The Core Question
Native development means building separate applications for iOS (Swift/Objective-C) and Android (Kotlin/Java), each using platform-specific tools and APIs. Cross-platform means building one codebase that runs on both platforms, using frameworks like React Native or Flutter.
This is not a simple choice with one right answer. Each approach has genuine advantages, and the best choice depends on your specific requirements, team, timeline, and budget.
The good news: cross-platform frameworks have matured significantly. The performance gap has narrowed, and major applications (Instagram, Discord, BMW) prove cross-platform can meet demanding requirements. The old assumption that "serious apps need native" no longer holds universally.
The decision framework should consider: performance requirements, development resources, timeline, budget, platform-specific features needed, and long-term maintenance plans.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Factor | Native | Cross-Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | Maximum possible | Near-native (90-95%) |
| Code sharing | None between platforms | 70-95% shared |
| Development cost | Higher (2 codebases) | Lower (1 codebase) |
| Platform API access | Complete, immediate | Most APIs via bridges/plugins |
| Developer availability | Specialized, smaller pool | Larger pool (JavaScript/Dart) |
| Platform look/feel | Perfect by default | Excellent with React Native, custom with Flutter |
| Maintenance | 2 teams or contexts | 1 team/codebase |
| Time to market | Longer | Faster |
When Native Makes Sense
Maximum Performance Critical
High-performance games, real-time video processing, complex animations, or compute-intensive features where every millisecond matters.
Cutting-Edge Platform Features
If you need same-day access to new iOS or Android features, native provides immediate access while cross-platform frameworks catch up.
Deep Platform Integration
Apps heavily using platform-specific capabilities like ARKit, HealthKit, or Android-specific hardware features benefit from native access.
Existing Native Teams
If you already have separate iOS and Android teams with platform expertise, switching to cross-platform may not provide enough benefit.
Platform-Specific Designs
When your iOS and Android apps need substantially different UIs and behaviors, separate codebases may be simpler than conditional logic.
When Cross-Platform Makes Sense
Resource Efficiency
Smaller teams, limited budgets, or startups benefit from maintaining one codebase instead of two. The savings are significant and ongoing.
Faster Time to Market
When speed matters, building once for both platforms accelerates launch. Feature parity across platforms comes automatically.
Standard App Patterns
Apps using common patterns—lists, forms, navigation, cards—work excellently in cross-platform. Most business and consumer apps qualify.
Web Developer Team
Teams with JavaScript experience can leverage React Native immediately. Existing React web knowledge transfers significantly.
Consistent Cross-Platform Experience
When brand consistency across platforms matters more than platform-specific conventions, cross-platform ensures identical behavior.
Native vs Cross-Platform FAQ
About the Author
Elvira Dzhuraeva is an expert in AI mobile app development and React Native. A former Senior Product Manager at Google specializing in AI/ML and Generative AI, she is the Founder of Fastshot (YC-backed) and a founding contributor to Kubeflow.