Native vs Cross-Platform App Development: Which to Choose

Native and Cross-Platform Mobile Apps

The mobile app industry is booming. In 2023, mobile users downloaded 230 billion apps to their devices, and by 2025, app spending is projected to reach 270 billion rubles. However, given the fierce competition in the market, it is not easy to convince people to download and use your app.

Currently, Google Play offers over 3.3 million apps, while the Apple App Store has over 2.1 million. This means it is more important than ever to carefully consider how your app should look and function if you want it to succeed.

Let’s first examine the key issues that arise when comparing native and cross-platform development, along with the pros and cons of each method.

Native App Development

Native app development means building a mobile app exclusively for a specific platform or device type—typically Android or iOS. This means an app built for Android cannot be used on iOS and vice versa, simply because both platforms use completely different programming languages and technologies. Native Android apps are usually created in Java or Kotlin using Android Studio.

For iOS apps, native developers use Swift or Objective-C and tools like AppCode, Xcode, or Atom. So, if you want a native app that works well on both platforms, you have to create two separate apps. This solution typically requires separate development teams for each technology, which increases development time and cost—a significant drawback of the native approach.

However, native development offers a long list of advantages that make it popular among companies:

Best user experience — Since native apps are built for a specific system, they can leverage all its features and capabilities. This makes native apps generally much faster than cross-platform ones and far less prone to lag, bugs, or crashes. Even if such issues arise, they are much easier to fix. App design and UI can also be polished to make the app more intuitive and appealing to users.
Enhanced security — Ensuring maximum app security is practically a top priority for all developers today, as neglecting even a small part of security measures can have dire consequences for both app owners and users. Native apps excel here too, as they can use all the built-in security features of the platform and device—from fingerprint scanners to facial recognition. API security is also higher in native apps because they have greater control over API calls to and from the server.
Offline functionality — A huge advantage of native apps is that they can work well and provide access to most features even without a stable internet connection.
Future-proof development — Native technologies have been developed for years, so they are proven and reliable solutions that are less likely to be swept off the market overnight. Moreover, native apps are supported by tech giants like Google and Apple, who constantly work on their systems. Thus, a native app is continually updated and may be a better long-term solution.
Easy to add new platform features — With each system update, both Apple and Google update their programming languages so developers can quickly add new features to their apps. This makes it easier to keep the app up to date.

As for the downsides of native apps:

They are expensive to build — Developing a single native app can already be costly, but if you want your app on both iOS and Android, costs double because you need two teams working on separate apps.
Development, testing, and updates take longer — A native app must be built from scratch, so development can take more time compared to cross-platform apps. When creating two separate native apps, the process takes even longer because all elements must be coded individually for each platform. The same applies to testing, maintenance, bug fixes, and updates.

Native apps are best suited for complex apps that require device-specific hardware like GPS, camera, etc.

Cross-Platform Development

While native apps run only on one supported platform, cross-platform apps are specifically designed to work on multiple systems. Thus, a single app can be installed and used on Android, iOS, or any other platform you need to include.

Cross-platform apps are most often developed using JavaScript, C#, and Dart, along with technologies like React Native, Xamarin, and Flutter. Flutter is the most popular cross-platform mobile framework among the three, used by 42% of developers (React and Xamarin at 38% and 11% respectively).

Below are some significant advantages and reasons why people prefer cross-platform mobile app development.

Lower costs — With cross-platform development, your team only needs to build one version of the app that works on multiple systems, instead of creating a separate app for each. Additionally, you don't need to hire two separate teams for a new project—just one team familiar with the cross-platform framework. This certainly reduces development costs—on average, you can save 30% of the budget when using cross-platform apps.
Time savings — Cross-platform apps can run on multiple platforms using the same code, so your developers can create a finished cross-platform app much faster than native apps. They may need extra time to customize elements like app navigation, but the development time ratio still favors cross-platform.
Greater market visibility — The time and cost of building two separate native apps can be a major hurdle if you want to publish your apps on both Apple and Google app stores. However, with cross-platform development, you can create one app for both platforms and publish it simultaneously in both stores. This increases market visibility and, consequently, revenue.

However, cross-platform development also has drawbacks:

Limited functionality — The lower cost and significantly faster development come at a price, as the functionality of cross-platform apps is unfortunately lower than that of native apps. Some specialized Android/iOS features may not be available.
Performance may be worse — Since cross-platform app code is built for different systems and devices, more effort is needed to achieve the same smoothness as a native app. Additionally, running the app on different devices can lead to compatibility issues or bugs, so developers should spend more time testing.

Cross-platform apps are ideal for simpler apps that need to be built quickly or on a tight budget.

Does the Industry Matter When Choosing?

As you can see, in the cross-platform vs. native app development debate, each platform has its pros and cons.

Since native app development tools for a given platform are regularly updated, giving developers access to new features or functionality, native apps are usually the first to take advantage of them. In contrast, some new features may not be immediately available or may not work at all in cross-platform apps. Cross-platform development also typically involves trade-offs in some aspects of the app to ensure smooth operation across multiple platforms.

On the other hand, cross-platform apps—especially those built with the Flutter framework—are gaining more fans because Flutter offers sufficient performance and security for simple apps at a significantly lower cost. Moreover, the development process is faster than with native apps.

Thus, a useful clue may be to consider the technology choice through the lens of your industry. Some industries demand higher complexity in mobile apps. Below are our findings from projects completed for clients in various industries.

iGaming Apps

Betting and gambling apps require fast processing of data on match results, bets, or odds from various sources. Additionally, such apps have higher security requirements because users need to upload their ID or other personal data to start using the app. In these cases, native apps perform better than cross-platform ones and prove to be a more secure choice.

FinTech Apps

Financial apps also need the highest level of security, as they collect and store sensitive data like payment information. Although cross-platform technologies offer security solutions, they may not be as advanced as those in specialized apps, and insufficient code protection could lead to data leaks. Therefore, native technology may be a more optimal option for FinTech apps as well.

E-commerce Apps

Suppose you want to create a simple app for your customers that lets them accumulate points and explore new store offers. Using a cross-platform framework, you can build such an app much faster and at a lower cost than a native app. Additionally, the app design for Android and iOS can be (almost) identical.

Healthcare Apps

Similar to iGaming and FinTech apps, security is a top priority for healthcare apps because they store large amounts of sensitive data, such as health information. Cross-platform apps are somewhat limited in security compared to native ones. This means some advanced native features may be more difficult to code, and their implementation in a cross-platform solution might take too long. So, if you want to add multi-factor authentication or fingerprint login for app security, native technology is the more practical choice.

So What to Choose?

Overall, native development is the best choice if high security and performance are important to you, or if you want to add support for new technologies soon after they are released. However, there are cases where cross-platform development makes more sense.

If you are unsure which option is best for your new FinTech or betting app, contact developers and ask for their opinion. After analyzing the app's functions and its main purpose, they can tell you which technology to choose—cross-platform or native.

Kotlin, Swift, and Flutter – Overview

Now let's take a closer look at the languages primarily used for native and cross-platform mobile app development. A native platform app is usually written in Swift (iOS) or Kotlin (Android). Among the most common cross-platform frameworks are React Native and Flutter, with Dart as the programming language. Why these languages? Let's briefly review each language and its main advantages.

Kotlin

Kotlin is a cross-platform, statically typed, general-purpose programming language developed by Czech company JetBrains. It was originally designed to interoperate with the Java Virtual Machine, Java libraries, and Android. In a way, Kotlin is considered a replacement for Java because its code is much simpler, has features that make debugging easier, and can also be used to update projects previously written in Java.

In 2019, Google announced that Kotlin became the preferred language for Android app development, but it can be equally useful for backend programming. Here are the main advantages of choosing Kotlin:

Code is written much simpler and faster than in Java
Kotlin fully supports Java, so developers can switch between both languages as needed
Kotlin's "Require, check, assert" functions help developers detect all errors in code and fix them early
Thanks to the large community surrounding the language, Kotlin receives regular updates

Swift

Swift is a compiled, general-purpose programming language developed by Apple, used to create apps for iOS and macOS. Because Swift is beginner-friendly, intuitive, and reliable, it regularly appears in the "Most Popular Programming Languages" rankings—currently ranking 11th in the Tiobe index.

Main advantages:

Swift is easy to read and write thanks to its clean and more natural syntax.
The language uses a single main file for all code, which simplifies maintenance
Swift's syntax and structure eliminate certain errors that may occur in other languages (e.g., Objective C). As a result, the finished code will have far fewer bugs and issues.
According to apple.com, Swift is 2.6 times faster than Objective-C and 8.4 times faster than Python.

Flutter

Flutter is an open-source UI software development kit (SDK) officially released by Google in May 2017. This open-source framework allows you to develop native apps for iOS and Android from a single codebase, while also offering a range of features previously available only for native apps.

In essence, Flutter is gradually tipping the balance between cross-platform mobile development and native apps in favor of the former. This is because it solves many issues that cross-platform apps previously faced, while development costs remain lower than with native apps. For example, UX can now be tailored to a specific operating system, meaning the new app can use interface elements or features characteristic of a particular OS (e.g., gestures), as well as leverage device hardware. Moreover, developers have access to numerous security features such as encryption APIs or biometric authentication.

The advantages of Flutter development don't stop there:

With Flutter's hot reload feature, developers can write code or add changes and immediately see how they work.
It has a customizable set of widgets within the framework, making it easier to build apps for both operating systems.
Dart is very easy to learn—anyone familiar with JavaScript or other C-like languages will easily understand how Dart works.

So When Should You Choose Native or Cross-Platform Development?

The decision on which development method to choose significantly impacts how much the new app will cost, how long it will take to finish, and how users will react to it. Therefore, to help you decide, let's summarize: in which cases should you develop a native app, and in which a cross-platform one?

Native Apps Are the Best Choice When:

You need exceptional functionality, security, and performance for your app.
The app must work offline.
The app needs to use specific hardware/OS features.
Your audience mainly uses one platform.
You have the time and budget to build a specialized system app.

Cross-Platform Apps Are the Best Choice When:

You want your app to support multiple operating systems.
The app should be simple, without complex graphics, animations, or built-in device functions.
You first need to create an MVP to test audience reaction.
The app needs to be built quickly and on a limited budget.
You want your app to look the same across all platforms and devices.

Conclusion

So which development method wins in the battle between native and cross-platform apps? It all depends on you and your requirements for the latest app project. Brands aiming to create apps that leverage the newest technologies and deliver top-notch performance may prefer native app development. However, they must be prepared for higher costs and longer deployment times.

Cross-platform apps, on the other hand, are ideal for brands that want to "test the waters" with an MVP or build an app within a budget. Here, however, more effort may be needed to refine the design, user experience, and performance.