Cross-platform mobile app development can help your business in many ways. Fortunately, there are several frameworks that make it easier to build mobile apps for more than one platform. In fact, there are so many good choices that it might leave you wondering which one to choose. As your custom mobile app development partners, we would like to help you.
So, here is our complete cross-platform app development frameworks guide.
What is cross-platform app development?
You want your organization’s mobile application to be available to as many people as possible. Cross-platform mobile development, also known as hybrid mobile app development, facilitates this. It is the process of building an app in a way that it runs on both Android and iOS phones.
As you know, mobile phones have different operating systems (OS). Apple iPhones have iOS, while almost everything else has Android. Since these two are different, an app built for one will not run on the other.
If you use native mobile app development, it would mean building the same product twice—once for each platform, which would increase costs. It is also possible that the finer details of the app might be different, and. aAs a result, users would have an inconsistent experience across devices. With cross-platform mobile application development, you can solve both these problems and a few others.
Native vs cross-platform app development
When building a mobile app, one of the first choices you face is whether to go native or cross-platform. Each approach has its strengths, and the right one depends on your goals, budget, and timeline.
Native app development
Native app development means creating a dedicated version of your app for each platform — typically iOS and Android. For iOS, you’d use languages like Swift or Objective-C, while for Android you’d use Kotlin or Java.
These mobile apps are designed specifically for one platform and are natively compiled to run on mobile devices.
The main advantage here is performance. The app is built specifically for one operating system. As such, it runs as smoothly as possible and makes full use of all device features.
Native apps also deliver the most seamless user experience, since they follow platform-specific design and interaction patterns.
The downside is cost and time. You are essentially building two apps with two teams. That means more resources and longer timelines. For many businesses, that investment is difficult to justify, which makes hybrid development more tempting.
Cross-platform app development
Cross-platform development uses a single codebase to build apps for both iOS and Android. Instead of writing and maintaining two versions, you develop once and deploy everywhere.
The benefit is clear: you save on costs by reducing your workload and ensuring consistency between platforms. Your app can reach a larger audience without increasing development effort.
There is a trade-off, of course.
Cross-platform frameworks may not always deliver the same level of performance as native. Access to some device-specific features may be limited.
If your app relies heavily on advanced native features, graphics, or platform-specific capabilities, native development may be the better option. If your goal is to launch a high-quality app quickly and affordably, cross-platform development is often the best option.
If you do go down the cross-platform development path, you will see several benefits.
Advantages of cross-platform application development
We have already touched upon the two main benefits of cross-platform development. But let us look at all of them in detail.
1
Cost-effective
Building an application is a time- and resource-intensive process. The development team needs to understand your needs to plan the product. They then identify the technology stack that works best for it. Once the planning is complete, it is built and then tested, often several times. This is before the app is even deployed.
Now imagine doing this twice in tandem.
Cross-platform development makes it possible to build mobile apps once and release them on different mobile platforms such as Android and iOS. This reduces time and cost compared to native.
2
Consistent
As a brand, you want all your customers to have the same experience across the board. If someone goes to your website, they should see the same branding and appearance, regardless of which browser they use.
It is the same for your mobile app.
All customers, whether they are on Android or iOS or Windows phones, should get the same look and features. However, two teams developing two versions of the same product might not be able to deliver absolutely identical results. And, it will be two teams because Android developers and iOS developers usually focus on their area of expertise.
A single design system ensures your mobile UI looks the same across mobile devices, retaining the benefits of native performance where possible.
3
Time to market
If you want consistency in your mobile application while working with two teams, they would need to communicate and coordinate. Without this collaboration, you will end up with two product versions that do not match up. On the other hand, effective coordination between developers will result in delays.
Using a single development framework that uses shared logic allows you to build faster and publish simultaneously to the app store on both platforms.
If you are validating an idea, this is a much more efficient way to develop a minimum viable product (MVP). The MVP goes out into the market and is available to both sets of users at once. That means you can start collecting analytics data and use that to improve and iterate sooner.
4
Updates
Once your application has been released, you cannot just forget about it. It has to be maintained and updated regularly. Any bugs discovered post-launch must be fixed. New features must be added, and security patches must be released.
Again, if it is two different versions, you have twice the amount of work on your hands. Why not unify them and reduce the workload? A unified codebase simplifies the development process and ongoing support.
5
Broader user base
A lot of times, a business decides to save money by developing a product for one operating system first. Usually, it is iOS, but sometimes Android might be prioritized. They release this version and use the income it generates to build a version for the other platform.
If you do that, you are essentially limiting your market size. And, competition in technology is fierce. If a business rival develops a similar product for both platforms, you risk losing sales.
Cross-platform app development means you can give all your users—regardless of which platform their phone runs on—a working digital product. The best part? It does not cost you as much to develop and maintain, and it is consistent for everyone.
Popular frameworks for cross-platform mobile app development
There are several frameworks for cross-platform mobile development that make it possible to write code once and deploy it across iOS and Android. Each comes with its own strengths and ideal use cases.
Here are some of the best hybrid app development frameworks.
React Native
Created by Meta, React Native is one of the most widely used frameworks in this space. It is an open-source mobile application development framework that uses JavaScript and is based on React. React Native allows developers to reuse components and ship to multiple platforms with minimal friction. This framework is able to deliver apps that feel close to native in terms of performance and design. Plus, it is supported by a vast ecosystem of plugins and a large developer community. However, its performance might be affected in the case of complex user interfaces or apps requiring access to advanced native modules. And, third-party libraries must be carefully vetted for security. Despite this, React Native remains a strong choice for apps where speed and user experience matter.
Flutter
Flutter is a modern declarative cross-platform UI framework from Google that is favored by businesses that need visually consistent and high-performing apps. It uses the Dart programming language and its own rendering engine. Developers can create pixel-perfect interfaces and visuals that look the same across platforms.
That said, the framework produces larger app sizes than alternatives. It also has a smaller talent pool compared to JavaScript-based solutions. Still, for startups and businesses that want to launch polished MVPs quickly, Flutter is an excellent choice.
Kotlin & Compose Multiplatform
Backed by JetBrains, Kotlin supports multiplatform development by sharing business logic across platforms while letting teams keep native UIs where they need them. Developers who already use Kotlin for Android can adopt it easily with the help of Kotlin Multiplatform documentation. It offers code reusability without sacrificing performance or user experience.
Compose Multiplatform builds on top of Kotlin Multiplatform as JetBrains’ modern declarative UI framework. It extends the familiar Jetpack Compose approach from Android to iOS, desktop, and the web, allowing teams to share UI code as well as business logic, while still integrating with native APIs when needed.
The flexibility of Kotlin Multiplatform is powerful, but it comes with higher developer effort if you choose to build UIs natively. Compose Multiplatform reduces some of that effort by enabling a shared UI layer, though its ecosystem is still catching up compared to long-established native toolkits.
Kotlin Multiplatform’s tooling and community are still maturing. Still, it’s a strong choice for Kotlin-based teams or complex projects that need scalability, fine-grained control, and the option to evolve their shared UI strategy over time.
Ionic
This is an open-source framework that is built on familiar web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. As a result, it appeals to teams with web development expertise.
Apps developed on this framework can access native device functionality using Capacitor or Cordova. This makes it a flexible option for rapid prototyping or content-driven applications.
Ionic is easy to learn and integrates well with popular frameworks such as Angular, React, and Vue. The drawback is performance, which often lags behind frameworks like Flutter and React Native. The user experience can also feel less “native.”
Still, if you need to validate an idea quickly or build simple apps with limited budgets, Ionic is a practical solution.
Xamarin
This framework is used for building apps with C#. Originally owned by Microsoft, it is now evolving into .NET MAUI. For organizations already invested in Microsoft technologies, it offers seamless integration with the wider ecosystem and strong enterprise-grade support.
Xamarin provides good performance and deep native integration. However, the trade-off is a steeper learning curve and a smaller open-source community compared to Flutter or React Native.
Its reliability and backing from Microsoft make it the preferred choice for enterprise applications and B2B solutions.
Each of these frameworks has its place. The best one for your project depends on your priorities.
Disadvantages of cross-platform app development
Developing hybrid apps is not without its challenges. Understanding these drawbacks will help you make an informed decision.
1
Performance limitations
While most frameworks offer strong performance, they may not always match the speed and responsiveness of apps built natively. Does your product rely on advanced graphics, heavy animations, or resource-intensive processing? If yes, cross-platform solutions can introduce latency or feel less smooth.
2
Access to native features
Platform-specific features include advanced camera controls, AR capabilities, or deep OS-level integrations. These can be harder to implement in a cross-platform framework. In many cases, developers need to build custom “bridges” to tap into native APIs, which increases complexity.
3
User experience differences
Although frameworks strive for consistency, the “look and feel” of iOS and Android differ in subtle ways. Native development automatically accounts for these platform conventions. Cross-platform apps risk feeling slightly off to experienced users unless the UI is carefully customized for each platform.
4
App size
Certain frameworks tend to generate larger file sizes than native apps, which is not always critical. But if you are targeting users with limited storage space or poor internet connectivity, this can be a drawback.
4
Dependency on frameworks
A cross-platform solution relies on the framework’s ongoing support and updates. If a framework becomes outdated or loses community support, maintaining and upgrading your app may become more challenging.
How to decide if hybrid development is right for you?
Choosing between native and cross-platform development is not always straightforward. Both approaches have clear advantages as well as drawbacks.
If you want to build cross-platform mobile solutions quickly, a top cross-platform framework may be the best solution. But if your product depends on native code and advanced integrations, a native-first strategy might be better.
The right partner agency can help you choose wisely. At Infinum, our mobile engineers have experience across hybrid mobile, multiplatform mobile, and native projects. Interested in learning more about how Flutter sold the idea of hybrid development to us? Read our blog post: From Native to Cross-Platform: 10/10 Would Recommend.
