Native vs cross-platform — what's the difference?
Native means building a separate app per OS — Swift for iOS, Kotlin for Android. Cross-platform (mainly React Native) means one codebase that runs on both. This difference directly affects cost, time and maintenance.
The advantages of React Native
- Lower cost — one codebase instead of two.
- Faster development — get to market sooner, key for an MVP.
- Simpler maintenance — one update ships to both platforms.
- Huge ecosystem — many ready libraries.
When to choose native
Native is better when you need extreme performance or deep hardware access — heavy 3D games, advanced video processing, or apps relying on unique sensors. For most business apps and MVPs, that's not the case.
What we recommend
For most founders and businesses, React Native is the right choice — it lets you build an Android & iOS app at a reasonable cost and time. It's also one reason we can start from a low price, as explained in our cost guide.
Need help deciding?
Read about our app development service or estimate your app cost.
