App Development
Native, Flutter or React Native? How we choose.
One of the first questions clients ask us is which technology their app should use. There is no single right answer. The best choice depends on what the app needs to do, who will maintain it, and where your users are.
Start from the product, not the framework
Every option below can produce an excellent app. Problems usually come from choosing a stack for the wrong reasons: because it's popular this year, or because it's what one developer happens to know. We decide after we understand the features, budget, timeline and who will look after the app after launch.
When we choose native (Kotlin and Swift)
Native means building the Android app in Kotlin (usually with Jetpack Compose) and the iOS app in Swift (usually with SwiftUI). It is two codebases, so it costs more, but it is the right call when:
- The app depends heavily on device features: camera processing, Bluetooth devices, background location, home-screen widgets or wearables.
- Performance is critical, for example real-time audio or video, or complex animations.
- You want the app to look and behave exactly like each platform's own apps.
- You are launching on one platform first. In India, many products start Android-first, and a native Android app is often the simplest path.
When we choose Flutter
Flutter uses one Dart codebase for Android and iOS and draws its own interface, so the app looks the same on both platforms. We often recommend it when:
- You need both platforms at launch on a limited budget.
- The app has a custom, branded design rather than standard platform screens.
- The app is mostly screens, forms, lists and content, such as booking, e-commerce, education and utility apps.
Flutter can still use native code where needed, through plugins or small platform-specific modules.
When React Native makes sense
React Native uses JavaScript or TypeScript and renders real native components. It is a strong fit when:
- Your company already has a web team working in React, who will maintain the app later.
- You want to share business logic, or some code, with an existing web app.
A middle path: shared logic, native screens
Kotlin Multiplatform lets the business logic (networking, data, rules) be written once and shared, while each platform keeps its own native interface. It suits teams that want native UI but don't want to write the same logic twice.
A quick comparison
| Native | Flutter | React Native | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Codebases | Two | One | One |
| Best for | Device-heavy or performance-critical apps | Custom design on both platforms, tight budget | Teams with React web experience |
| Platform look and feel | Exact | Custom, consistent across platforms | Close to native |
| Relative cost for two platforms | Higher | Lower | Lower |
Questions we ask before deciding
- Do you need Android, iOS, or both at launch?
- Which device features does the app depend on?
- Who will maintain the app after launch: us, your team, or a future hire?
- Is there an existing website or backend we should share code or design with?
- What matters most: launch speed, budget, or the most polished platform experience?
What stays the same, whatever the stack
Some things matter more than the framework. In every app we build, we set up analytics and crash reporting from the first release, follow each store's policies, fill in Google Play's Data safety form and Apple's privacy details accurately, and design for accessibility, including readable text sizes and screen readers. These are what keep an app approved, stable and growing after launch.