7 Best Cross-platform App Development Tools for 2024

One of the main reasons why cross-platform app development is so popular now is because it offers unique advantages. Over time, a plethora of multi-platform mobile development tools and platforms appeared on the marketplace. At first, they arrived slowly, but soon, most mobile and web app development services started dabbling in this intriguing and unique innovation.

As a developer, you may feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of tools and frameworks available to you, which is why we’ve listed the top 7 of them to make this a bit easier for you.

Let’s take a look.

Xamarin 

Xamarin entered the market in 2011 and it's still going strong. For those interested in developing hybrid mobile applications, this open-source framework is a useful tool. Using the C# language and the Net frameworks, it helps coders build apps that run on Windows, iOS, and Android seamlessly.

Xamarin offers access to a large collection of libraries and development tools. A wide range of mobile platforms are compatible with Xamarin-built applications. It works just as well as native alternatives and provides a seamless UX.

Pros

• The language for coding is C#. This ensures that it is compatible with a wide range of operating systems, such as iOS and Android.
• By sharing a significant portion of the code among different platforms, it saves coders a lot of time and effort.
• It uses an integrated technology stack to save time.

Cons

• Businesses find it costly. Companies need to purchase a license for Microsoft's Visual Studio, whereas people and startups may use the free version.
• Because every platform has its own unique layout, it is not a good choice for programs that depend heavily on visuals. Implementing a native app with a great user experience and interface is better.
• On top of that, it provides limited access to several crucial libraries that are essential for building mobile apps.

React Native

Its robust ecosystem, support for JavaScript, and capabilities make React Native an appealing option for creating mobile applications. This intriguing framework allows web developers to take advantage of their existing knowledge of JavaScript to build solid mobile apps without lowering standards for the apps themselves or the user experience. Its unique qualities make it a favorite among developers. This is why many consider React Native to be the best of its kind.

Pros

• Based on how complicated the app is, up to 80% of its code can be shared between systems. Reusing this amount of code is a massive time saver.
• It drastically cuts down on development time since users can see the final product in real time and use pre-made parts.
• When compared to native tools, which take minutes to refresh, the Hot Reloading function allows programmers to view their code adjustments in a matter of seconds.
• It places a lot of focus on user interface design, creating a very responsive experience.

Cons 

• This app framework does not completely support various platforms. It is still necessary to employ native components for specific tasks, which means that you need different code for Android and iOS.
• The framework sometimes falls behind native platforms like iOS and Android due to its isolation from their ecosystems.
• Its update release schedule is erratic.
• Although it speeds up development, it makes debugging more time-consuming, particularly on Android.

Flutter

Flutter emerged in 2017 as an open-source tool that uses Dart for development. It lets developers build beautiful, fast applications for many platforms, including web-based applications, iOS, and Android.

Developers have it as one of their main options. Although it has some problems, it can help you build multiple platforms using the same software.

With Flutter's SDK, you can create applications for both iOS and Android in no time at all.

Additionally, it is a crucial tool for developing Fuschia apps for Google. Apps built with the Flutter framework are cohesive and dynamic, and they operate well on every platform. Using the Flutter technology, developers have built some very remarkable apps.

Pros

• Developing a minimum viable product (MVP) is a breeze using Flutter. You may save time and effort by developing a single Flutter app that works just as well as native iOS and Android apps.
• Flutter offers a complete collection of widgets inspired by Google's Material Design.
• There are a lot of pre-built options for native iOS and Android applications that allow programmers to use Continuous Integration (CI) systems such as Jenkins.

Cons

• The Flutter framework is not compatible with TV systems like Apple's or Android's. 
• Despite being created by Google, a number of libraries already contain features that are ready to be implemented. When contrasted with native development, Flutter is still lacking.
• The app's size tends to be larger when Flutter is used because it utilizes integrated widgets instead of platform widgets.

Ionic

Ionic is a free application development framework for building cross-platform apps with a large collection of pre-made components that utilize web technologies such as HTML5 and JavaScript. It enables you to create apps with a single codebase that can run on several platforms. Creating powerful apps with many customization options, this tool works well with AngularJS. Similar to some frameworks on this list, code reusability is a massive advantage of Ionic, allowing developers to create mobile apps while saving a lot of time.

Pros

• Ionic's development speed is much quicker than other frameworks. Its Angular foundation allows developers to see their work in progress on a web browser.
• It is really easy to get going since there are pre-made application templates and settings already included.
• You can reuse a huge chunk of code for other similar projects as well.
• There are a number of UI components to choose from.

Cons

• Programmers claim that testing an app is not always easy. Because of technical limitations, it is not possible to test the on-device features using a web browser;
• Older Android phones and tablets will have a hard time operating Ionic applications since they utilize the default browser of the device. Smartphones running Android 4.0–4.3 will automatically launch the Android browser instead of Chrome;
• Ionic is not going to be able to handle the project's complicated visuals.

Node.js

When it comes to building programs that can run on several platforms, Node.js is unmatched. This cross-platform mobile development framework is based on the Chrome V8 JavaScript engine and is used to execute JavaScript programs. This open-source framework allows programmers to create flexible networking programs that run on the server side. The efficiency and responsiveness of Node.js cross-platform programs are intrinsic qualities of the language. The framework can manage several connections at once. Plus, it has a ton of useful JavaScript modules for creating web apps.

Pros

• You can see some code on both the client and server sides, but not too much. An important point to keep in mind is that objects in the browser and the backend might have identical names but have totally distinct capabilities.
• You have access to a passionate community. Web developers may create and distribute their own modules and packages thanks to the open code. In many cases, the components work well together.
• Although there will be many recognizable instruments, there will also be new ones that you'll need to learn. The result is something that is easy to understand and use.
• New features and upgrades are added all the time. Npm makes it easier for developers to access an ever-expanding collection of pre-built modules and third-party libraries.

Cons

• Dealing with computationally intensive jobs degrades performance. With too many tasks pending, the app becomes complicated and it's hard to figure out the code.
• Despite Node.js's established basic components, a lot of the tools aren't up to the proper standard, have confusing documentation, or haven't been tested enough.

Native Script 

Native Script is an open-source tool for reliable mobile app development. The adaptability and user-friendliness of this framework have contributed to its massive success since its 2014 debut. It offers an exceptional user experience and enhanced performance features. It opens the door for developers to build mobile applications in JavaScript. Above all else, you know that you collaborate with reliable and skilled NativeScript programmers.

Pros

• When you make an app with NativeScript, it looks and feels just like a native app.
• It utilizes the Command Line Interface (CLI) to achieve its goals and is compatible with both current and future libraries.
• Since NativeScript constantly updates its capabilities, it is extremely compatible with both current and future generations of mobile operating systems.

Cons

• You'll need to pay for some of the UI components.
• There’s no support for HTML.
• React Native is a more powerful debugger tool since NativeScript relies on an emulator to detect and solve the bugs.
• Some of the necessary libraries, like jQuery, are not accessible to the programmers.
• The community is always adding too much new content.
• Developers need to be familiar with Android and iOS APIs in order to utilize the capabilities of the framework.

Kotlin Multiplatform 

Kotlin Multiplatform is a state-of-the-art application development framework. It is also a solid choice among services that provide custom cross-platform app development for different industries. Particularly for Android, it has become quite popular among mobile app developers. Kotlin is a great option for developing Android apps since it is completely compatible with Java.

Thanks to Kotlin Multiplatform, developing the cross-platform project is a breeze. The fact that it is compatible with Windows, Linux, Mac, and iOS means that developers may save time and money when creating and maintaining code for different platforms. Developers may target many platforms with a single line of code thanks to the platform. It also helps developers in fixing platform-specific dependencies.

Pros

• Saving time on development without sacrificing native technology advantages
• Optimal efficiency
• Accessing smartphone functions like the camera and mic is often simpler in native applications developed in Kotlin Multiplatform.

Cons

• Developers may avoid creating separate codebases for each target platform and instead reuse code that works on many operating systems.
• Using Kotlin for cross-platform programming makes debugging more challenging.

FAQs

How does a cross-platform app development platform work?

With this framework, developers have access to many libraries and sources. Allowing them to build apps once and have them run on several platforms, including iOS and Android, all from the same codebase.

Why should you use cross-platform frameworks for mobile app development?

Saving time and money, providing consistent user experiences, making maintenance simpler, reaching more people, having access to talented developers, and being adaptable to different devices are the key benefits.

What is the difference between framework vs platform?

You may use the framework to create an app that works on one or more platforms. The platform serves as the environment in which the program is executed.

How to develop an app for free?

While it’s true that you can build “free” apps with tools like Google’s AppSheet, the reality is that no app is completely free. The best scenario is to minimize the expenses and avoid wasting money on redundant features.

How does it help you reduce costs?

Cross-platform frameworks save money because they let you use the same script for multiple systems. This means you don't need different development teams and your upkeep costs go down over time.

Does it hurt the design to use these frameworks?

No, today's cross-platform frameworks are very adaptable and provide a plethora of choices for both designs. With such frameworks, you may build applications with sophisticated functionality and aesthetically pleasing designs. If you have more questions, you can always contact LANARS team experts as they are ready to help.