Native or cross-platform: choosing the right approach for your app
When one codebase for iOS and Android is the smart choice — and when going native pays off.
Two ways to build an app
Native apps are written separately for iOS (Swift) and Android (Kotlin). Cross-platform frameworks such as Flutter let one codebase run on both. Both approaches produce real apps in the stores — the difference is in cost, speed and access to device features.
When cross-platform is the better choice
- You need iOS and Android at launch on a sensible budget.
- The app is mostly forms, lists, content, maps and payments.
- You want one team and one release process for both platforms.
When native is worth it
- Heavy use of the latest platform-specific features on day one.
- Demanding graphics, audio or real-time processing.
- You already have separate iOS and Android teams.
Our recommendation
For most business apps, cross-platform delivers the best value and reaches both platforms faster. We look at your feature list and future plans before recommending either, and we can mix approaches where a single feature needs native code.