Native vs. Cross Platform Mobile App Development: Which One Is Better?

Planning to develop an app? Or confused between native app and cross-platform app? This article comes to your help if you’re in mix-up to choose between native and cross-platform app but no clue about which to choose!

Native Vs Cross-Platform Development: Pros & Cons Revealed

First let’s understand what is native app and cross-platform app:

Native App:

Native app, commonly called as mobile app, is an app developed for a specific platform (for iOS, Android, Windows or any other). In this case, you need to develop an app for all platforms separately using respective technologies. Swift is used for iOS app development and Java is used for Android app development.

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Cross-platform App:

Cross-platform app is an app developed for multiple platforms (iOS, Android, Windows or other) using one code base. Cross-platform apps are developed using cross-platform development tools like Ionic, Xamarin, PhoneGap, and Sencha.

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Advantages of Native App:

• You can utilize all the platform’s and devices’ abilities in your app. For example, you can utilize 3D Touch feature for iOS app.
• Quicker and more efficient features, as they are optimized for each platform
• Easy to make your app compatible with associated devices, for example, iPhone app’s compatibility with Mac computer or iPad
• More responsive UI particularly when it comes to animations
• Smoother functionalities on all mobile devices
• Easy distribution, as apps built using native tools are always preferred by the app stores of Apple or app store of Google
• Native apps are more secure when compared to cross platform apps

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Advantages of Cross-platform App:

• Less expensive and less time-taken, as codes are written once and used for all platforms
• Business logic functionality testing is more straightforward and cheaper
• Cross-platform frameworks do not support all the features of an OS. Developers require to wait for the update

When should you choose native app?

• When you have an enough budget to develop an app for multiple platforms separately
• When your ultimate goal is to offer rich user experience
• If you want to utilize platform and device specific features and functionalities
• If you are more concerned about security

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When should you choose Cross-platform App?

• When you need to develop an app within a tight deadline
• If you want to develop a mobile game (iOS / Android)
• When your budget is constrained
• If you’re not much worried about device and platform specific features and functionalities
• If you want to develop B2B or business process automation apps, where deployment time is more important than rich look
• When you need to conduct some tests for your business idea in the real market
• When you want to turn your website into an app for a minimal price

Conclusion:

Now we have come over two popular mobile app development approaches. I hope now you can easily take decision between these platforms. From a technical point of view and user experience, native development has far more advantages. Some mobile app development companies in India like SMACware always prefer to develop native apps, as it adds more value to their clients in terms of customer acquisition and engagement. But the final decision depends on their customers’ preference.

When it comes to cost and time, cross-platform has better advantages. Most modern mobile games are developed on cross-platform technologies. Cross-platform allows you to develop games without sacrificing quality. In case of games on cross-platform, special graphics frameworks are used, mostly Unity 3D. On the other hand, if your app is not aimed at long-term development, but needs rich look and performance, native app development is the best way you can go with.

If ready to go for Mobile app development for business to increase the revenue with native app or cross-platforom, then SMACware can help you integrate your business with the latest AI Technologies for your mobile apps. SMACware, which is the best mobile app development company that has helped many global companies increase their business revenue. Apart from app development SMACware also expertise in Mobile Game development, video production, Photography, corporate branding, events & exhibition, digital marketing, WordPress Website Development, PHP website development, and web development services.