Flutter
Google's toolkit uses Dart and draws every pixel with its own rendering engine, so the interface looks identical on both platforms. Best when you want a strongly branded design and consistent behavior everywhere.
Choose the right approach Austin, TX · since 2018
Cross-Platform App Development Company That Helps You Pick the Right Approach
There are at least five serious ways to ship one product to iPhone and Android. We build with all of them, so we can help you choose on evidence rather than habit.
678apps built
465+clients
Top 4%developer intake
10M+downloads by client users
From $4,500free scoping call
Overview
One Product, Two Stores, Several Ways to Get There
Most people who contact a cross-platform app development company have already heard of Flutter and React Native. Fewer have weighed them against Kotlin Multiplatform, a hybrid web approach, or simply building two native apps. Each of these can be the right answer, and each has a project where it would be the wrong one.
This page is our decision guide. SIZ Group has designed and developed 678 apps since 2018, across native and shared codebases, and the comparison below reflects what actually changes cost, speed and user experience. If you already know which framework you want, our dedicated Flutter, React Native and hybrid pages go deeper into each one.
The short version: cross-platform mobile app development saves the most when your app is built mostly from standard screens such as lists, forms, feeds, profiles and checkout. It saves the least when the product depends on platform features that each OS handles differently, or when one platform has nearly all your users.
What we deliver
The Approaches We Compare for You
Here is how each option behaves in practice, and when we recommend it.
React Native
Uses JavaScript or TypeScript and renders real native components, now on the New Architecture with the Hermes engine. Best when your team already works in React or you want code shared with a web app.
Kotlin Multiplatform
Shares business logic, networking and data layers in Kotlin while each platform keeps a native interface, or shares UI through Compose Multiplatform. Best when native feel matters but you want one source of truth for the logic.
Hybrid web apps
A web application wrapped in a native shell with tools such as Capacitor. Best for internal tools or content apps where you already have a strong web product and speed to market beats polish.
Two native apps
Swift for iOS and Kotlin for Android, built side by side. Best when performance, hardware access or platform features are the core of the product and budget allows two codebases.
Mixed approaches
A shared codebase for most screens, with native modules for the camera, payments or Bluetooth. Many real products end up here, and planning for it early avoids rework.
Why SIZ Group
Why Work With a Cross-Platform App Development Company That Also Builds Native
A team that only knows one framework will recommend that framework. Because we build native Swift and Kotlin apps as well as shared codebases, our advice is shaped by your product, not by what our developers happen to prefer. Sometimes the honest answer is that you should build for iOS and Android separately, or launch on one platform first.
When a single codebase app is the right call, we still need people who understand each platform underneath. Store rules, push notifications, permissions and background tasks all behave differently on iOS and Android, and a shared framework does not remove those differences. Our team brings more than 10 years of collective experience, drawn from the top 4% of developer applicants.
Talk to us- No framework biasWe recommend the approach that fits your product, team and budget, and we put the reasoning in writing.
- Native skills on handWhen a shared framework needs a custom native module, our Swift and Kotlin developers write it.
- Long-term viewWe weigh hiring, maintenance and framework maturity, not only the cost of version one.
- Platform-correct detailsBack gestures, date pickers, haptics and permissions are adjusted so each store's users feel at home.
How we work
How We Make the Platform Decision With You
One team from first call to launch, with demos at every milestone.
01
Kickoff and audit
We list every feature you need and mark which ones depend on platform-specific APIs. We also look at your existing team, web codebase and where your users are.
02
Approach recommendation
We compare the realistic options for your feature list on cost, timeline, user experience and maintenance. You get a written recommendation with the trade-offs spelled out.
03
Design for both platforms
We design one product with platform adjustments where users expect them, such as navigation patterns and system dialogs. The prototype is reviewed on both an iPhone and an Android phone.
04
Build and test on both
Development happens in the chosen stack, with test builds sent to TestFlight and a Google Play testing track at the same time. We test on real devices from both ecosystems.
05
Launch and maintain
We submit to both stores, handle review on each and plan updates around framework and OS releases. A shared codebase still needs watching as Apple, Google and the framework move.
Tech stack
Frameworks and Tools We Work With
The options we compare and build with, plus the native tools behind them.
FlutterDartReact NativeTypeScriptHermesExpoKotlin MultiplatformCompose MultiplatformCapacitorSwiftKotlinFirebaseCodemagicFastlane
Who it's for
Products That Suit Cross-Platform Builds
Marketplaces
Buyer and seller apps such as our car marketplace design are built mostly from listings, filters, chat and profiles, which share well.
Ordering and booking
Restaurant finders, food ordering and driver booking need both stores at launch and rely on standard flows plus maps and payments.
Ecommerce stores
Catalog, cart and checkout screens behave the same on both platforms, so one codebase covers most of the work.
Startups testing demand
When you need to build for iOS and Android quickly to see if the market responds, sharing code stretches a limited budget further.
Pricing
Comparing the Cost of Cross-Platform and Native
A shared codebase usually costs noticeably less than two native apps, because most screens, business logic and tests are written once. The saving shrinks as the share of platform-specific features grows, since each of those still needs native work and separate testing.
Maintenance should be part of the comparison. Two native apps mean two sets of updates each year. A shared codebase means one set, plus keeping up with the framework's own releases. Hybrid web apps can be the cheapest to start but may cost more later if users expect a fully native feel.
Mobile apps start at $4,500 regardless of approach. Your final price depends on scope and is confirmed in writing after a free consultation, where we price the realistic options side by side so the comparison is concrete.
Mobile apps start at
$4,500
Every project is scoped on a free call and confirmed in writing before work starts.
- Fixed scope and clear milestones
- Design, build, testing and launch
- Post-launch support available
Recent designs
All case studiesApps our team has designed
What does a cross-platform app development company actually do differently?+
It plans one product for two operating systems and decides how much code can safely be shared. A good one will also tell you when sharing code is not worth it for your product.
Is Flutter or React Native better?+
Neither wins every time. Flutter gives pixel-identical interfaces and strong performance for custom designs. React Native fits teams with JavaScript or React skills and products that share code with a website. Our Flutter and React Native pages cover each in detail.
Will users notice my app is not native?+
For most business, commerce and content apps, users will not notice if the team handles platform details properly. They may notice in apps with heavy animation, complex gestures or deep hardware use, which is where we recommend native.
What is Kotlin Multiplatform and when should I consider it?+
Kotlin Multiplatform shares code such as networking, data storage and business rules across iOS and Android while letting each platform keep a fully native interface. It suits teams that care about native feel but want one source of logic.
Can a single codebase app use device features like the camera or Bluetooth?+
Yes, through plugins or custom native modules. Well-supported features such as the camera, location and push notifications are straightforward. Less common hardware may need native code written for each platform.
Can we start cross-platform and go native later?+
You can, but it means rebuilding the interface. A better path is often to share logic now and plan native modules for the features that need them, which we map out during scoping.
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Let's make it happen
Get a Clear Answer on Native or Cross-Platform
Book a free consultation and we will compare the realistic options for your app in writing.