React Native Vs Ionic Vs Xamarin Vs Flutter: Which is the Best?

So, you are looking to develop a new cross-platform mobile application, great! 

Although it sounds exciting, if you dig in deep, you’ll find why some businesses quit or run into mistakes and ultimately, build “nothing”!

Let’s face it!

Building a cross-platform mobile app is no joke, whatsoever! But one thing is good for sure!

If you know about leading cross-platform app development frameworks like React Native, Ionic, Xamarin, and Flutter, you’re already winning the race! 

No matter what kind of app you want to develop, these frameworks may never disappoint you! But since every app is different, so are these tools!

In this post, we’ll discuss the differences between React Native Vs Ionic Vs Xamarin Vs Flutter. 

What is React Native?

React Native is a popular and open-source cross-platform app development framework that enables developers to build robust, scalable, and feature-rich apps for different OS systems. Launched by Facebook in 2015, it helps create mobile/web apps that run on both iOS & Android platforms with a single codebase. It simply means that professionals don’t need to write different code for different OS. 

Speaking of its popularity, React Native has garnered 97.9K GitHub stars and 21.2K GitHub forks.

Additionally, multiple statistics show the promising popularity of React Native. Let’s take a look at them;

• Nearly 15% of applications installed among the top 500 in the US were created with React Native.
• According to the survey, over 20% of React Native developers are now using the new architecture in their projects
• There are more than 1.5 million apps built on React Native. 

Key Features of React Native for Building Mobile Apps

Here’s the list of features and benefits of React Native. 

• Enhanced UI 

One of the biggest benefits of React Native for cross-platform mobile app development is that it comes with an enhanced UI that entices and converts your audience into customers. Unlike a conventional framework, React Native has a JavaScript library that enables developers to achieve the sequence of app development. Furthermore, apps built with React Native have a more responsive UI and seamless UX.

• Third-Party Plugin Support

Another major benefit of this cross-platform app development framework is that it ensures developers access third-party plugins, including JavaScript & Native Modules. For example, if a developer wants to add Google Maps or Google Lens to the application then React Native will allow it to connect the plugin with a third-party/native module.

• Increased Stability and Reliability

When it comes down to simplifying data binding, React Native app development helps secure the parent data and doesn’t allow it to get affected by the child component. Remember that developers need to change their state first before applying all updates. Thus, it will help ensure that only certain components are allowed and updated. 

Pros:

• Even though it can only be utilized on one platform, developers can enjoy enhanced performance. 
• Reduced development time & larger market reach
• There are many ready-made modules.

Cons:

• A hybrid application still has some restrictions
• There is a lack of documentation 
• Harder than Ionic.

2. Xamarin

Whether you want to build small or large-scale apps, Xamarin stands out to deliver comprehensive solutions for different platforms at once. Backed by the C# programming language, it enables developers to write code once in C# and then compile that code to run natively on Android, iOS, & Windows. Furthermore, it enables companies to acknowledge customers’ requirements without putting in much effort. 

Key Features & Benefits of Xamarin

Let’s discuss the features and benefits of Xamarin app development. 

• It Uses Object-Oriented Language

Since Xamarin is backed by C# (an advanced version of C++), developers can expect substantial improvements against JavaScript & Objective C. Furthermore, it has a simple syntax which enables developers to use headers and pointers, which facilitates improved performance across multiple platforms. 

• Shared Application Code

It’s no secret that Xamarin’s shared app code enables developers of all kinds may help share the codes across multiple platforms. Thus, it becomes easier for developers to work on app development without running into difficulties. Moreover, developers make the best use of UI logistics like back-end API interactions and web service calls 1along with C# to focus on the app’s user interface and functionalities. 

• Low Maintenance Cost & Flawless User Interface

One of the biggest benefits of this cross-platform app development framework is that it doesn’t let developers build code from scratch. Remember that there is no need to update the logic or invest hours and hours in code maintenance. This, in turn, will help decrease the upfront costs, as well. In addition to low-cost maintenance, Xamarin has multiple design environments that facilitate unmatched UI and superior performance. 

Pros

• Simple upgrades, testing, and upkeep
• IoT, TVs, and wearables are all supported
• Known for frequent updates and testing

Cons:

• It’s the oldest and most popular of the four frameworks.

3. Ionic 

No matter what kind of app you want to build, Ionic is an incredibly popular framework that helps build cross-platform mobile apps. Backed by state-of-the-art web tech stacks like JavaScript, CSS, and HTML, Ionic app development helps focus on the app’s front-end UX/UI interaction, including gestures, animations, controls, and gestures. Furthermore, unlike its counterparts, developers find it easier to understand and learn. The best thing is that experts can easily integrate it with other libraries & frameworks, including Vue, Angular, or React. 

Key Benefits of Ionic for App Development

These are as follows:

• Use Native Plugins

One of the key benefits of Ionic is that it comes with native plugins that help in developing enterprise-grade applications. Furthermore, multiple custom development options perfectly cater to the requirements of native needs. Developers can easily integrate “Cordova” plugins to get access to components, including cameras, GPS, & flashlights. 

• Support for Angular

Another major factor driving the popularity of Ionic is that it provides extended support for Angular, commonly known as Ionic’s best framework. No matter how many years of experience under the hood, this framework allows you to build robust and scalable applications. Furthermore, it comes with a myriad of benefits, including HTML syntax. 

• Easy Debugging and Testing

When it comes to a successful mobile app, testing is important to identify and eliminate pitfalls. Thus, with this cross-platform app development tool, you can easily test your mobile app through similar testing which enables developers to conduct debugging and testing to monitor the app’s function. 

Pros:

• Testing convenience
• Strong community
• Concise documentation

Cons:

• Unexpected App Crashes
• Security Precautions
• Not Good for Gaming

4. Flutter

Flutter (often known as the best cross-platform app development framework) enables developers to build solid, scalable, and performance-driven apps across all OS & devices. From enhanced UI to seamless UX, flutter has got your back with all the necessary tools and plugins to boost your app’s functionality and save resources. Furthermore, developers can use the “Single Codebase” to build apps for both Android & iOS without rewriting the code again. This is the driving force behind the popularity of Flutter. 

Did you know?

Flutter has more than 150K Stars on GitHub, surpassing React Native and other frameworks in the list.  

Features & Benefits of Flutter

Here are the key features and benefits of Flutter app development. 

1. Hot Reload

One of the biggest benefits of Flutter for cross-platform app development is that it enables developers to view instant updates to the UI. Furthermore, it helps facilitate a speedy development process which gives ample time to developers to iterate and refine their functionality in real time. 

2. Single Codebase

Flutter’s major advantage, having said that, is a single codebase that enables developers to write code once and deploy it across multiple platforms. With a single codebase, developers can build applications for multiple platforms, including Android, iOS, web, and desktop platforms. Thus, it helps reduce development time and effort.

3. Expressive UI

Another major benefit of Flutter is that it offers a wide set of customizable widgets that allow developers to craft stunning and responsive UIs. Furthermore, developers can make the best use of these widgets that adapt to different screen sizes and provide a consistent look across all platforms. 

Pros:

• Infused with widgets for fast UI coding
• Great documentation and learning resources
• High performance

Cons:

• Lack of third-party libraries
• Relatively low adoption of Dart

Comparison Between React Native, Ionic, Xamarin, & Flutter

Let’s take a look at the differences between React Native, ionic, Xamarin and flutter based on the following parameters. 

Final Thoughts 

So, that’s a wrap to the differences between React Native, ionic, Xamarin and flutter! While React Native & Flutter are popular and offer the best native-like experience, Xamarin and Ionic focus on cross-platform app development approaches and code quality respectively. 

Are you planning to build a solid app using the framework of your choice? If so, look no further than EitBiz!

We are a leading cross-platform app development company that helps build robust, scalable, and performance-driven apps that work well across all browsers, OS, & devices. Our dedicated team of app developers works diligently to build cross-platform apps that attract and convert your audience into customers. With our 15+ years of industry experience and expertise, we have built 300+ mobile apps across diverse verticals, including social media, sports & leisure, banking, e-commerce, productivity, and fitness. 

Are you ready to build a solid cross-platform app? Drop us an email at info@eitbiz.com or call us at +1 (812) 530-6300 today!