React Native vs Flutter: Which Ships Better Mobile Apps?
React Native powers Instagram, Discord, and Shopify. Flutter runs Google Pay, BMW, and Alibaba. Both produce cross-platform apps from one codebase. But they differ in language, rendering approach, and hiring reality. Here is a comparison from a team with 50+ mobile apps shipped across both frameworks.
React Native (JavaScript Bridge) vs Flutter (Compiled Engine) — The Fundamental Split
React Native uses JavaScript to control native platform components through a bridge (now replaced by the New Architecture's JSI). Flutter compiles Dart to native ARM code and draws every pixel itself using the Skia graphics engine. This architectural difference shapes performance, look-and-feel, and developer experience.
- React Native renders actual native UI components (UIKit on iOS, Android Views). Flutter draws its own widgets from scratch using Skia/Impeller — pixel-identical on every platform
- React Native uses JavaScript/TypeScript (known by 17M+ developers). Flutter uses Dart (known by ~500K developers). This hiring gap is the single biggest practical difference
- React Native apps are typically 20-30MB on iOS. Flutter apps start at 15-20MB but can grow larger with custom widgets and assets
- Both support hot reload for fast iteration, but Flutter's is slightly more reliable due to its compiled nature — fewer edge cases where state is lost during reload
Key Comparison Factors
Six dimensions that matter most when choosing between React Native and Flutter for production mobile apps.
Runtime Performance
Flutter compiles to native ARM code — 60fps animations are standard, and complex animations rarely drop frames. React Native's New Architecture (Fabric + JSI) closed much of the performance gap, but CPU-heavy operations still run 10-15% faster in Flutter. For most business apps, both hit 60fps without issues.
Native Look & Feel
React Native uses actual platform components — a Switch looks like iOS on iPhone and Material on Android automatically. Flutter draws custom widgets that mimic platform conventions but are not native. Users rarely notice the difference, but platform purists prefer React Native's approach. Flutter's Material 3 widgets are visually excellent.
Developer Availability & Cost
17M+ JavaScript developers worldwide vs ~500K Dart developers. React Native developers are 5-8x easier to find and 15-25% cheaper on average ($45-90/hr vs $55-110/hr). If you need to hire 5+ mobile developers in 30 days, React Native is the only realistic option for most markets.
Code Sharing & Web Support
React Native shares 70-85% code between iOS and Android. With React Native Web, you can push that to web as well. Flutter targets iOS, Android, web, desktop, and embedded from one codebase. Flutter's web output is larger (2-5MB initial load) and has poor SEO. React Native Web produces standard DOM output.
Package Ecosystem
React Native has 3,500+ packages on npm with native modules. Flutter has 35,000+ pub.dev packages, but many are thin wrappers. React Native benefits from the entire npm ecosystem for business logic. Flutter's packages are more consistent in quality since Google curates the favorites list.
Platform-Specific Code
React Native requires native code (Swift/Kotlin) for about 10-20% of features — camera access, Bluetooth, background processing. Flutter handles more natively through its engine but still needs platform channels for certain OS-level APIs. Both require at least one developer who knows native iOS and Android basics.
When to Choose Each
Four real project types where one framework clearly outperforms the other.
Startup with Existing Web Team
Your team already knows React and TypeScript. You need an iOS and Android app in 3 months. React Native lets your web developers build mobile without learning a new language. We have seen web teams ship their first React Native app in 8-10 weeks. With Flutter, add 4-6 weeks for Dart training.
Content-Driven App (Social, News, E-commerce)
Apps that display lists, forms, images, and text — like Instagram, Shopify, or Bloomberg. React Native's native components give you platform-correct scrolling, text selection, and accessibility for free. These interaction patterns are deeply tied to OS behavior that Flutter recreates but does not perfectly match.
Custom UI-Heavy App (Gaming, Animation, Branding)
Apps where brand identity requires custom animations, unique transitions, and pixel-precise designs across platforms. Flutter's Skia engine draws everything from scratch — your app looks identical on every device. BMW's app and Google Pay both use Flutter for this reason. Custom UI is where Flutter truly excels.
Multi-Platform Beyond Mobile (Desktop + Embedded)
You need the same app on iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, and maybe embedded devices. Flutter supports all of these from a single codebase with mature tooling. Toyota uses Flutter for in-car displays. React Native's desktop support exists but is less mature and maintained by Microsoft, not Meta.
How to Choose Your Mobile Framework
Five practical steps to a confident decision — focused on your team, timeline, and product requirements.
Audit Your Existing Team
If 3+ developers know React/TypeScript, React Native saves 4-6 weeks of onboarding. If your team comes from native mobile (Swift/Kotlin) or C++/Java backgrounds, Dart's syntax will feel comfortable and Flutter's compiled model will make sense. Start from what your team already knows.
List Your Platform Requirements
iOS + Android only? Both work equally well. Need web too? React Native Web produces better results. Need desktop or embedded? Flutter has a clear advantage. Map every platform you will target in the next 18 months before committing to a framework.
Evaluate Your UI Complexity
Standard business app with lists, forms, and navigation? React Native's native components handle this perfectly. Custom-designed app with brand-specific animations, gradients, and transitions? Flutter's rendering engine gives you more control. Sketch out your 5 most complex screens to test this.
Check Your Hiring Pipeline
Post a job listing for both and measure responses. In most markets, you will get 10x more React Native applicants. In specific regions (parts of India, Eastern Europe), Flutter developer communities are growing fast. Your ability to hire and replace developers in 12 months matters more than technical benchmarks.
Build a Feature Spike in Both
Take your most complex planned feature — offline sync, camera integration, real-time chat — and build a prototype in both frameworks over 5 days. Measure code complexity, performance, and how natural the DX feels. This $5K investment prevents a $100K mistake.
Ready to get started? Let's discuss your project.
Cost & Resource Comparison
Real cost data across project sizes — including developer rates, timeline, and long-term maintenance.
MVP / Startup App
Simple app with 10-15 screens, basic auth, API integration. 2-3 month timeline with a small team.
Custom pricing based on your requirements
- React Native: $30K-$70K development cost
- Flutter: $35K-$80K development cost
- React Native devs: $45-$90/hr average
- Flutter devs: $55-$110/hr average
- React Native: ships 2-3 weeks faster (team ramp)
- Both: $99/yr Apple + $25 Google Play fees
- React Native has 5x larger freelancer pool for MVPs
Growth-Stage App
20-40 screens, push notifications, analytics, payments, offline support. 4-6 month build with 3-5 developers.
Custom pricing based on your requirements
- React Native: $120K-$300K development cost
- Flutter: $140K-$320K development cost
- React Native: shares code with existing React web app
- Flutter: stronger animation and custom UI performance
- Both: $10-20K/yr for CI/CD and testing infrastructure
- React Native native module cost: $5-15K for custom bridges
- Flutter platform channel cost: $3-10K for OS integrations
Enterprise Mobile Platform
Complex app with 50+ screens, offline-first architecture, multi-platform deployment, and strict security requirements.
Custom pricing based on your requirements
- React Native: $400K-$1M+ annual team cost
- Flutter: $450K-$1.2M annual team cost
- React Native: easier to staff (larger talent pool)
- Flutter: lower per-platform maintenance overhead
- Both: $30-60K/yr for app store management and updates
- React Native: proven at scale (Meta, Microsoft, Shopify)
- Flutter: growing enterprise adoption (Google, BMW, Toyota)
React Native vs Flutter Questions Answered
Quick answers to the questions we hear most often.
In raw computation, yes — Flutter compiles Dart to native ARM code while React Native runs JavaScript. Flutter consistently hits 60fps on complex animations. But React Native's New Architecture (Fabric renderer + JSI) closed the gap significantly in 2023. For typical business apps with lists, forms, and API calls, users cannot tell the difference. Performance only diverges in animation-heavy or computation-heavy scenarios.
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