Native vs Cross-platform: What to Choose for Mobile App Development in 2023
(updated September 2023)
iOS or Android? Perhaps both? If so, native or cross-platform?
There are plenty of variables you need to take into consideration before you decide how to develop your mobile product.
Luckily, there is no one-size-fits-all solution here, so choosing the best path for your app development is no small task.
But it’s important to know the impact of cross-platform and native development on your business.
Source: Statista
It only took 10 years from the release of the first modern smartphone, iPhone 2G, for mobile internet usage to catch up to desktop surfing and overthrow its dominance.
The gap has been widening ever since, and it looks like the upswing is nowhere near its peak. And that’s just the browsing statistics.
The software industry has also gone into overdrive to satisfy the growing need for new mobile apps. It is estimated that the annual number of app downloads worldwide will reach a great number of 299 billion globally by the end of 2023 from an already astonishing 247 billion in 2020.
For most businesses, it’s no longer a question whether or not they need a mobile app for their projects. It’s more about how to go about developing it.
In this article we’ll shed some light on the differences between native and cross-platform mobile app development to help guide your decision-making.
What is a Native Mobile Application?
In a nutshell, native apps are built specifically for a particular operating system, which uses its specific programming languages.
Today, those operating systems are usually iOS and Android. So going native, you’ll either have to choose one platform - which is mostly the case if your app would only target iPhone/iPad or Android users anyway - or to develop two separate apps for the each cohort.
Developers will write the code in the operating system’s native programming language to build apps that fit one particular platform - for smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, etc.
Native iOS apps are written in Objective C or Swift, using development software such as XCode or AppCode;
Android-specific apps are built using either Kotlin or Java, with a wide range of development toolkits to choose from, such as Android Studio, Eclipse, or IntelliJ IDEA.
Pros of Native Mobile App Development
Choosing native comes with a multitude of advantages that continue to make it a strong option for app development, especially in 2023.
With the recent enhancements and tools like Figma's native code generation for UI, the benefits of native development have been further extended.
Here are some reasons why opting for native mobile app development might be the right choice for your projects.
Faster & Smoother Apps
Because they are made using special programming languages for each platform, like Swift for iOS and Java/Kotlin for Android, native mobile apps work faster than the cross-platform ones.
This makes them take full advantage of the phone's hardware and software, making things like animations smoother and responses quicker, which gives you a better experience using the app.
Reused Code
You can use bits of code from one app in another one, which saves time. Stuff like login systems, contact lists, chat boxes, and calendars can be reused in variosu apps.
This means you don't have to start from scratch every time you have a new project on your hands.
Better Community
There is a large and active community of native app developers who share resources, knowledge and best practices through various workshops and tutorials.
This can be a great help to developers who are new to native app development - but not only - to find better and faster solutions.
Greater Access
Native apps have direct access to the latest features and APIs of the respective platforms.
This is important for apps that need specialized functionalities, such as Bluetooth connectivity or HealthKit integration, for which native apps are essential.
More Experience
This is actually more of a bonus advantage. If you were to work with us, keep in mind that we have an experience of over 10 years in designing and building native apps for lots of various businesses.
Cons of Native Mobile App Development
While native mobile app development comes with several advantages, it's important to also consider its flaws - cause nobody’s perfect.
With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at some important key points to have in mind when considering native development for your mobile app projects.
Higher Short-Term Costs
Opting for for this type of app development can lead to higher initial costs, especially if you're targeting both iOS and Android platforms.
This is because you will need separate development teams and resources for each platform, resulting in increased expenses during the initial stages of development.
Takes Longer
Native app development generally requires more time to complete compared to cross-platform solutions.
Since you're building separate apps for each platform, development efforts can be doubled, leading to a longer overall development timeline.
Specialized Skills Required
Developing for multiple platforms means you need developers who are well-versed in the specific programming languages and frameworks for each platform (Swift for iOS, Java/Kotlin for Android).
This might necessitate hiring or training developers with specialized skills, potentially adding complexity to your team structure.
So When Should You Consider Building a Native App?
If you want your users to have the best possible experience with your app, native is the way to go. The simpler code delivers more robust performance and higher stability, and you minimize the risk of device-specific issues.
If it’s made for iPhone, it will look good on an iPhone.
In case your app needs to use the built-in modules of the user’s own device to collect data, such as the microphone, the camera or the GPS module, native apps deliver seamless results, without running the risk of an error that would render your app unusable on a specific device.
Also, it goes without saying that if your app is only ever supposed to work on either iOS or Android, native is the no-brainer choice.
What is a Cross-Platform Mobile Application?
Cross-platform frameworks are designed to create code that multiple operating systems can share and reuse.
In essence, you can create a single piece of code that can be used across different platforms.
While cross-platform development is the go-to solution if time and money are an issue, it almost always comes at the expense of quality.
It's tough to create an app that works well on multiple platforms, and the code will require an additional abstraction layer to execute, resulting in lagging performance compared to a similar native app.
Cross-platform programming will appeal to startups due to the promise of cost savings. However, you should keep in mind that customizing the app outside the framework's limitations may be more difficult.
Popular cross-platform application development frameworks include Flutter, React Native, and Xamarin.
Pros of Cross-Platform Mobile App Development
This type of mobile app development has gained significant traction in recent years, offering a host of benefits that make it an attractive choice for many developers and businesses.
Here are some compelling advantages you’ll have if you are opting for cross-platform development.
Faster Development
Specialized frameworks such as React Native and Flutter are known for their ability to speed up the app creation process.
They allow you to use a single set of code for multiple platforms, which means you can get your app to market faster, but only from a short-term perspective.
Flexible Deployment
Cross-platform apps can be used not only on mobile devices but also on the web and as desktop applications. While some customization may be needed for each platform, the core code remains largely the same.
This flexibility enables you to reach a wider audience by deploying your app on various platforms.
Easier to Maintain
Developing your app this way typically requires only one developer to create apps for both Android and iOS.
While the developer should have a basic understanding of each platform's development practices, this approach can save resources by eliminating the need for two separate development teams.
Up-to-Date Integration
Cross-platform development frameworks often provide libraries and plugins that enable easy integration with health-related services.
For example, you can use modern health libraries to connect your app with HealthKit on iOS, Google Fit (even though it's set to be deprecated), and Health Connect.
This ensures that your app remains current and can leverage the latest health-related features on both platforms.
Cons of Cross-Platform Mobile App Development
While advantageous in many ways, cross-platform development, , also has its share of challenges and limitations.
It's essential to be aware of these drawbacks when considering cross-platform development for your mobile app projects, so let’s check the most important ones.
Risky Support
Cross-platform technologies, including Flutter, can be subject to changes in the future.
There is a degree of uncertainty about their long-term support and whether they will continue to be maintained, especially if they are backed by a single organization like Google.
Increased Complexity
As your app becomes more complex, the development time in platforms like Flutter may also increase.
Dealing with intricate features and functionalities can lead to longer development cycles, potentially impacting project timelines.
Limited UI Consistency
Cross-platform development aims to provide a consistent user interface (UI) across different platforms.
While this uniformity can be a plus, it may require additional effort to make the app look and feel truly native on each platform. Extra coding and customization might be needed to achieve this.
So When Should You Consider Building a Cross-Platform App?
If your app is not too complex, and it doesn’t (ever) need to have any functionalities that vary much between platforms, cross-platform might be just the obvious choice.
However, this approach is exactly what it sounds like: a bit of a shortcut, which comes with its own risks.
Cross-platform apps can be a good bet if you have time or budget constraints – in other words, you risk missing the start or going over budget if you develop two separate apps.
But with limited time and money being the main driving force behind the decision, it’s perhaps best to ask the question the other way around.
Cross-platform development is a good option if you foresee no possible pitfall that could jeopardize the speed and cost-effectiveness of the development.
Keep in mind though that having separate iOS and Android development teams working simultaneously on two native apps might give you the result just as quickly, if not quicker.
How to Choose Between Native and Cross-Platform App Development
There are plenty of variables you need to take into consideration before you decide which is the best approach for your project.
For example, if you already have a clear picture of how your app should look , you’ll probably focus a lot on things like user experience.
But the clean and intuitive interface is nothing without solid performance under the hood, and the entrepreneur in you will also have a say when it comes down to when you can hit the market and what all this will cost.
On top of everything, your app must be secure, so you can keep your data and that of your users safe.
Let’s take a closer look at the main factors that can help you make an educated decision.
Customization & UX
Today’s customers have higher expectations of a brand, and the first thing they want from a company is a rich user experience as they go down the funnel.
Retention rate is inseparable from UX, and we’re not the ones saying this – the users themselves are.
68% of users abandon their shopping carts, and other than shipping-related reasons, the most pressing issues respondents named in a recent Baynard Institute survey have to do with bad user experience. The same analysis suggests that a good UX – at the checkout process alone – can boost your conversion rate by as much as 35%.
Personalizing and customizing your product to your clients’ needs pays off, but you must always keep your eyes on usability.
Native apps have higher UI capabilities because they come with pre-built libraries and interface components that can be customized. When it comes to customisation and user experience, native app development offers by far the most flexibility.
Performance
While cross-platform development saves time and money, it comes at the expense of quality.
It's tough to create an app that works well on multiple platforms, and the application will require an additional abstraction layer to execute. This affects speed, stability, and thus the all-important user experience.
High performance is achieved through direct contact between the code and the underlying resources.
Thanks to the fact that it should only perform on one operating system, the code behind a native app is simpler, therefore it provides greater performance and speed. It’s also easier to distribute, and usually ranks higher on the App Store and Google Play.
Time to Market
The early bird gets the worm, goes the saying. But that was before the super-early birds of today’s fast-paced world started putting pressure on everyone else.
Now, more than ever, reaction time really is everything.
When launching an app, especially if it’s a creative idea or if it is meant to exploit a newfound trend, even a day’s difference can make or break the success of a project.
Native apps generally require more time for the product development lifecycle, simply given by the fact that you probably need two of them.
Cross-platform apps generally have a shorter time to market, so they’re an excellent option if you’re in a hurry (and everything else checks out).
A good rule of thumb is that if you need two units of time to develop two separate native apps, the cross-platform version should take no more than 1.5 – 1.7 units.
Costs
Those pesky finances!
Especially if you’re a startup, budget is always a concern, so chances are that native apps fall outside your reach, even if everything else would be in their favor.
Cross-platform app development doesn’t require as much manpower, and uses a single source code that can then be turned into any OS-based app, so it’s the best option for tight budgets, especially if you plan for the short term.
Data security
Most users don’t give the security of their personal information too much thought – until it’s leaked, at least.
Integrated security elements are essential because your company’s reputation might be at stake in the event of a data breach.
Native development allows for more and better security measures such as file encryption and sophisticated fraud detection.
However, cost and time restraints force many startups into biting the bullet.
Once your cross-platform app starts building a respectable market share and it’s ripe for some radical improvements anyway, it might be a good idea to relaunch it in native versions.
Airbnb is a good example of a company that turned from early adopter to cross-platform skeptic. Their first app was developed in React Native, which was probably a good decision at the time, since they could move faster, and needed to write only one code.
However, as they grew into the tech giant they are today, their objectives and needs changed towards improving app performance and user experience, so they went back to the drawing board and ended up developing native apps for iOS and Android.
The Decision
After reviewing the information above, it all comes down to this: the final decision. So let’s review briefly the big picture.
The main selling point of native apps is the more robust performance, thanks to a simpler code. The downside is that you might need to develop two separate, dedicated apps.
Choose native if your app will depend on the phone’s built-in camera or GPS module, if you want animated features, and when user experience is a crucial factor.
Cross-platform development is the way to go when development must be quick and cheap. For this, you need just one code base, and therefore a single development tool and one team.
If you’re fine with a less responsive app with a simple logic, and you’re pressed for time in validation and testing, it might be a good compromise.
Cross-platform sounds a lot like killing two birds with one stone, so it’s no wonder that this is one of the most common questions we are asked during the first few discussions with our partners: “Can I go cross-platform?”
The short answer is: it’s always a possibility, but it depends on your project if it’s the best option.
The one-size-fits-all solution really doesn’t exist in mobile app development. However, what does exist are skilful professionals who can help you pick the best solution for your unique case.
Frequently Asked Questions
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The best approach to mobile app development depends on a number of factors, including the specific needs of your app, your budget, and your timeline. If you need an app with the best possible performance and user experience, native app development is the way to go. However, if you are on a tight budget or need to launch your app quickly, cross-platform app development may be a better option.
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Native app development is a good choice for businesses that need the absolute best performance and user experience, or that need to access specific platform features. It is also a good choice for businesses that want to create a more visually appealing and engaging app.
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Cross-platform app development is a good choice for businesses that want to save time and money, and that do not need to have the absolute best performance or user experience. It is also a good choice for businesses that need to be able to quickly update their apps.
Do you still have doubts about which of these two would be the best one for your business?
Our team is ready to provide you with a free consultation, guiding you through the possibilities and strategies to cross-platform or native app development that fits your needs.
Reach us using this contact form or directly through our email, hello@x2mobile.net (we’ll get back to you within 1 business day - really!)
Let's create something extraordinary together!