A cross-platform mobile app development framework is a development platform that allows developers to build applications for multiple operating systems, such as iOS, Android, and Windows, using a single codebase. Cross-platform mobile app development frameworks simplify app development by offering pre-built components, UI toolkits, rendering engines, and APIs that reduce time-to-market and minimize maintenance efforts.
Multi-platform frameworks have become essential for reducing development costs, increasing code reuse, and ensuring a uniform user experience across devices. 46% of developers globally prefer using Flutter for cross-platform development, according to Statista. The global cross-platform app development framework market is projected to grow from USD 15.67 billion in 2025 to USD 42.60 billion by 2034, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.75% during the forecast period. Businesses are increasingly adopting cross-platform frameworks due to their reduction in development costs by up to 30%. Advancements in cross-platform frameworks have significantly improved app performance and user experience, with Flutter’s custom rendering engine allowing for smooth animations that lead to a 95% satisfaction rate among developers.
Listed below are the 11 best cross-platform mobile app development frameworks.
- Flutter: Flutter is a cross-platform app development platform developed by Google for building high-performance applications from a single codebase. Flutter is known for its hot-reload feature, rich widget library, and expressive UI.
- React Native: React Native is a cross-platform app development platform created by Meta (formerly Facebook) that enables developers to write apps using JavaScript and React.
- Ionic: Ionic is a cross-platform framework that combines the flexibility of web technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) with mobile-optimized UI components.
- Kotlin Multiplatform: Kotlin Multiplatform is a cross-platform framework from JetBrains that allows code sharing between Android, iOS, backend, and web.
- NativeScript: NativeScript is a cross-platform app development framework that enables developers to build native Android and iOS apps using JavaScript or TypeScript with frameworks like Angular or Vue.
- Unity: Unity is a cross-platform framework primarily used for building mobile games and simulations, supporting over 25 platforms.
- .NET MAUI (Multi-platform App UI): .NET MAUI is the evolution of Xamarin.Forms that allow developers to build cross-platform apps for Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows from a single .NET codebase.
- PhoneGap: PhoneGap, formerly maintained by Adobe, was one of the earliest cross-platform app frameworks based on Apache Cordova. PhoneGap allows apps to be built using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
- Appcelerator Titanium: Appcelerator Titanium provides a JavaScript-based platform for developing cross-platform mobile apps across different platforms.
- Ext JS: Ext JS JavaScript framework for building data-intensive, cross-platform web and mobile applications.
- Framework7: Framework7 is an open-source cross-platform framework for developing mobile, desktop, and web apps with a native look and feel.
1. Flutter
Flutter is an open-source cross-platform UI toolkit developed by Google that allows developers to build natively compiled mobile, web, and desktop applications from a single codebase using the Dart programming language. Flutter is known for its ability to deliver high-performance cross-platform apps with a consistent look and feel across platforms. Flutter’s hot-reload feature accelerates development by allowing real-time code changes.
Flutter’s architecture includes a high-performance rendering engine that ensures smooth animations and a responsive interface. Flutter offers extensive support for Material Design and Cupertino widgets, aligning with Android and iOS design standards. Flutter is not the optimal choice for applications that require extensive platform-specific functionalities or those that need to maintain a minimal application size because Flutter apps are larger due to the inclusion of the Dart runtime. Flutter is particularly well-suited for developing Minimum Viable Products (MVPs), e-commerce applications, and apps with rich graphical interfaces. Flutter’s ability to provide a uniform experience across platforms makes it ideal for brands that aim for consistent cross-platform user engagement.
2. React Native
React Native is an open-source cross-platform framework that enables the creation of mobile applications using JavaScript and React. React Native allows developers to build apps that function smoothly on iOS and Android platforms. React Native is favored for its code reusability, which allows a significant portion of code to be shared between cross-platform environments.
The React Native framework provides access to native components to ensure that applications look and feel consistent with native apps. React Native supports third-party plugins to enhance its extensibility across multiple apps. React Native is not suitable for applications that require intensive computational tasks because performance is impacted compared to fully native solutions.
React Native is commonly used for developing social media applications, e-commerce platforms, and simple to moderately complex mobile apps where rapid development and cross-platform compatibility are priorities.
3. Ionic
Ionic is an open-source framework for building cross-platform mobile applications using web technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Ionic is utilized for its ability to create hybrid mobile apps that can run on multiple platforms from a single codebase. Ionic offers a library of pre-designed UI components, facilitating rapid development and a consistent user interface.
Ionic’s integration with Cordova or Capacitor allows access to native device features through JavaScript, bridging the gap between web and native functionalities. Ionic applications experience reduced performance in graphics-intensive tasks or complex animations. Ionic’s reliance on web technologies can lead to challenges in achieving responsiveness comparable to native applications.
Ionic is ideal for developing Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), simple mobile applications, and prototypes where development speed and cross-platform deployment are more critical than achieving native performance.
4. Kotlin Multiplatform
Kotlin Multiplatform is an extension of the Kotlin programming language that allows developers to share code across multiple cross-platform environments that include Android, iOS, and web. Kotlin Multiplatform reduces duplication of business logic across platforms while allowing for platform-specific implementations where necessary.
Kotlin Multi Platform enables developers to designate specific sections of the codebase for sharing across platforms to facilitate a customized approach to cross-platform development. Kotlin Multiplatform’s tooling support is less mature than other cross-platform frameworks, requiring proficiency in both Kotlin and native platforms.
Kotlin Multi Platform is suitable for projects where sharing business logic is beneficial, but platform-specific UIs are desired, such as applications with complex user interfaces that need to adhere to platform conventions.
5. NativeScript
NativeScript is an open-source cross-platform framework that enables the development of native mobile applications using JavaScript, TypeScript, or Angular. NativeScript allows developers to build apps for iOS and Android platforms from a single codebase. NativeScript is employed for cross-platform app development to create truly native experiences on iOS and Android. NativeScript provides direct access to native APIs to allow developers to get platform-specific features without relying on third-party plugins.
NativeScript offers a rich set of plugins and a vibrant community, facilitating the integration of various functionalities. NativeScript’s ability to use existing web skills for mobile development accelerates the development process. 28% of developers have been dedicated to using NativeScript for more than a year for various cross-platform application development projects. NativeScript offers extensive capabilities for cross-platform development, but it is not the ideal choice for applications requiring complex animations or those demanding the highest performance levels.
NativeScript is ideal for developing business applications, e-commerce platforms, and applications that require access to native device features while maintaining a shared codebase across platforms. NativeScript integration with Angular and Vue.js makes it a favorable choice for developers familiar with these frameworks.
6. Unity
Unity is a cross-platform game engine developed by Unity Technologies by utilizing the languages C++ and C#, that enables the creation of both 2D and 3D games and simulations across various platforms. Unity is used to develop interactive cross-platform games and simulations requiring complex graphics and physics calculations. Unity’s robust asset store and comprehensive development environment make it popular among game developers. The number of games available on multiple platforms has increased by 40% since 2021. Smaller studios using Unity, which previously focused on single-platform releases, have expanded their cross-platform game development by 71% in the past 2 years.
Unity offers a comprehensive set of tools for game development that include a high-performance rendering engine, physics engine, and support for both 2D and 3D graphics. Unity’s AR and VR development support has made it a go-to choice for immersive cross-platform application development. Unity is not the most efficient option for non-gaming applications because its game-focused structure can add unnecessary complexity.
Unity is used to develop interactive games, virtual reality experiences, and simulations requiring complex graphics and physics calculations. Unity’s versatility allows applications in industries such as architecture, automotive, and education to create immersive cross-platform experiences.
7. .NET MAUI (Multi-platform App UI)
.NET MAUI is an open-source cross-platform framework developed by Microsoft, allowing developers to create native mobile and desktop applications using C# and XAML. .NET MAUI is the evolution of Xamarin.Forms that aim to provide a unified cross-platform framework for building applications across multiple platforms. .NET MAUI is designed to enable developers to build applications for Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows with a single codebase. .NET simplifies the cross-platform development process by providing a unified project structure and access to native APIs. The structural approach reduces development time and effort, as developers can share a significant portion of code across platforms.
.NET MAUI offers a rich set of UI controls and layouts, supports hot reload for rapid development, and integrates seamlessly with the .NET ecosystem, allowing for code sharing across cross-platform environments. .NET MAUI has been rapidly gaining popularity, ranking high in active users on GitHub within the .NET community and being among the top active repositories. .NET MAUI’s ecosystem and community support are still growing, which leads to limited resources and third-party libraries compared to more established cross-platform frameworks. Developers have reported issues with tooling and performance in .NET MAUI, which indicates the framework is still maturing.
.NET MAUI is suitable for enterprise applications, internal business tools, and applications that benefit from integration with other Microsoft services and products. The ability of .NET MAUI to target multiple platforms with a single codebase makes it an attractive cross-platform choice for businesses aiming to reach a broad audience.
8. PhoneGap
PhoneGap is an open-source cross-platform mobile development framework that enables developers to create mobile applications using standard web technologies such as HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript. PhoneGap is designed to build cross-platform hybrid mobile applications that operate across multiple platforms using a single codebase. PhoneGap allows developers to utilize their web development skills to create mobile apps and makes it accessible to many developers.
PhoneGap provides a set of JavaScript APIs that grant access to native device functionalities, such as the camera, accelerometer, and contacts. These APIs bridge the gap between web applications and native mobile features to allow developers to build feature-rich cross-platform applications without writing extensive native code. Applications developed with PhoneGap experience performance limitations, particularly for graphics-intensive tasks or complex animations. PhoneGap relies on WebView components to render the user interface, and this reliance leads to less responsive interfaces compared to fully native applications.
PhoneGap is ideal for content-driven cross-platform applications, simple utilities, and prototypes where rapid development and cross-platform compatibility are prioritized over achieving native performance. PhoneGap examples include news apps, information portals, and basic productivity tools.
9. Appcelerator Titanium
Appcelerator Titanium is an open-source cross-platform framework that enables the development of native mobile applications using JavaScript. Appcelerator Titanium allows developers to build cross-platform applications for iOS and Android platforms from a single JavaScript codebase. Titanium is utilized to create native applications while using web development skills. Titanium provides access to native APIs and UI components to facilitate the development of feature-rich applications with a native look and feel.
Titanium’s SDK offers a cross-platform API for accessing native UI components and device functionalities. The Titanium framework includes Alloy, a model-view-controller (MVC) architecture that simplifies cross-platform development and encourages clean code practices. Titanium supports direct access to native APIs through Hyperloop, which enables integration of third-party native libraries for advanced functionality. Developers encounter challenges with complex UI designs and platform-specific nuances, which demand extra customization and unique code for each platform. Titanium enables the development of native applications, but achieving the same level of performance as fully native apps requires further optimization.
Titanium is suitable for developing cross-platform data-driven applications, enterprise solutions, and applications that require integration with existing web services and APIs. Direct access to native functionalities in Titanium makes the framework appropriate for applications that rely on device-specific features.
10. Ext JS
Ext JS is a comprehensive JavaScript cross-platform framework used for building data-intensive, cross-platform web and mobile applications. Ext JS offers a range of pre-built components and development tools designed to create interactive and responsive user interfaces. Ext JS is used to build complex cross-platform web applications that require a fast and responsive user interface. Ext JS provides more than 140 high-performance UI components such as grids, charts, and forms, which support creating feature-rich cross-platform applications. Built-in responsive design features in Ext JS ensure compatibility across multiple devices and screen sizes.
Ext JS includes an efficient layout manager, two-way data binding, and a powerful package for seamless data management and integration. Theming and styling capabilities in Ext JS allow developers to build visually consistent and appealing interfaces. Built-in testing and debugging tools further streamline the cross-platform development process. Ext JS has a steep learning curve because of its extensive features and complex structure. Ext JS is a proprietary cross-platform framework that includes licensing costs, which increases the total project budget. JavaScript-heavy UI definitions in Ext JS lead to larger application sizes, and larger applications directly affect load times and performance.
Ext JS is commonly used for cross-platform enterprise-grade applications, advanced dashboards, and platforms that manage large datasets with complex user interactions. The component library in Ext JS supports the development of high-performance cross-platform applications for sectors such as finance, healthcare, and education.
11. Framework7
Framework7 is an open-source cross-platform framework for building mobile, desktop, and web applications replicating a native look and feel. Framework7 uses HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to support cross-platform application development. Framework7 simplifies hybrid mobile app development by offering a rich set of UI components that replicate native behavior on both iOS and Android devices. Rapid prototyping in Framework7 allows developers to build visually polished interfaces using familiar web technologies.
Framework7 provides a range of pre-styled widgets and components that follow native iOS and Android design standards to deliver a consistent cross-platform user experience. Framework7 includes support for Electron and NW.js, which enables the development of native desktop applications using web technologies. Framework7 integrates with other libraries and frameworks, such as React and Vue.js, offering greater flexibility during cross-platform application development. Performance limitations appear in Framework7 when building complex or resource-heavy applications, as the framework does not match the speed of fully native solutions. Platform-specific functionalities in Framework7 require manual customization and direct integration with native code.
Framework7 is ideal for developing cross-platform progressive web apps (PWAs), simple mobile applications, and prototypes where a native look and feel is desired without extensive development time. It is particularly useful for applications prioritizing a consistent user interface across platforms.
How to choose the best cross-platform mobile app development framework?
You can choose the best cross-platform mobile app development framework by focusing on measurable project needs, technical priorities, and performance demands.
Framework7 is ideal for developing cross-platform progressive web apps (PWAs), simple mobile applications, and prototypes where a native look and feel is desired without extensive development time. It is particularly useful for applications prioritizing a consistent user interface across platforms.
Listed below are the 7 key factors for selecting the right cross-platform framework.
- Repeat Project Requirements and Complexity: Project requirements and complexity define the depth of features, third-party integrations, and user interactions in cross-platform development. 42% of developers note that Flutter and React Native handle complex UI better than hybrid cross-platform solutions such as Ionic.
- Repeat Performance and User Experience: Performance and user experience are critical in cross-platform frameworks, and 67% of developers confirm native-like responsiveness in Flutter and React Native.
- Repeat Development Team’s Expertise: The development team’s expertise with a cross-platform framework’s core language matters because 58% of developers select React Native since they already work with JavaScript in web development.
- Repeat Community Support and Ecosystem: Community support and plugin ecosystem help developers fix issues faster and find ready-made solutions during cross-platform development. Flutter has over 152,000 GitHub stars and thousands of plugins, which reduces development time and avoids building everything from scratch.
- Repeat Budget and Time Constraints: Budget and time constraints impact cross-platform framework selection by forcing teams to build faster without increasing costs. A shared cross-platform codebase reduces both development cost and duration by up to 40%, as reported in Stack Overflow’s 2025 developer survey.
- Repeat Platform Compatibility: Platform compatibility in cross-platform development allows developers to build once and deploy on multiple systems without rewriting code. 70% of developers select React Native or Xamarin to publish iOS, Android, and Windows apps from a single cross-platform project.
- Repeat Security Considerations: Security considerations in cross-platform development protect sensitive user data and maintain compliance with industry rules. Xamarin and .NET MAUI are often used in enterprise cross-platform apps because they support encrypted data transfer, biometric authentication, and secure storage.
What is Cross-Platform mobile app development?
Cross-platform mobile app development involves building a single application on multiple platforms such as iOS, Android, and Windows. Developers use one unified codebase to launch on all platforms, which saves time, reduces development cost, and ensures a consistent user experience.
Listed below are the 7 main steps involved in cross-platform mobile app development.
1. Planning and Requirements Analysis
Planning and requirements analysis define the cross-platform app’s goals, features, and platform priorities. 35% of failed app projects begin with unclear requirements, which increases delays, cost overruns, and rework.
2. Framework Selection
Framework selection determines the base technology that controls cross-platform app structure, scalability, and plugin access. Flutter is used by 58% of developers worldwide, and React Native is the second most popular choice for building fast and flexible cross-platform apps.
3. UI/UX Design
UI/UX design focuses on creating easy-to-navigate cross-platform screens that feel native to iOS and Android. 80% of app uninstalls happen because of confusing layouts or poor usability, which makes design a top priority in user retention.
4. Code Development
Code development uses shared languages such as Dart, JavaScript, or C# to write logic, screen behavior, and navigation in cross-platform applications. Developers report that shared codebases reduce total development time by up to 50% compared to native builds.
5. Integration of Native Modules
Integration of native modules adds access to hardware features such as camera, GPS, and Bluetooth within cross-platform applications, without switching to native codebases. 60% of developers use platform bridges to connect native APIs within the shared cross-platform framework.
6. Testing and Debugging
Testing and debugging ensure the app works correctly across different screen sizes and device types in cross-platform environments. 75% of developers use built-in testing tools provided by cross-platform frameworks such as Flutter to identify platform-specific issues early.
7. Deployment and Maintenance
Deployment and maintenance include store submissions, update releases, and performance monitoring after launch. A single cross-platform codebase allows updates to be pushed up to 60% faster than native apps, improving agility in product cycles.
What is the popular framework used to develop cross-platform mobile apps?
Flutter is the most popular framework used to develop cross-platform mobile apps because it allows developers to build Android and iOS applications using a single codebase. 58% of global developers actively use Flutter, which places it ahead of React Native in adoption rate. Flutter offers faster development through hot reload and a wide range of customizable UI widgets that support platform-specific designs.
Can you develop cross-platform mobile applications using other mobile app development frameworks?
Yes, you can develop cross-platform mobile applications using other mobile app development frameworks that support multi-platform deployment from a single codebase. A mobile app development framework is a set of tools, libraries, and components that help developers build apps efficiently for different operating systems. Frameworks such as React Native, Flutter, Xamarin (.NET MAUI), and Ionic reduce development time, ensure UI consistency, and support access to device-specific features without duplicating code for each platform.
