Native vs. Cross-Platform App Development: What’s the Difference?

For a business looking to build a mobile application, the choice between native and cross-platform development directly impacts the entire product development process. It’s a tough decision to make as it influences the cost of development, time to market, user experience, long-term scalability, and so much more.

Whether you’re a new venture capital looking to break into the market or an established brand aiming to expand your digital footprint, choosing between native and cross-platform app development matters for your overall product strategy. 

This article is packed with insights that will help you make an informed choice between native and cross-platform development, aligning your technical approach with your business objectives. Let’s get started!

What is cross-platform development?

Imagine launching an app that works seamlessly on both iOS and Android, all from a single codebase. That’s the power of cross-platform development. It's an approach where you can write the code once and launch it on multiple platforms using powerful technologies like Flutter or React Native.

Cross-platform development is known for not only saving time but also cutting down costs dramatically, making it a fantastic option for businesses aiming to reach the widest audience with fewer resources spent. 

Benefits of cross-platform development

Cross-platform development offers significant advantages that can help you build an application with success potential. Let’s go through the most important ones.

1. Cost-effective development 

One of the most significant advantages of cross-platform development is its cost-effectiveness. Developing a single codebase that works across multiple platforms means businesses only need to invest in one app development team rather than separate ones for iOS and Android.

Lower costs are a direct consequence of a so-called negative headcount because you simply need to involve half as many developers compared to when an app is built separately for iOS and Android. What is more important is that this negative headcount effect affects the entire lifespan of your application, helping you significantly reduce maintenance costs in the long run.

This reduction in development costs can be a game-changer, especially for new ventures and small businesses operating on tight budgets.

2. Accelerated time to market

In the competitive tech landscape, time is money. Cross-platform development gets your app to market faster by eliminating the need for separate development processes for different platforms. This accelerated development will count as a major benefit for companies needing to establish their presence on the market quickly. 

If a fast time to market is your priority, you should especially consider Flutter mobile app development.

3. Consistent user experience

Consistency is key to building a strong brand. Cross-platform development ensures that your app delivers the same high-quality experience across all platforms, helping you build trust and loyalty among your users, no matter what device they use. This has a direct impact on user satisfaction, not to mention it’s vital for brand consistency.

It also means that your entire consumer base interacts with your product in the very same way. This cuts customer service costs, streamlines communication (as the marketing team doesn’t need to worry if the new feature is available across iOS and Android), and helps your product team track the progress on the product development roadmap.

For real-life examples of cross-platform projects, check out our list of the best apps developed with Flutter. 

4. Simplified maintenance

Managing updates, bug fixes, and new features is much less of a hassle with cross-platform apps. 

This is because, with a single codebase for different platforms, developers only need to write and maintain one set of code. This simplifies deployment, maintenance, and updates, making these processes faster and more efficient. When updates or changes are made, they’re automatically synchronized across all platforms and devices, saving both time and effort.

5. Wider audience reach

With cross-platform development, you don’t need to limit yourself to a single platform. Your brand can reach a broader audience by deploying your app across multiple platforms at once. Cross-platform makes it easy to cater to both iOS and Android users, maximizing your app’s reach and potential - without the need for separate development efforts. 

6. Unified development team

A unified development team offers streamlined collaboration and communication by focusing on a single project. This approach simplifies resource allocation, balances workloads, and ensures consistent development standards across platforms.

Problem-solving is faster, as issues are addressed simultaneously across platforms; the team shares a holistic view of the project, fostering a cohesive development culture.

Drawbacks of cross-platform development

While cross-platform offers many advantages, understanding its potential limitations is crucial for making an informed decision. In this section, we'll explore the key drawbacks of this approach that businesses should consider before looking for mobile app development services.

1. Performance limitations

While cross-platform mobile apps have made great strides, they may still fall short of native apps in terms of speed and responsiveness. Here, choosing the right technology is crucial, as not every cross-platform framework ensures good performance. If your app is performance-intensive, this could be an important consideration.

That said, cross-platform apps have evolved in that area in the past few years. If you’re looking for performance-oriented cross-platform technology, then you can’t go wrong with Flutter; it matches native performance and can even surpass it when it comes to Android apps. This is why one of the main benefits of Flutter for developers is its stellar performance. 

2. Less access to native features 

Some platform-specific features may be challenging to implement with cross-platform technologies. Cross-platform development might be limiting if your app relies on niche functionalities specifically for iOS or Android. If you don’t plan to reinvent the wheel, then cross-platform should be more than enough for your needs. 

Whereas most cross-platform development frameworks find it hard to interact with native components, Flutter is using platform channels to directly use native features when needed. This completely eliminates the risk of the lack of access to the native features. 

In the worst-case scenario, those single features would need to be developed separately for iOS and Android, equivalent to native development costs. This applies to the cases where some rare SDKs are used. Recently, we took advantage of those features when building a credit card provisioning module for the mobile retail banking application for Credit Agricole.

3. UX trade-offs 

Creating a native-like user experience across different platforms can be challenging with cross-platform development. While the differences won’t be that staggering, it’s very difficult to nail the native vibe completely.

Therefore, cross-platform apps aim for consistency but might not fully meet the expectations of users who are used to the unique feel of their device's native environment. This could affect user satisfaction and engagement.

What is native app development?

As the name might suggest, native app development involves creating applications specifically for a single platform using that platform's native programming language and development tools. Contrary to cross-platform, native mobile apps require at least two code bases instead of one if you aim to create apps for multiple platforms.

For iOS, this typically means using Swift or Objective-C, while for Android, it involves using Kotlin or Java. Native development ensures that the app is fully optimized for the platform, taking full advantage of the device's hardware and operating system features.

Why opt for native if it's more work and usually higher cost? The key advantage of native mobile apps lies in its ability to deliver high-performance apps that are deeply integrated with the platform's capabilities. For companies wanting an app for just one platform, native is definitely the way to go.

Benefits of native app development

Having explored both the benefits and drawbacks of cross-platform, now it’s time to see what native has to offer. What can you gain by choosing native app development? 

1. Performance 

Native apps are built to run fast and smoothly, taking full advantage of the platform’s capabilities. Because they are built specifically for a particular platform, they can fully utilize what the system has to offer. This results in high performance and a look and feel that the user knows. For apps with very high-performance requirements, such as gaming apps, native might be the right choice.

2. Full access to device features

This is probably native development’s most significant advantage over cross-platform. With native development, the sky's the limit: you get complete access to all the device’s features so developers can integrate advanced functionalities (such as platform-specific extensions or security features) and make the most of the platform they’re building for.

The ability to leverage these features without limitations results in unique and feature-rich applications, which might be more difficult to build using cross-platform technologies. 

3. Great user experience

Native apps can closely follow the design guidelines of their respective platforms, leading to a more intuitive and satisfying user experience. By optimizing for each specific platform, native apps offer smooth interactions and a polished appearance, which makes the experience engaging and satisfying for users.

4. Reliability

Being designed specifically for one platform, native apps are more stable during updates. Since native app developers don’t have to worry about cross-platform compatibility, bug fixes, and updates can be rolled out faster and with fewer issues. Not only that, native apps benefit from direct access to the latest platform features and updates, ensuring that they stay aligned with the operating system's standards and perform reliably over time.

Drawbacks of native app development

Native app development can be a great solution for many companies, but it won’t be ideal for others. Here are the most important drawbacks to keep in mind when making your decision. 

1. Higher development costs

Probably the most glaring con of native app development is the high cost that comes with it. Usually, you’re going to need a bigger budget compared to cross-platform, because you’ll be developing two separate codebases for iOS and Android - and that requires more resources. It isn’t one project but two, as you’re building two separate apps. This comes with having to invest in different development teams or hire developers who are skilled in both platforms, which usually comes at a higher price.

2. Longer development time

Building separate apps for iOS and Android naturally takes more time. Creating individual apps for each platform means developers must work on separate codebases and ensure that both apps meet the desired quality standards. This longer development cycle can have an impact on delaying the app's launch. Cross-platform development will likely be the better choice for businesses wanting to act quickly.

3. Complex maintenance 

Maintaining native apps can be more complex and time-consuming compared to cross-platform apps. That’s because, again, if you’re building for both platforms, you’re dealing with two applications: each platform requires separate updates, bug fixes, and feature additions, which can increase the overall maintenance effort and cost. This complexity can be particularly challenging for businesses with limited resources or those managing multiple different apps.

4. Management challenges

This disadvantage is less obvious but nonetheless important. Developing two platforms simultaneously requires more coordination between teams to ensure that features, user interfaces, and updates remain consistent across both versions of the app. 

Parallel development can complicate project management and increase the likelihood of discrepancies between your app's iOS and Android versions. If you’re going for native app development, you will need some solid product managers on your team. 

5. Vendor lock-in

Native development can lead to a scenario where your app is heavily dependent on the platform's specific tools, libraries, and services. This reliance can create challenges if you ever need to port your app to another platform or if the platform undergoes significant changes that affect your app's functionality. While not detrimental, it’s definitely something to consider depending on the nature of your project. 

If you already have an existing native project and are considering switching to cross-platform, do it wise - start with a thorough mobile app audit.

Native vs. cross-platform: what to consider when making the final choice

We’ve gone through the benefits and drawbacks of each approach, but at the end of the day, every project is different and will require specific considerations. 

Here’s how to handle the final choice between native and cross-platform development. 

Making the choice: aspects to consider

1. Budget

Your budget is a major determining factor. Native development often requires a larger investment due to the need for separate codebases. If your budget is limited, cross-platform development offers a cost-effective alternative that doesn’t compromise on quality.

2. Performance requirements

If your app requires the absolute best performance, native development would probably be the safer route to choose. For apps that need to run smoothly and efficiently, particularly those with very complex animations and heavy data processing, native’s performance has a lot to offer.

However, this doesn’t mean that when performance is your key priority you should disregard cross-platform. It all comes down to the choice of technology; Flutter will offer you the same performance as native frameworks and still enable you to create two apps with one codebase.

3. Target audience

Understand where your audience is! Cross-platform development will be more efficient if they’re spread evenly across both iOS and Android. However, that doesn’t need to be the case: although it’s rare, your users might primarily be on one platform, with much less activity on the other. If that’s the case, a native app can deliver a tailored experience that meets your actual users.

4. Time to market

If you’re racing against the clock, cross-platform development can get you there faster. The ability to launch simultaneously on multiple platforms gives you a head start, helping you capture market share before the competition. Native development, with its separate codebases, typically requires more time.

5. Maintenance and updates

Consider the long-term maintenance of your app. Cross-platform development simplifies this with a single codebase, making it easier to manage updates. Native apps, while offering the advantage of being able to fine-tune updates for each platform, can be potentially more complex to maintain.

6. User experience

Consider if you need platform-specific user experience and want to make the most of the features each platform can offer. If your top priority is delivering a polished, platform-specific user experience, native development is your best bet. Native apps can provide an experience that feels familiar to users on each platform, which can be an advantage.

When native development is the right choice for your business

• You need your app to perform exceptionally well. Native development is your go-to for apps that need to handle a lot and, therefore, require flawless performance. Whether it’s gaming or real-time data processing, a native app will run smoothly. 
• You want advanced device features. If your app relies on advanced features, native development ensures you can tap into the platform's full potential. This is crucial if your app depends on high-level device functionalities or you’re set on delivering a very unique product. 
• You want to match user experience expectations perfectly. If a top-tier user experience is non-negotiable for your brand, native development is the right choice. By aligning closely with platform-specific design guidelines, you can create an app that feels intuitive and deeply integrated into the user’s device.
• The majority of your users are on one platform only. If your audience skews heavily towards one platform, delivering a tailored experience via native development will meet their expectations and encourage stronger engagement with your app. You may only want to develop for one platform, removing the disadvantages related to higher cost and development time.

When cross-platform development is the right choice for your business

• You want to save resources while maintaining quality. For businesses watching their budget, cross-platform approach provides a cost-effective way to build an app without compromising reach or quality. With one codebase, you can cover both iOS and Android, maximizing your return on investment.
• You need to act quickly. When speed is of the essence, cross-platform solutions accelerate your launch. Deploying across multiple platforms simultaneously helps you hit the market sooner and stay ahead of the competition.
• You’d like a consistent experience. Consistency is key to brand identity. Cross-platform development ensures that your app delivers the same look, feel, and functionality on all devices, helping to reinforce your brand and build user loyalty.
• You want to reach as many people as possible. Cross-platform development is your ticket to simultaneously tapping into both iOS and Android markets, expanding your app's potential audience.
• Your app is not highly complex. Cross-platform development offers a practical solution if your app doesn’t require extensive platform-specific features. It strikes a balance between efficiency and functionality, making it ideal for apps with straightforward needs.

Choosing your cross-platform framework

When it comes to cross-platform frameworks, Flutter is a standout choice, offering native-like performance. It enables developers to create highly customizable UIs that look and perform consistently across both iOS and Android.

Compared to Xamarin, Flutter provides faster development and a more modern and flexible UI framework, and it avoids many of the stability and performance issues associated with Microsoft’s framework. The support for Xamarin has ended as of May 2024, which means this framework is officially a thing of the past. 

.NET MAUI is also a popular choice, especially for C# developers, but it can suffer from performance limitations and a less vibrant ecosystem. React Native is the strongest alternative, but it still falls short when it comes to factors such as development speed and performance compared to Flutter.

Cross-platform app development vs native: Summary

Native development shines when you need top-tier performance, deep device integration, and a user experience that your customers are just familiar with. It’s the go-to option for apps that demand platform-specific features or businesses whose users skew heavily toward one platform. However, this comes with higher costs and longer development times. It’s an investment that you have to be sure is right for your business.

On the other hand, cross-platform development is a powerful, cost-effective solution that offers faster time to market, consistent user experience across devices, and simplified maintenance. It’s perfect for businesses with tighter budgets, broad audience goals, or apps that don’t require to dive deep into platform-specific features.

If you still struggle to pick between one or the other, check out LeanCode’s IT consultancy services!