Native or cross-platform app? What founders need to know before choosing

For most first versions, a cross-platform app (one codebase that runs on several platforms) is the sensible choice: it costs less to build, less to maintain, and you can reach more users sooner. Native only wins in a few specific cases. Here is how to decide.

The three options

• Native apps are written separately for each platform (for example Kotlin for Android and Swift for iOS). You get full access to everything the phone can do, but you build and maintain two apps.
• Cross-platform apps share one codebase across Android, iOS and desktop. This is how we build at DynamoLabs.
• Web apps run in the browser. They are the cheapest to reach everyone, but they feel less like an app and lean on a connection.

Where each one wins

	Native	Cross-platform	Web app
Cost to build	Highest (two codebases)	Lower (one codebase)	Lowest
Speed to launch on several platforms	Slowest	Fast	Fast
Feels like a real app	Best	Very close	Weaker
Works offline	Yes	Yes	Limited
Heavy graphics / games	Best	Fine for most	Weak
Maintenance	Two sets of updates	One set	One set

How to choose

1. Who are your first users, and what do they carry? Start where they are.
2. Does the app need unusual hardware features or heavy 3D graphics? If yes, lean native. If it’s forms, lists, camera, notifications, files and saved data, cross-platform handles it.
3. Does it have to work without signal? Then a real installed app (native or cross-platform) beats a web app.
4. What is the budget for version one? A single codebase stretches it furthest.

Our approach

We build cross-platform apps, ship on Android first, and follow with iOS and Windows where the app calls for it. Our own apps — the Workout fitness app, the recipe apps and the business tools — are built this way.

Next step

If you’re weighing up an app idea and aren’t sure which route fits, talk to us about your idea. We’ll tell you plainly what we would build and why.