Most Popular Cross-Platform App Development Frameworks in 2025

In 2025, companies are no longer deciding whether to build cross-platform apps - they are focused on choosing the best cross-platform development framework to balance speed, scalability, and user experience.

Cross-platform app development enables teams to deliver for iOS, Android, Windows, and the web using a single codebase, minimizing costs and maintenance while maximizing reach.

At Che IT Group, we help organizations design future-proof multiplatform app development solutions that align with their business logic and growth strategy.

What Is a Cross-Platform App Development Framework?

A cross-platform framework is a set of tools, libraries, and runtime environments that enable developers to build applications for multiple operating systems from a single, shared codebase.

The goal is to achieve native-like performance and UI consistency without duplicating effort for each platform.

The best cross-platform mobile app development frameworks in 2025 share three pillars:

• Performance - fast rendering and responsiveness close to native apps.
  
  
• UI/UX consistency - a uniform look and feel across devices.
  
  
• Integration flexibility - smooth connection with APIs and third-party tools.
  
  

Popular Cross-Platform Frameworks

Below are the top cross-platform mobile app frameworks of 2025, selected for their widespread adoption, robust community support, and proven real-world results.

Flutter

Backed by Google, Flutter remains the most widely used cross-platform framework worldwide. It uses the Dart language and compiles directly to machine code, achieving near-native speed and fluid UI animation.

Key advantages

• Unified codebase for iOS, Android, web, and desktop.
  
  
• Rich widget library for custom UIs.
  
  
• Strong performance even for graphics-heavy apps.
  
  
• Maintained by Google with excellent documentation.
  
  

Best suited for startups, MVPs, and consumer apps with high UI requirements.

📊 According to Statista’s 2025 Mobile Developer Survey, 46% of developers use Flutter as their primary framework - more than any other tool on the market.

React Native

React Native, developed by Meta, leverages JavaScript and React principles to deliver native-like apps across platforms.

Its strength lies in developer familiarity and a vast ecosystem of ready components.

Key advantages

• Mature community and plugin library.
  
  
• Supports live reload for instant testing.
  
  
• Integrates easily with native modules.
  
  
• Ideal for teams already using React for web.
  
  

Best for: enterprise solutions, social apps, and e-commerce platforms.

Many startups choose React Native for its rapid iteration cycle - an approach we describe in our MVP development process.

Kotlin Multiplatform (KMP)

Created by JetBrains, Kotlin Multiplatform enables developers to share business logic across platforms while maintaining native UIs for each system.

It is gaining momentum in 2025 as a hybrid solution between native and cross-platform models.

Key advantages

• Code sharing for Android, iOS, desktop, and web.
  
  
• Complete native UI control.
  
  
• Seamless integration with existing Kotlin projects.
  
  
• Officially supported by JetBrains and Google.
  
  

Best for: fintech and enterprise apps where security and native user experience are critical.

JetBrains’ Developer Ecosystem Report 2025 notes a 35% year-over-year increase in KMP adoption, especially in projects requiring hybrid architectures.

Ionic

Ionic is a web-based framework built on HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It runs inside a WebView, making it perfect for web-centric teams who need apps that work everywhere.

Pros

• Supports PWAs and hybrid mobile apps.
  
  
• Reusable components and Capacitor/Cordova plugins.
  
  
• Low learning curve for front-end developers.
  
  

Cons

• Slightly lower performance for graphics-intensive apps.
  
  
• Dependence on the browser engine for UI rendering.
  
  

Best for: internal tools, marketing apps, and content-driven solutions.

For example, a logistics client utilized a hybrid Ionic dashboard connected to a native backend - a cost-effective solution highlighted in our hybrid app portfolio.

.NET MAUI

.NET MAUI (Multi-platform App UI) is Microsoft’s successor to Xamarin, enabling C# developers to build cross-platform apps from a single project.

Key advantages

• Unified codebase for iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows.
  
  
• Full access to native APIs and controls.
  
  
• Strong integration with Azure and Microsoft services.
  
  
• Ideal for corporate ecosystems already using .NET.
  
  

Best for: enterprise software and internal systems that require reliability and security.

One Che IT Group client in the manufacturing industry used MAUI to create a mobile companion for its ERP system, syncing data securely via Azure Functions.

NativeScript

NativeScript provides direct access to native APIs via JavaScript, TypeScript, or Angular, eliminating the need for wrappers.

It combines developer productivity with native speed.

Key advantages

• 100% native UI and performance.
  
  
• Reuse of web skills (JS/TS).
  
  
• Tight integration with Angular and Vue.
  
  
• Active open-source community.
  
  

Best for: apps requiring real-time interaction, native sensors, or hardware integration (e.g., IoT dashboards or field tools).

Cross-Platform vs Native: When to Choose What

Performance Considerations

Native apps still hold a marginal advantage for GPU-intensive tasks, such as AR/VR or advanced gaming.

However, modern cross-platform frameworks now deliver 95–98% of native speed for most business applications.

Development Cost Comparison

Cross-platform apps reduce development time by 30–50% compared to maintaining two native teams.

Maintenance and updates also cost less since there’s only one codebase to manage.

Time-to-Market Analysis

Flutter and React Native excel in rapid MVP delivery, making them ideal for startups and innovation projects.

Native development is preferable when you require hardware-level optimization from the outset.

How to Choose the Right Framework

1. Team Expertise

A JavaScript-oriented team will excel with React Native or Ionic. Kotlin-based teams can leverage KMP with minimal retraining.

2. Vendor Reliability and Support

Frameworks from Google, Microsoft, and JetBrains ensure long-term stability and frequent updates.

3. UI Customization

Flutter’s widget system offers the most visual control and animation capability.

4. Framework Maturity

React Native and Ionic have the most extensive production track records, making them ideal for low-risk projects.

5. Performance and Capabilities

Apps that utilize real-time data or require custom hardware integration benefit from NativeScript or MAUI.

6. Security

Enterprise solutions often favor .NET MAUI and KMP for enhanced compliance and data governance.

7. Community and Learning Resources

Flutter and React Native lead with global communities and comprehensive documentation.

As your total match partner, Che IT Group helps evaluate these factors and select a framework that balances technical strength with business goals.

For outsourced project planning, see our outsourcing guide.

Real-World Success Stories

• A logistics startup built its MVP in Flutter, scaling to 50,000 users within a year without refactoring.
  
  
• A retail chain used React Native to launch a unified customer app across three regions.
  
  
• A SaaS platform adopted Kotlin Multiplatform to share 70% of code between Android and iOS, cutting delivery time by 40%.
  
  

Key Takeaways

• The best cross-platform frameworks of 2025 prioritize performance and community strength.
  
  
• Flutter leads in speed and UI, React Native excels in enterprise flexibility, and KMP is ideal for native hybrid use cases.
  
  
• The right choice depends on your team, the complexity of your product, and your long-term scalability plan.
  
  

With a clear strategy and the right technical partner, cross-platform mobile application development delivers exceptional value - fast, cost-effective, and built for growth.