Should my next app be a cross-platform solution?

The short answer to this question is: probably, yes. At the same time, it depends, as so often is the answer to any tech solution-related question.

Let's first take a closer look at what a cross-platform solution actually is. A cross-platform framework enables developers to write code only once in order to build an app that runs on both iOS & Android. Various cross-platform solutions exist, but the most used solution is React Native, which was created by Facebook back in 2015.

The alternative, building a true native app for iOS & Android, means developers will have to build (and maintain) two apps, two codebases in two different programming languages, and their respective frameworks. Needless to say that this option requires more time, effort (which are likely to affect costs), and developer skills than a cross-platform solution. 

Therefore, it might seem like a no-brainer to go with a cross-platform solution. Depending on your use case, though, a native approach could actually be a better fit. This is because by building an app in the programming language and the respective operating system's SDK, there are more possibilities in terms of performance, leveraging OS-specific features, and interaction with the user device's hardware.

A few examples of such cases in which a true native solution is a better option are:

• A 3D game that leverages the device's graphic capabilities;

• An Augmented Reality app;

• App-clips (an iOS-specific feature that enables users to use a part of your app without having to download and install it through the App Store);

• An app with a complex design that relies heavily on animations;

• Or, if you only need to target one platform, go native. 

Will your app however need to be installable both on iOS and Android and serve primarily and mainly a practical and functional purpose — think of an app such as Airbnb or Instagram — a cross-platform solution is probably the better fit. After all, it's more cost-efficient, which can give you the allowance to allocate a bigger part of your budget for the UI/UX and features of the app itself — making sure your budget goes mainly to what delivers the most value to your app's users and your brand or product's target group.

 Still on the fence about whether to go for native or cross-platform? Ask yourself this: would the end-user have a noticeably better experience if my app is built natively rather than by using a cross-platform solution? At Generous studio, we build native as well as cross-platform apps for all sorts of use cases and can help you to assess all pros and cons for each approach, making sure you will identify the best fit for your case.