Native vs Cross-Platform Development: How Are They Different and Which One Is Right for You?

Mobile app development has become a cornerstone for businesses looking to engage users and expand their reach. There are two primary approaches: native development, which focuses on a single platform, and cross-platform development, which aims to cover multiple platforms with one codebase. 

At ProCoders, we specialize in cross-platform development, creating apps that perform like native ones, while saving time and costs for our clients.

Understanding the key differences between native and cross-platform development is crucial when planning a mobile app. The right choice can impact your project’s budget, performance, and user experience.

What is Native Mobile Apps Development?

Native application development refers to building apps specifically for a single platform, such as iOS or Android. This involves using platform-specific programming languages:

• iOS: Swift or Objective-C
• Android: Kotlin or Java

Native apps are designed to run smoothly on the platform they’re built for, ensuring maximum performance and full integration with the platform’s features.

Native App Development Platform Key Characteristics

Native development offers several advantages due to its platform-specific approach:

• Optimized Performance: Apps are built to work with platform hardware and software.
• Deep Integration with Platform Features: Native apps can take full advantage of device features like GPS, camera, and push notifications.
• Access to Latest Updates: Developers can immediately implement new platform updates, ensuring apps are always compatible.
• User Experience: Native apps follow specific platform design guidelines, leading to a smoother and more intuitive user experience.

Native Mobile Application Common Use Cases

Native development is often chosen for:

• Performance-Intensive Apps: Games, AR/VR apps, or apps requiring high performance.
• Complex Animations: Apps that heavily rely on custom animations and smooth transitions.
• Platform-Specific Features: Apps needing deep integration with platform-specific APIs, such as health tracking or payment systems.

What is Cross-Platform Development?

Cross-platform development allows developers to create apps for multiple platforms, like iOS and Android, using a single codebase. This approach relies on frameworks such as React Native, Flutter, and Xamarin to achieve platform compatibility.

Key Characteristics

The key characteristics of cross-platform development include:

• Code Reusability: A single codebase can be used across different platforms, reducing duplication of effort.
• Faster Development Cycles: Developers can create apps for multiple platforms simultaneously, shortening time to market.
• Reduced Costs: By avoiding the need for separate codebases, development costs are lower compared to native apps.
• Uniform Experience: It ensures a more consistent user experience across platforms, which is useful for brands seeking visual and functional consistency.

Common Use Cases

Cross-platform development is often chosen for:

• Startups with Limited Budgets: When saving costs and reaching a broad audience quickly are top priorities.
• Simple Apps: Apps that don’t rely heavily on platform-specific features.
• Consistent User Experience: When a uniform experience across iOS and Android is desired without the need for extensive platform-specific customization.

Detailed Comparison: Native vs Cross Platform Mobile App Development

A Table: Cross Platform App Development vs Native

Aspect	Native Development	Cross-Platform Development
Performance	Superior due to direct API access and optimized code	May have performance limitations for complex apps
Development Speed	Slower, requires separate codebases for iOS and Android	Faster, single codebase for multiple platforms
Cost Efficiency	Higher costs due to separate development and maintenance	Lower costs with shared codebase, but hidden costs may arise
User Experience (UX)	More platform-specific components	Consistent experience, but may struggle with platform nuances
Access to Features	Immediate access to the latest platform-specific features	May lag behind in supporting new platform features
Maintenance and Updates	Requires separate updates for each platform	Easier updates with a single codebase, but platform-specific fixes may be needed
Community and Ecosystem	Strong support with extensive libraries and resources	Growing support with frameworks like React Native, Flutter, and Xamarin

Cross Platform vs Native Development: Performance

• Native Development: Native apps generally provide superior performance because they have direct access to platform-specific APIs and use optimized code tailored to the device.
• Cross-Platform Development: Cross-platform apps may experience performance limitations, especially for complex or resource-intensive applications, as they use a shared codebase that might not be fully optimized for each platform.

Native Apps vs Cross Platform: Development Speed

• Native Development: Development for native apps can be slower because separate codebases are needed for each platform (iOS and Android), requiring more time and resources.
• Cross-Platform Development: Cross-platform frameworks significantly speed up development by allowing a single codebase to work across multiple platforms, reducing development cycles.

Native vs Cross Platform Mobile Development: Cost Efficiency

• Native Development: Costs are higher with native apps because each platform requires its own development and maintenance process, leading to separate codebases for iOS and Android.
• Cross-Platform Development: Cross-platform apps are generally more cost-effective because they rely on a single codebase. However, there may be hidden costs for platform-specific customization and performance optimization.

Native App vs Cross Platform: User Experience (UX)

• Native Development: Native development offers a more wholesome user experience since it uses platform-specific UI components and interactions, leading to a powerful experience for users on a specific platform.
• Cross-Platform Development: Cross-platform frameworks can present challenges in providing a consistent and high-quality user experience across different platforms, especially when platform-specific features are involved.

Cross-platform vs Native Apps: Access to Platform-Specific Features

• Native Development: Native apps have immediate access to the latest platform-specific features and APIs as soon as they are released, allowing for deeper integration.
• Cross-Platform Development: Cross-platform frameworks may lag behind in supporting new platform features, and additional work might be required to integrate these features fully.

Native App vs Cross-platform: Maintenance and Updates

• Native Development: Maintaining separate codebases for iOS and Android can be time-consuming, as platform-specific updates need to be applied individually.
• Cross-Platform Development: A single codebase simplifies maintenance and updates, but platform-specific bugs may still require custom fixes for each platform.

Native vs Cross-platform Community and Ecosystem

• Native Development: Native platforms like iOS and Android have strong ecosystems with robust community support, extensive resources, and a wide variety of third-party libraries.
• Cross-Platform Development: The cross-platform community offers frameworks like React Native, Flutter, and Xamarin, which come with their own ecosystems and support but may have limitations in certain areas compared to native ecosystems.

Cross Platform vs Native Frameworks and Tools

Native App Development Frameworks

For native app development, developers rely on platform-specific tools and environments:

• Xcode (iOS): The integrated development environment (IDE) for iOS development, supporting Swift and Objective-C. It provides extensive libraries and a range of debugging tools for iOS apps.
• Android Studio (Android): The primary IDE for Android development, supporting Kotlin and Java. Android Studio offers features such as emulators, testing frameworks, and extensive APIs for Android apps.

Cross-Platform Development Frameworks

There are several popular frameworks for cross-platform development, each with its own strengths:

• React Native:
  • Popularity: Widely used due to its integration with JavaScript and React, making it familiar to many web developers.
  • Use Cases: Ideal for apps needing a fast development cycle and reaching both Android and iOS users.
  • Integration: React Native uses JavaScript to create native-like apps with access to platform features through APIs.
• Flutter:
  • Growing Popularity: Flutter, powered by Google, has seen rapid growth due to its ease of use and flexibility.
  • Language: It uses Dart, a programming language optimized for building UI-heavy applications.
  • Performance: Flutter apps are known for their near-native performance, thanks to the compiled nature of Dart and Flutter’s widget system.
• Xamarin:
  • Integration with .NET: Xamarin allows developers to build cross-platform apps using C# and the .NET framework, providing a familiar environment for Windows-based developers.
  • Performance: Xamarin compiles native binaries, offering performance close to native apps.
  • Ecosystem: It integrates well with Microsoft’s ecosystem, making it a go-to choice for enterprises already invested in the .NET environment.
• Other Frameworks:
  • Ionic: Known for building hybrid apps using web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
  • PhoneGap: Offers a simpler approach to building mobile apps, using web technologies but with limited performance compared to modern frameworks.

Cross Platform vs Native Mobile Development: Pros and Cons

Native Development

• Pros:
  • Superior Performance: Optimized for specific platforms, ensuring fast and smooth performance.
  • Best-in-Class UX: Provides a better user experience due to platform-specific design guidelines.
  • Immediate Access to Platform Features: Direct access to platform-specific APIs and new features as they are released.
  • Better Security: Tighter integration with platform security protocols offers enhanced protection.
• Cons:
  • Higher Development Costs: Requires separate teams and codebases for iOS and Android, increasing costs.
  • Longer Time to Market: Developing two separate apps takes more time compared to a single cross-platform app.
  • Need for Separate Teams: Requires expertise in both iOS and Android development, complicating project management.

Cross-Platform Development

• Pros:
  • Faster Development: A single codebase allows faster development for both platforms simultaneously.
  • Reduced Costs: Cost-effective as the need for separate teams is minimized.
  • Single Codebase: Easier to maintain and update since there’s only one codebase for both platforms.
  • Easier Updates: Updates can be applied across platforms without duplicating efforts.
• Cons:
  • Potential Performance Trade-Offs: May not offer the same level of performance as native apps for resource-intensive applications.
  • Delayed Access to Platform Features: Cross-platform frameworks may lag in supporting the latest platform features.
  • Challenges in Native-Like UX: Achieving a fully native user experience can be difficult, especially for apps with complex platform-specific interactions.

ProCoders Case Studies

Dryft

ProCoders partnered with Dryft to develop a cross-platform fitness app that allows users to book health and wellness classes in unique locations. The app required complex functionality, including fitness class bookings, payment integration, scheduling, and user engagement features. 

By using Ionic and Angular for the frontend, ProCoders created a seamless experience across iOS and Android from a single codebase, saving development time and budget. This approach ensured a consistent user experience across platforms while meeting the high demands of both users and instructors.

Roth River

ProCoders worked with Roth River to create a mobile and web IoT application using React.js, Node.js, React Native, and GraphQL. The app allows distillers to monitor the whiskey maturation process in real-time and provides customers with the ability to customize and track their bourbon barrels. 

By utilizing a shared codebase across platforms, ProCoders accelerated development, cutting the time to market while ensuring the app performed smoothly across both web and mobile. This cross-platform solution connected both distillers and customers, enhancing the user experience and operational efficiency.

How to Choose Between Native and Cross-platform?

Choosing between native and cross-platform development depends on several key factors:

• Project Scope: For performance-heavy or feature-rich apps, native development is often the better choice. For simpler apps, cross-platform can suffice.
• Budget: Native development requires more resources since it involves separate teams for each platform. Cross-platform is more cost-effective due to its shared codebase.
• Timeline: Cross-platform development generally shortens time to market, making it ideal for projects with tight deadlines.
• Target Audience: If your audience primarily uses one platform (iOS or Android), native may offer a better user experience. If targeting both platforms, cross-platform can save time and effort.
• Long-Term Goals: Consider whether the app will require ongoing updates, complex features, or frequent performance optimizations, as these factors may influence the choice.

Recommendations Based on Project Types

• High-Performance Apps:
  Native development is the preferred option for apps that demand high performance, involve complex animations, or rely heavily on platform-specific APIs. This is common for gaming apps, AR/VR applications, and apps requiring real-time data processing.
• Budget-Conscious Projects:
  Cross-platform development is a smart choice for projects with tight budgets or those targeting both iOS and Android. This allows for faster development with a single codebase and a consistent user experience across platforms.
• Scalable and Future-Proof Solutions:
  In some cases, starting with cross-platform development may be cost-effective for early-stage projects or MVPs (Minimum Viable Products). As the app grows in complexity or scale, it might be necessary to transition to native development to ensure long-term performance and user experience optimization.

Conclusion

When deciding between native and cross-platform development, it’s crucial to align your choice with your project’s specific needs, budget, and long-term goals. For high-performance or feature-rich apps, native development is the clear winner. However, if time-to-market and cost efficiency are priorities, cross-platform development may be the better choice. At ProCoders, we specialize in both approaches and can guide you in making the best decision to ensure your app meets user expectations while staying within your business goals.