When native development makes the difference
Cross-platform frameworks have come a long way. React Native and Flutter produce solid apps for many use cases. But there are scenarios where native development — building separately for iOS (Swift) and Android (Kotlin) — delivers results that cross-platform can't match.
1. Performance-critical applications
Native apps run directly on the device's operating system without an abstraction layer. For apps that process real-time data or render complex animations, this performance advantage is noticeable.
Our work on IBI Smart required sub-200ms order execution with real-time price updates for thousands of securities. A cross-platform framework would have added latency that's unacceptable in financial trading.
2. Better security posture
Native apps have direct access to platform security features: Keychain (iOS), KeyStore (Android), hardware-backed encryption, and biometric APIs. For healthcare, finance, and government apps where security certification is required, native development simplifies the audit process.
3. Superior device integration
Camera controls, Bluetooth LE, NFC, motion sensors — native SDKs expose full device capabilities immediately when new OS versions release. Cross-platform frameworks lag, sometimes by months.
4. Platform-specific UX
iOS users expect swipe-back navigation and haptic feedback. Android users expect Material Design patterns and back button behavior. Native development lets you build experiences that feel correct on each platform.
5. Long-term maintainability
Native code integrates seamlessly with each platform's development ecosystem. When Apple or Google introduces breaking changes (which happens annually), native projects typically require less adaptation.
When cross-platform is the better choice
Cross-platform makes sense when your app is content-driven, budget is limited, speed to market is critical, or you don't use specialized hardware features.
Frequently asked questions
Is native development twice as expensive? Not exactly. The additional cost is typically 40-60% more than cross-platform, not 100%.
Can we start cross-platform and switch to native later? None of the cross-platform code transfers. It's effectively a rewrite. Discuss the tradeoffs upfront.
Need help deciding? We evaluate each project individually.