A Comprehensive Guide to Cross-Platform Development Success

If we go 10 years back, the digital world was mainly for big companies. Being online just meant having a website and social media profiles. Digital marketing wasn't really a must. But things have shifted. Mobile apps have taken over, giving space for individuals and organizations to reach out to customers and sell services and products, make announcements, and even solve core business problems through enterprise apps.

When we look at today's consumer behavior, the average person spends around 88% of their time on mobile apps. And here's something interesting:?

Over 50% of consumers are more likely to use an app for services like appointments or bookings rather than other digital channels. For businesses, developing mobile apps opens the door to more customers.?

But for many, the big question is, where do you start?

It all comes down to carefully choosing the right technology and deciding between native or cross-platform development, plus figuring out the mobile app development cost.

You are also planning to build a successful app, but don't know, where to start from? Don't worry; we will cover every essential detail needed to build a mobile app.

What tech stacks are best today for mobile app development? What mistakes do big companies make that end up costing them??

Before we get into the details of mobile app development, let's first look at native and cross-platform development. You will be listening to these terms many times in this article. We've already written a lot about cross-platform and native development, but let's quickly recap and know how this decision can save you thousands of dollars.

Understanding Native & Cross-Platform Development

There are two ways to develop an app: native or cross-platform. Native apps are built using the operating system's native language, which gives them smooth, top-tier performance. But they come with challenges, like needing experts in different programming languages to build apps for multiple operating systems. Plus, after the app is launched, it requires updates and system maintenance, adding to the ongoing costs.

For startups, cross-platform development is a great way to save time and money while getting a market-ready app faster. The initial version of your app acts as a testing phase, where you can see what works and what needs improvement. And with modern frameworks like React Native, the performance can rival native apps.

From testing performance to figuring out what's accepted and what isn't, you can continue iterating by launching an MVP and using it as a base for upgrades and new features.

Many businesses or people looking to build a mobile app get stuck choosing between the two approaches. If you're inexperienced, though, we suggest steering clear of native development. We recommend this to new startups and professionals for many good reasons. It doesn't mean cross-platform is better than native, but it's an excellent option that's easier to manage. Now, let's move on to the other aspects of cross-platform development.

Why Startups Should Choose Cross-Platform Development?

Cross-platform development is quicker and more cost-effective because the app can be developed faster with a single codebase that works across both Android and iOS platforms.

In this kind of development, developers use platform-specific SDKs, like the Android SDK and iOS SDK. Frameworks such as React Native (by Meta), Flutter (by Google), and .NET MAUI (by Microsoft) help streamline this process.

Many popular apps today—Instagram, Skype, Walmart, Airbnb, Google Ads, The New York Times—are built using cross-platform technologies with the help of these frameworks.

So, why choose cross-platform development?

For one, it's easy to find developers. Frameworks like React Native let you create apps that feel native but use web technologies. This means a single team can manage your entire app with one codebase. You can keep both your Android and iOS versions in sync.

Cost is another major factor. With a smaller codebase and only one to maintain, development costs drop. Plus, you can build apps faster with cross-platform development. This approach saves you both time and money.

If you're looking for mobile app development, you don't have to learn multiple technologies or the intricacies of iOS-specific languages. A multifaceted approach that requires deeper expertise and more time could be more challenging.

The best approach is to go cross-platform first. Study the market, understand your users, and then launch once you know what's working and what isn't. The foundation should always be cross-platform.

When built using best practices, cross-platform apps can match the performance of native apps. It checks all the boxes—cost-effective, fast development, and easy to build.

Cross-platform development helps you develop apps on time, ship new features quickly, and iterate without delay.

Performance might be a concern for some, but with well-known frameworks and expert developers, you can create a native-like experience. Next, we'll dive into the best technologies for building cross-platform mobile apps. We'll cover a well-rounded overview of cross-platform development technologies.

Best Technologies to Develop Cross-Platform Mobile Apps

There are so many options out there today that can help you build top-quality cross-platform mobile apps. But keep in mind there's no one-size-fits-all solution, and you'll still need to make trade-offs between development time, performance, and more.?

We've put together a balanced comparison of different frameworks to give you a better idea of which one works best for which type of development.

This question is still half answered because choosing the right technology ultimately depends on you and your team's expertise. Whether you're outsourcing to a React Native development company or building an in-house team, there are a few things you'll need to consider before picking the right technology stack.

1. Team expertise

You'll probably find React Native developers easily since it uses JavaScript, which is everywhere and one of the most popular web development technologies. But when you're building an app with Flutter, you'll need a specific skill set – Dart developers, which Google says is faster than other competitors. Flutter is built by Google, and they use the Dart programming language exclusively. Make sure your software engineers are skilled enough to write the program in the respective development language. And if you're short on resources, React Native might be a good choice.

2. Framework support

PhoneGap once used to be a go-to option for mobile app developers but eventually faded out. Titanium was another example from the 2010s that saw a similar decline. These frameworks lost traction for various reasons. Nowadays, React Native, Flutter, and, more recently, Kotlin Multiplatform by JetBrains have taken over. Out of these, React Native stands out as the most mature, and, in terms of popularity, it's the second most widely used framework for cross-platform mobile app development. Backed by Meta, React Native has evolved significantly over the years.

Why is React Native the go-to Choice?

When it comes to maturity, React Native definitely takes the lead, having been around for almost a decade. All these factors matter when selecting the right framework, and we've put together a detailed blog on how to pick the best tech stack for mobile app development.?

Cloud platforms can be easily integrated with React Native. Cloud integration will allow you to add functionality and features such as authentication, real-time databases, storage, and much more. The most popular cloud services include Firebase, AWS, and Google Cloud, which provide SDKs and APIs that can be easily connected to a React Native app.

These integrations add features like push notifications, user authentication, and use of the cloud without reinventing the wheels. More and more, simple tools such as React Native Firebase make cloud integration even simpler as it streamlines the process during development.

And let's not forget the strong community support. As of the writing of this, it has over 120k stars on GitHub and more than 2k contributors, which is a big plus for scalability. Plus, it's based on JavaScript, which is another advantage.

What Are the Core Features to Build a Winning App?

If your app doesn't meet the user's needs or expectations, they probably won't stick around, and your app could end up on the forgotten list.

Research shows that 90% of users stop using an app within 30 days of downloading it.?

Now, this isn't always because the app was poorly developed, but if your app doesn't offer something more than your competitors, you might have to start paying to attract more users. Speaking of apps, here are the features you can't afford to skip in 2025.

1. User friendly design?

Your first impression comes from the UI because performance and other aspects come later. The first thing users notice is how user-friendly the design is. It should have the essentials: easy navigation, an eye-catching look, and consistency across devices. A well-designed UI doesn't mean it only looks good; it has flawless performance. It shouldn't make users learn the interface, and it has to be optimized for small screens. There are so many things to keep in mind when designing the UI/UX of a mobile app.?

It should also represent your brand's identity. You get to choose the typography and colors, but everything, from the text to the icons, should work together smoothly. Learn how UI/UX plays a crucial role in developing a successful mobile app.?

2. Fast load speed

The speed of an app is important. In fact, more than half of users will abandon their cart if there's a delay of three seconds, which shows just how crucial speed is. With the right technology for mobile app development, you can achieve high performance and speed. App speed directly affects user retention and helps attract new visitors. Ideally, your app should load in under five seconds because users expect that today, and they have plenty of other options.

3. Security

As digital literacy increases, people expect their data and privacy to be protected. If there's even the smallest concern about that, they won't think twice about ditching the app. More people than ever are using mobile apps that were once the domain of desktop apps. These apps store huge amounts of sensitive information, which makes it essential for developers to ensure that the app and data security are rock solid. One report showed that over 70% of apps have at least one security vulnerability, even though developing these apps can cost hundreds of dollars. Security isn't an optional item but an outright need. Without it, you won't find long-term success.

4. Customer support?

A survey from Coveo, a SaaS company, found that 56% of customers quietly switch to another service provider without leaving a negative review, all because of a poor customer service experience. Zendesk's benchmark data also shows that 3 out of 4 customers prefer spending more time with a service provider if they have a good customer experience. To put it simply, customers should be able to reach out to you easily, without too much effort. You can either set up a communication channel within the app or offer social media support, which users actually prefer over the traditional lengthy email process.

5. Push notification?

Both apps and web notifications are great for getting users to check out your new offerings, but users are looking for more personalization. That's where AI development comes in. With hyper-personalization, you can send offers and details tailored to different user segments.

In fact, 28% of customers who click on a notification are more likely to make a purchase. Plus, you can directly target customers with real-time offers. This feature can really help improve user retention.

6. Scalability?

A lot of companies struggle with building scalable apps because they focus too much on cost when choosing the technology. Sure, you might develop a great app quickly, but if it doesn't evolve or integrate well with changing tech, you'll either have to start over or face huge costs just to modernize the app.

React Native is really helpful for building scalable apps, and there are a few key reasons for that. First off, having just one codebase reduces complexity. This means developers can spend more time improving scalability by focusing on more complicated issues.

It's component-based, and its components are modular and reusable, making it easier to add new features. Hot reloading also speeds up development, allowing developers to tweak the app on the fly.

It's also popular because of the libraries it uses, which come from Meta ReactJS. These libraries provide advanced UI elements, so developers can build more sophisticated app UIs with less custom coding.

Tech Stack Considerations for Mobile App Development

The shift from desktops to smartphones has really driven a major tech change over the past two decades. There's been a big push to make smartphone apps smarter, with capabilities once seen only in desktop applications. Because of that, many technologies and services are now mobile-first.

For newcomers, picking the right tech stack is key when it comes to cross-platform development. While the whole technical side of things is too much for a single blog post, we've got a detailed guide in another post on how to choose the right tech stack for mobile app development. But to make it simple, we'll break down a few key steps and what aspects of mobile app development you need to understand when choosing the right tech stack for cross-platform development.

Choosing the right tech stack means better scaling, improved security, and more efficient development. Plus, it impacts speed and costs.

1. Front end?

This is the part of the app that end users actually see, and you can build it using popular cross-platform frameworks like React Native, Flutter, or Ionic. We've already compared when to choose one over the other. React Native has been used by many big-name apps like Facebook, Instagram, Walmart, Discord, and Flipkart, helping them build a ton of front-end features. Some apps have really leaned on React Native to speed up development and make coding faster. Flutter's another strong option you might want to consider, but you'll need Dart experts to work with it. If you have C# professionals, .NET MAUI could also be a good choice.

For React Native, developers have to have in-depth knowledge of web development technologies like JavaScript or TypeScript, as these are the primary languages used in the framework. A strong foundation in React is essential for building UI components. Developers should also be familiar with integrating native modules, which may require knowledge of Java or Kotlin for Android and Swift or Objective-C for iOS, especially when building custom features or integrating native code into the app.

In the case of Flutter, the framework uses Dart as its primary language, so developers need to have a solid understanding of Dart for both app development and building UI components. While Flutter provides a rich set of pre-built widgets, developers should also be comfortable with native code when creating custom platform-specific features, requiring familiarity with languages like Java or Kotlin for Android and Swift for iOS. This expertise ensures that developers can effectively leverage the cross-platform capabilities of Flutter while tailoring features to each platform's needs.

For MAUI (Multi-platform App UI), developers need to be proficient in C#, as it is the main programming language for writing business logic in this framework. XAML is used for UI design, so developers should be comfortable with both the layout and user interface design patterns specific to this technology. MAUI's cross-platform capabilities extend to Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS, so developers must also have knowledge of platform-specific APIs to ensure smooth integration and performance across all supported platforms.

2. Backend?

If the app needs to store data, manage user authentication, interact with databases, or handle real-time communication, a backend is required.

When building cross-platform apps with frameworks like React Native, Flutter, or .NET MAUI, the backend technologies can vary depending on the app's needs.

For React Native, Node.js is commonly used on the back end. Firebase and MongoDB are also popular among React Native developers.??

Flutter essentially means the backend can use any technology such as Node.js, Python (using Django or Flask frameworks), or even any cloud service like Google Firebase.

.NET MAUI combines with various backend technologies like ASP.NET Core or any Azure service for smooth integration in enterprise environments. Each framework offers flexibility in backend choices and diverse options for developers for specific needs.

3. Hosting?

Cross-platform apps built with React Native, Flutter, or MAUI often require hosting for a few reasons:

If the app relies on APIs or backend services like it requires data and has processing capabilities, hosting is required. If you are going to upload images, videos, or downloadable content, your cross-platform app will require hosting. Are you going to add features like login and user profiles? It will need services from Popular Technologies for cross-platform development.

Here's a rundown of some popular cross-platform app development frameworks that let you build apps for multiple platforms from a single codebase.

Popular Cross cross-platform development Frameworks

1. Xamarin

Xamarin is an open-source framework from Microsoft. It uses C# and .NET for Android, iOS, and Windows app development; it is actually a multiplatform framework. It offers native user interfaces and high performance. However, it can be tricky for graphics-heavy apps and doesn't have full access to all mobile APIs.

• Pros: C# integration, strong community, and 75% code sharing.
• Cons: Limited library access, higher overhead, and more complex setup for large apps.

2. React Native

Owned by Meta, React Native uses JavaScript and TypeScript for cross-platform mobile app development. It's known for being fast to develop thanks to features like hot reloading and code reusability. However, certain features still require native code for full functionality.

• Pros: Hot reloading, 80% code reuse, fast UI rendering.
• Cons: Some native components needed, debugging can be tricky.

3. Flutter

Flutter, developed by Google, uses Dart to build fast, native apps for Android, iOS, and more. It has a rich set of widgets and is quick to develop with, but app sizes can be larger, and native APIs aren't fully accessible.

• Pros: Fast development, easy-to-learn Dart, customizable widgets.
• Cons: Limited third-party support, larger app sizes.

4. Cordova

Apache Cordova uses web technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) to build mobile apps. It's great for quick app development and supports many platforms, but debugging can be a challenge, and performance isn't on par with native apps.

• Pros: Free, supports many platforms, easy debugging.
• Cons: Platform quirks and security concerns with remote code execution.

5. Ionic

Ionic is a framework built with web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It's ideal for hybrid apps and integrates well with tools like Angular and React. It's great for simpler apps, but performance can suffer with graphics-heavy tasks.

• Pros: UI components, Progressive Web Apps, hybrid app support.
• Cons: Slower performance for resource-heavy apps, inconsistent UX.