a limited budget cannot afford to have two dedicated teams for Android and iOS app development. These issues can be overcome by cross platform application development frameworks that enable the development of native-looking mobile applications for Android and iOS from a single codebase. Does it sound intriguing?
Want to learn more about cross-platform frameworks? Here we have listed the top cross platform application development frameworks for Android and iOS. Before discussing them let’s first get you acquainted with the advantage of such frameworks.
Top Benefits of Leveraging Cross-Platform App Development Frameworks
Why should your company choose a cross-platform application development framework? Here are several good reasons:
1. Cost-Effective Development
One of the biggest reasons cross-platform frameworks are so well-liked by developers is the cost-effectiveness. Usually, to develop an app for iOS and Android, you’d need to utilize different groups of developers, and that can become expensive. With a cross-platform framework, though, you get to write one codebase that can run on both platforms. This drastically reduces development costs and ongoing maintenance since you’re not managing separate apps for iOS and Android. In the long run, this helps businesses save money that could be spent elsewhere, like marketing or improving other parts of the app.
2. Faster Time to Market
When you’re trying to get an app out there quickly, time is of the essence. Cross-platform platforms come in handy when it comes to speeding up the development process as you write once. Instead of developing separate apps for Android and iOS, you can deploy your app on both platforms at once. This means that you can get your app into users’ hands much faster, which is especially helpful if you need to beat the competition or obtain rapid feedback.
3. Broader Reach
With cross-platform frameworks, you have access to more people. Instead of waiting until your iOS version is done before beginning on Android, or vice versa, you can launch your app on the two platforms simultaneously. That means that you can access a greater audience from day one. And you get instant feedback from iOS and Android users alike, allowing you to learn faster and give a better experience to all your users.
4. Consistent User Experience
Consistency is paramount in user experience. Cross-platform platforms ensure your app looks and behaves exactly the same way on both Android and iOS. It’s important because if your app behaves differently on each platform, it is frustrating for users. With one codebase, you can ensure that your app has a smooth and consistent experience regardless of which device your users use.
5. Easy Maintenance and Updates
Maintenance of the app can be frustrating, especially if you have two separate codebases for iOS and Android. Cross-platform frameworks handle everything for you. Bug fixes or updates have to be applied only once, and they’ll be duplicated automatically on both platforms. This simplifies maintenance greatly, as you only have to keep one version of the app going, which saves you effort and time. And it also ensures that users on both ends are always using the most current version of your application.
6. Access to Native Features
Cross-platform development is also thought to be unable to access native device features like the camera, GPS, or sensors. But today with new architectures like React Native and Flutter, you can now access these native features, and your app behaves as a natively developed application. Your end-users will never even know there’s a difference if you’re cross-platform. You can, if ever you need, write low-level code if you need direct native feature access, making it even more versatile.
7. Enhanced Performance
Historically, cross-platform frameworks have been faulted for running slower than native apps. But the frameworks now like Flutter and React Native have improved greatly. They give nearly-native performance since they compile directly to native code, meaning your app will perform nicely without hesitation or lag. Okay, maybe a fully native app might have a very tiny bit of an advantage in performance, but for most apps, it is completely imperceptible—and getting better every day.
8. Single Development Team
One of the most beneficial benefits of a cross-platform framework is that you only need one development team. With native development, you need separate teams with separate skill sets for iOS and Android. But with cross-platform, a single team can work on both versions of the app, which makes project management simpler and encourages improved collaboration. This also guarantees that you will not need to juggle several teams with different priorities so that you can maintain your app uniform on both platforms.
9. Future-Proofing
Cross-platform tools like Flutter and React Native are constantly updated to fit the new platforms, devices, and technologies. That means that you don’t have to fret if your app becomes outdated when new devices or operating system versions are released. The framework will adapt, and your app will as well. By using a modern cross-platform tool, you’re future-proofing your app from whatever technology comes next.
10. Wealthy Community and Ecosystem
Another of the best things about using popular libraries like React Native or Flutter is the large, lively community of programmers that support them. Both of them have huge ecosystems of existing plugins, tools, and resources that can assist in speeding up development and simplifying things. If you’re stuck, then someone else is probably already having the same issue and has solved it. And if you get stuck, there’s plenty of documentation, tutorials, and forums to help you back on track.
How to Choose the Right Cross Platform Mobile App Development Framework
Choosing the best cross platform mobile app development platform is essential to your app’s success. With so many to choose from, deciding can be overwhelming. In order to make an informed choice, a few key things need to be determined.
First and foremost, it is important to know about the special needs of your app. Determine the level of complexity of your app and what features it will need. For instance, if you are building a simple app with typical features, Ionic or Flutter could be used. For high-level apps with bespoke UI/UX or high-performance needs, React Native or Xamarin could be used. You could also look at investigating some features, such as access to native devices (camera, GPS, etc.) or support for third-party services, and to what extent the chosen framework natively supports them. Another thing to consider is how long it will take to build and the overall expense of the project. Cross-platform building reduces time to market because you are building a codebase that you can use for multiple platforms simultaneously, so it is a less complicated task. Companies like Flutter and React Native are both particularly famous for building quicker. Price is also a factor- cross-platform app development cost will typically be cheaper than native development on each platform in isolation. That said, the selection of framework can still have an effect on overall cost, depending on the team’s skill set and needs of the framework.
Performance is a second important consideration when selecting a framework. If your app requires high-performance, such as apps with heavy animations or real-time data, then it’s essential to apply a framework that can deliver near-native performance. Flutter and React Native are known for their ability to deliver high performance, but if your app is heavy on resources, then native development or domain-specific solutions such as Unity for gaming applications may be more suitable. It’s also important to think about the level of customization available in each framework to address your performance requirements. The skill set of your mobile app development team is another important aspect to think about. If your development team already has expertise in a specific programming language or technology, such as JavaScript or C#, you will likely want to utilize frameworks such as React Native or Xamarin, which are capable of supporting those skills. The size of the framework community is also important. Both Flutter and React Native have extremely large, active communities, which provide resources, plugins, and debugging support when building.
Future maintainability and scalability also need to be taken into account. Cross-platform platforms are designed to simplify the maintenance of multiple codebases, but ensure that the platform you’re using makes scalability simple once your app has matured. How frequently updates are issued, whether your framework can accommodate upcoming versions of the OS, and how simple it is to reuse code for future features or platforms can all make a difference as to how long your app survives. Frameworks like React Native and Flutter have big corporations backing them, so they will continue to grow and improve in the future. Platform compatibility is also important to take into consideration. There are platforms like Flutter and React Native that support most platforms like iOS, Android, and web entirely. Choosing a platform that supports your target platforms and provides seamless performance on all devices is of great importance. Native code integration is yet another factor to be taken into consideration. In case your application requires heavy native integration, make sure the framework enables you to integrate native code in an effective manner. Both React Native and Xamarin expose native APIs very effectively whenever necessary, so they are optimal for apps that require extensive native features.
Finally, security should always be given a top priority. Your framework should offer strong security features to guard data, securely authenticate users, and follow necessary regulations. Frameworks offering strong security protocol support, such as encryption and secure APIs, will protect your app and user data. By taking these considerations into account—app requirements, development time, performance, team experience, scalability, platform support, and security—you can make an informed decision when selecting the most suitable cross-platform mobile app development framework for your project. This careful consideration will render your app high-performance, cost-effective, and provide a seamless, consistent experience on platforms.
Start Your App Development With One of These Cross Platform App Development Frameworks
If you’re planning to develop an app that runs well on multiple platforms, you’ve come to the right page. The initial step is to select the appropriate cross-platform app development framework. These frameworks enable you to build a shared codebase that can run on iOS and Android, which saves time, money, and effort.
Before going into the specifics of each framework, it is crucial to know the various app development methodologies: Native vs. Hybrid vs. Cross-Platform: What To Choose? Each methodology has its advantages and disadvantages, and the best one depends on your project needs. Moreover, Here’s a short overview of some of the most well-known frameworks to begin your app development journey.
Here’s a table summarizing each of the popular cross-platform app development frameworks, their features, and examples of apps powered by them.
| Framework | Features | Apps Powered By |
| Flutter | – Uses Dart programming language – High-performance rendering engine for smooth animations – Rich set of pre-designed widgets for customizable UIs – Access to native APIs – Hot reload for quick development |
– Google Ads – Alibaba – Reflectly – Hamilton |
| React Native | – Uses JavaScript and React for building UI components – Native rendering for high performance – Large ecosystem with reusable components – Hot reloading for fast development |
– Facebook – Airbnb – Walmart |
| Xamarin | – Uses C# and the .NET framework – Native performance with full access to platform-specific APIs – Single codebase for multiple platforms – Strong integration with Microsoft technologies |
– Alaska Airlines – Skyscanner – The World Bank – Olo |
| Ionic | – Built with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript – Leverages Apache Cordova for native device access – Ideal for web app-like user interfaces – Large collection of UI components and plugins |
– Pacifica – Sworkit – MarketWatch – Diesel |
| PhoneGap (Apache Cordova) | – Built with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript – Easy to integrate with third-party plugins – Works across multiple platforms – Open-source and widely used |
– Wikipedia – IBM – Adobe – Untappd |
| Unity | – Primarily used for game development – Supports 2D and 3D graphics, real-time rendering – Cross-platform support for iOS, Android, PC, and consoles – Large ecosystem for game development tools |
– Angry Birds 2 – Pokemon Go – Temple Run 2 – Monument Valley |
| FlutterFlow | – No-code platform based on Flutter – Drag-and-drop UI components – Integration with Firebase for backend services – Quick prototyping and app building without coding |
– Solv – Chime – SuperPeer – Private Chef |
| NativeScript | – Built with JavaScript, TypeScript, or Angular – Direct access to native APIs – True native performance – Open-source and customizable |
– SAP – Telerik – Strudel – NHS (National Health Service in the UK) |
#1. Flutter
Google developed Flutter, one of the leading cross-platform frameworks in an amazingly short span of time. Flutter is based on the Dart programming language and is renowned for its fast performance and beautiful, highly customizable user interfaces. The best thing about Flutter is that it can create near-native performance apps with deep animations and smooth transitions. It’s also backed by a large community, with a lot of plugins and assets. To know further on Flutter read our Top 10 famous apps built with Flutter Framework: A Guide.
Pros: Excellent UI customizability, fast development time, great community support.
Best For: Interactively rich, graphics-intensive applications with silky animation.
#2. React Native
Created by Facebook, React Native is a widely used cross-platform app framework. React Native uses JavaScript and takes the help of the React library, which is used in web development standards. Developers can use JavaScript to write React Native components that will be rendered as native widgets, thereby delivering acceptable performance and native feel.
Pros: Rapid development, huge set of libraries, huge community.
Best For: Apps with quick development and ongoing maintenance, especially when JavaScript expertise is available in developers.
#3. Xamarin
Microsoft’s Xamarin is a strong framework wherein you can develop apps using C# and then compile it down to native iOS and Android code. It seamlessly fits into Microsoft’s .NET world, thereby becoming ideal for organizations with established Microsoft technology. Xamarin’s native API exposure allows you to deliver a performance-critical app.
Advantages: Full native API access, widespread integration in the.NET framework.
Best For: Enterprise development, especially for firms already invested in Microsoft technology.
#4. Ionic
Ionic is an application that makes use of web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to create mobile applications. It takes advantage of Apache Cordova (previously PhoneGap) in order to access native platform capabilities. While Ionic apps are actually web applications, they are executed inside a native container, so they have access to the native APIs and functionality of the device.
Advantages: Easy to learn, uses web technologies, ideal for building progressive web apps (PWAs).
Best For: Budget and time-critical projects to be developed and web development veteran developers.
#5. PhoneGap (Apache Cordova)
PhoneGap, having a foundation built with Apache Cordova, makes it possible to build mobile applications in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. As in Ionic, PhoneGap runs web code within a native context but with more freedom and capability for native API usage. It’s usually utilized for quick and easy apps or where you’re not willing to venture too deep into platform code.
Advantages: Simple, employs web programming capabilities, large plugin ecosystem.
Best For: Rapid applications or proof of concept, rapid development using web technology.
#6. Unity
If you are developing a game or an app with intensive 2D/3D graphics and interactive features, Unity can be one of the options. Unity is both a game engine and a cross-platform game development environment. It also supports numerous platforms such as iOS, Android, PC, and console. Although it is mostly used for game development, Unity can be utilized to develop other interactive apps as well.
Pros: Great for games, rendering real-time 3D graphics, cross-platform compatibility.
Best For: Game development and interactive applications with advanced graphics.
#7. FlutterFlow
FlutterFlow is also among the new Flutter tools that run no-code. You can build applications using visual mode, drag-and-drop UI elements, and integrating backend APIs with no coding needed. It is great when you are a person who lacks coding skills or possesses a team who requires rapid prototyping or rapid development of lightweight applications with not much dalliance in coding.
Cons: Not a good option when you have made core advancements.
Best For: Non-tech startup founders or individuals who need to prototype or build an app but have little coding knowledge.
#8. NativeScript
NativeScript enables you to develop apps using JavaScript, TypeScript, or Angular. It executes code by compiling it into native machine code for real native performance. NativeScript gives developers full liberty to use native APIs, and thus, if you require adding more advanced native features into your app, it’s the best choice for you.
Pros: Direct access to native APIs, ideal for performance-sensitive applications, enormous plugin community.
Best For: Developers requiring native capabilities with cross-platform solutions.
Concluding Thoughts
After you have viewed the unique characteristics of each cross-platform framework, which one is best for your app? Although the selection of the right framework is important, in order to have the ability to make the most out of it, it’s required to work with an expert mobile app development company.
Helpful Insight is a professional cross-platform app development company, offering world-class apps that meet and exceed expectations. Work with us to make your app development project reach its full potential and success!
FAQ
What is a Cross-Platform App Development Framework?
Cross-platform application development framework is either a platform or tool employed in order to empower developers to code a single codebase that has the ability to run on many platforms (such as iOS, Android, Windows, etc.). Such frameworks provide tools and libraries to facilitate apps’ development enabling them to run on various operating systems, taking advantage of time and efforts, as opposed to developing separate native apps for different platforms.
Why Must I Use a Cross-Platform Framework Rather than Native Development?
There are numerous advantages of employing a cross-platform framework:
- Cost-Saving: You maintain only a single codebase, which costs less.
- Quick Time to Market: Developing one app that will run on so many platforms reduces development time.
- Consistent Experience: You can deliver one cohesive UI/UX on all platforms.
- Easy Maintenance: Bug fixes, updates, and feature additions need to be rolled out only once.
Can Cross-Platform Frameworks Provide Native-Like Performance?
Yes, thanks to the available frameworks like React Native and Flutter, near-native performance is possible. Although there can be infinitesimal differences in performance, these frameworks do have a mechanism to access the native APIs, thus ensuring smooth performance. For high-performance apps, Flutter and React Native provide very good performance, and NativeScript also provides clean native performance.
What Cross-Platform Framework Should I Use for My App?
Choose one based on your app’s requirements, your developers’ skills, and the app you’re building:
- React Native is best for rapid development with lots of community support and reusable code.
- Flutter is best for stunning, custom UIs with fast performance.
- Xamarin is best if you already use the Microsoft stack and like to remain in C#.
- Ionic or PhoneGap is the way to go if you have web development experience and need hacks in a hurry for less complex applications.
- Unity is where you are at for game development or apps that have a lot of 3D content.
Are Cross-Platform Apps Slower Than Native Apps?
Historically, cross-platform apps were slower than native apps, but with advancements in modern frameworks like Flutter, React Native, and NativeScript, performance is nearly on par with native apps for most use cases. Apps built with these frameworks are compiled to native code, which improves performance. However, if you’re building a very resource-intensive app (e.g., complex gaming or heavy AR apps), native development may still have a slight edge.
Are native device features exposed in Cross-Platform Frameworks?
Yes, all modern cross-platform frameworks support native device features like the camera, GPS, sensors, and storage. You can call native APIs directly with frameworks like React Native, Flutter, and NativeScript, and your app runs as if you had natively developed it for the platform.
