You may find Native and Cross-platform app developments locking horns over which one is more advantageous for a customer. While developing a new business, it can be difficult for a person to decide which app development approach would be the best and which would be the most profitable with the least investment. In this blog, I will answer this question so you can easily decide what platform fits your business needs best.

Native Apps, a simple definition

In simple words, Native apps are platform unique and they are only developed for specific operating systems. Such as an app developed for Android will only work on Android and an app developed for iOS will only work on iOS. Like a person has a native language, an operating system has a native language too! and native apps are developed using those languages. Such as java is used for Android and swift is used for iOS. A single app can also run on two different operating systems but in that scenario, they are developed separately for both operating systems using a different codebase 

Examples of Native apps include: WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter

When developing Native apps is profitable? 

• When your customers are looking for an exclusive experience of the app

• When you are launching the first app 

• When you want to take advantage of the Operating System’s features

Cross-platform apps, a simple definition

Cross-platform apps are built to operate across multiple platforms unlink the native apps. Cross-platform apps are developed in web language and then embedded into native apps using plugins. The resulting app has multiple features present in it through development and accessed through the operating system, and it can work across different platforms. 

Examples of Cross platform apps include: Skype, Firefox, VLC media player

When developing Cross-Platform app is profitable?

• When you want your business app to be used at multiple platforms such as phones and web

• When you want to introduce new updates every now and then for the interest of your users 

• When you want to spend less on developing an app 

Cross-Examination of facts!

Features	Native Apps	Cross-Platform Apps
Advantages	Provides best UX, increased security, access to OS features	Reusable code, close to Native app feel, easy testing
Disadvantages	Expensive, difficult to develop, no code reusability, Limited usage	Limited features, slow in performance, Interaction with other native apps is poor
Cost	Highly costly	Cost Effective
Codebase	separate codebases- platform unique	single codebase
Development ease	Complex	Easy
Tools for creation	AppCode, Android Studio	React native, Flutter

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