Choosing between native and cross-platform development affects your budget, timeline, and user experience. Here's what 5+ years of mobile development at DavinLabs has taught us.
The Current Landscape in 2026
Cross-platform frameworks have matured significantly. Flutter and React Native now deliver near-native performance for most use cases. But "most" isn't "all" — and that distinction matters.
Cross-Platform (Flutter / React Native)
Advantages:
- 30-40% cost savings — one codebase, two platforms
- Faster development — build once, deploy everywhere
- Consistent UI — same experience on iOS and Android
- Hot reload — faster development cycles
- Easier maintenance — one team, one codebase
Limitations:
- Slightly larger app size
- Complex native features may require platform-specific code
- Dependent on framework updates for new OS features
Native (Swift / Kotlin)
Advantages:
- Maximum performance — critical for graphics-intensive apps
- Full platform access — every API and feature available immediately
- Best UX — follows platform-specific design guidelines perfectly
- AR/VR support — superior access to ARKit/ARCore
Limitations:
- 2x development cost — separate teams for each platform
- Longer development timeline
- Higher maintenance burden
Our Decision Framework
Choose Cross-Platform when:
- Budget is a primary concern
- You need to launch quickly on both platforms
- Your app is content-focused, e-commerce, or social
- You're building an MVP to validate your idea
Choose Native when:
- Performance is mission-critical (gaming, real-time video)
- You need deep hardware integration (IoT, medical devices)
- Your budget supports two development teams
- You need the absolute best platform-specific UX
At DavinLabs, we specialize in both Flutter and React Native for cross-platform, and Swift/Kotlin for native development. Our apps like Sinhala Sign Language App (Flutter) demonstrate what's possible with cross-platform technology.
Need help deciding? Book a free mobile strategy session with our team.