Flutter and React Native are the two leading frameworks for building one app that runs on Android and iOS. Both are mature, used by large companies and well supported. So how do you choose?
Flutter in short
Flutter is developed by Google and uses the Dart language. It renders the entire interface itself with its own engine. That means:
- Pixel-perfect, identical UI on all devices,
- excellent support for custom designs and animations,
- one codebase can also target web and desktop,
- a very complete set of official widgets and tooling.
React Native in short
React Native comes from Meta and uses JavaScript/TypeScript and React. It maps components to real native UI elements. That means:
- a natural fit for teams that already build React web apps,
- business logic, validation and API code can be shared with the website,
- a huge npm ecosystem,
- the modern architecture (Fabric, TurboModules) has closed most performance gaps.
Comparison table
| Criteria | Flutter | React Native |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Dart | TypeScript/JavaScript |
| UI approach | Own rendering engine | Native components |
| Custom design & animation | Excellent | Very good |
| Code sharing with a web app | Possible (Flutter Web) | Strong (React) |
| Platform look & feel | Customisable | Native by default |
| Hiring pool | Growing | Very large |
| Typical use | Brand-heavy apps, MVPs, multi-platform | Apps alongside React web products |
Performance
For typical business apps – lists, forms, maps, payments, chat – users will not notice a difference. Flutter has an edge for complex animations; React Native's new architecture handles demanding UIs well too. For truly heavy graphics or AR, a native module or a game engine is the better tool anyway.
Maintenance and longevity
Both frameworks are backed by large companies and have big communities. What matters more is code quality: clear architecture, tests and up-to-date dependencies. We plan regular framework upgrades into every maintenance plan.
Our recommendation
- Choose Flutter when design consistency, custom UI and a fast MVP for both stores are the priority.
- Choose React Native when you already have (or plan) a React web application and want to share logic and developers.
- Choose native when deep hardware integration or maximum performance is the core of the product.
We are comfortable with both and recommend based on your product, team and roadmap – not on habit.