There are different ways to build a mobile app. If you don’t have extensive coding knowledge, you can easily use no-code or low-code websites like AppGyver, Bubble, or Glide. However, if you want a more scalable, customizable, and feature-rich application, you might want to consider a mobile app development platform.
A mobile app development platform is a software program that provides the tools, frameworks, and resources that can be used to develop robust mobile apps. It typically includes pre-built templates, APIs, and libraries that simplify the app creation process. This makes them invaluable for both beginners and experienced developers.
With various platforms offering unique features and benefits, selecting the perfect fit can feel overwhelming. Therefore, this guide explores the best platforms for your mobile app development needs in 2025. Let’s dive right in!
Flutter
Developed by Google, Flutter is one of the most popular mobile app development platforms. It’s an open-source framework that allows developers to build cross-platform apps that work on Android, iOS, web, and desktop using a single codebase. This is achieved through Dart, Flutter’s programming language, which is both easy to learn and highly efficient.
Features of Flutter
- Single codebase: With Flutter, you can use one codebase to create an app for multiple platforms, which saves time that would have been spent on building separate apps for each platform.
- Hot reload: This feature lets developers quickly see the effects of changes made to the app’s code without restarting the entire application. Once you make and save a change, the updates are applied instantly, and the app reflects the modifications in real time. This feature is highly beneficial because it saves time.
- Rich widgets, plugins, and API ecosystem: Flutter provides a wide range of customizable widgets and a rich ecosystem of plugins and APIs. This empowers developers to create visually appealing, responsive user interfaces and seamlessly integrate a variety of functionalities into their apps.
- Fast performance: Flutter apps are compiled directly to native machine code, which results in smooth animations and minimal lag.
Apps like Google Ads, Google Pay, and eBay Motors use Flutter.
Xamarin
Developed by Microsoft, Xamarin is also an open-source and cross-platform mobile app development platform. It allows developers to create Android, iOS, and Windows mobile apps using a single shared codebase written in C#. It is especially popular among developers familiar with Microsoft technologies and the .NET ecosystem.
Features of Xamarin
- Single codebase with native performance: With Xamarin, developers can use a single codebase to create apps for multiple platforms, including Android, iOS, and Windows. Specifically, Xamarin allows developers to share up to 90% of the code across these platforms. Developers also have direct access to native APIs and tools. That is, you can use platform-specific features and APIs and achieve an appearance and performance that looks and feels almost identical to apps built specifically for each platform.
- Azure integration: As a part of Microsoft’s .NET ecosystem, Xamarin pairs seamlessly with Microsoft Azure services. Developers can use this to integrate features like cloud storage, AI, and backend services into their apps effortlessly.
- Hot reload: Xamarin also has the hot reload feature that allows developers to see the effects of changes made to the app’s code in real-time. This allows for more experimentation and helps them rectify bugs faster.
Apps like Slack and Tumblr are built using Xamarin.
Unity
Unity is another popular platform for developing cross-platform mobile apps, especially games and interactive content. The platform was, in fact, originally designed for gaming but has now evolved to support a wide range of interactive experiences. It is currently one of the most widely used game development engines. It has a powerful framework for creating interactive 2D, 3D, augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR) apps.
However, unity apps, especially 3D applications, can be resource-intensive, and optimizing them for lower-end devices may require extra effort, particularly for mobile games. This is why it’s not ideal for simple apps. Also, developers unfamiliar with game engines may not easily grasp the platform.
Features of Unity
- Cross-platform development: Unity supports over 25 platforms, including Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, WebGL, and consoles like PlayStation and Xbox. This cross-platform capability makes it the best choice for developers looking to release their apps across different environments without rewriting the code for each platform.
- Visual editor and tools: Unity offers a powerful visual editor that simplifies development, especially for artists and designers.
- 3D and 2D support: Unity is known for its 3D game development capabilities, and it also supports 2D game development.
- Real-time rendering: Like Xamarin and Flutter, Unity also allows developers to see changes in real-time as they make adjustments.
- Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR) support: Unity integrates well with popular AR/VR devices like the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and Microsoft HoloLens.
Unity has been the backbone for some of the most popular mobile games in the world, including hits like Pokémon Go, Among Us, and Call of Duty Mobile. The platform caters to diverse mobile game genres and audiences, powering even immersive casino titles. You can follow this website for a wide range of exciting real-money casino games.
Apache Cordova
Apache Cordova is an open-source mobile development framework that allows developers to build mobile apps using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It also enables the development of cross-platform mobile apps that run on Android, iOS, and other platforms using a single codebase.
However, while Cordova enables cross-platform development, the performance and optimization of apps may not be as high as those built with Flutter or Xamarin, which are designed to compile native code and provide better access to platform-specific features.
Features of Cordova
- Web technologies for app development: Cordova uses standard web technologies (HTML, CSS, and JavaScript), so there’s no need to learn platform-specific programming languages. Developers can also leverage their web development skills to create more interactive mobile apps.
- Cross-platform compatibility: Like Flutter and Xamarin, Cordova also allows developers to write one set of code that works on multiple platforms (Android, iOS, Windows Phone, etc.), greatly reducing development time and cost.
- Wide platform support: Cordova supports various platforms, including Android, iOS, Windows, and legacy platforms like BlackBerry.
Apps like Wikipedia, Sworkit, and Pacifica are built using Cordova.
React Native
Developed by Meta, React Native is another open-source framework that allows developers to build cross-platform apps with a single codebase.
The platform uses JavaScript and the React library, one of the most widely used programming languages. It’s known for its simplicity, flexibility, and strong performance.
Features of React Native
- Cross-platform development: React Native also allows developers to deploy codes across multiple platforms, primarily iOS and Android.
- Native-like performance: React Native also uses native components, meaning the app’s UI looks and feels like a native app.
- Hot reloading: React Native offers hot reloading, allowing developers to see code changes in real-time without restarting the entire app.
- JavaScript and React: React Native uses JavaScript, one of the most widely used programming languages, and React, a popular library for building user interfaces.
Companies like Instagram, Airbnb, and Tesla have used React Native to create parts of their mobile apps.
Conclusion
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to choosing the best mobile app development platform. The right choice depends on your specific needs, technical expertise, and project goals. With the options outlined above, you’re well-equipped to make an informed decision and bring your app idea to life. Besides the ones we covered, other platforms worth exploring include Ionic, Kotlin Multiplatform Mobile (KMM), and Swift.
