What Costs More: Native Apps or Cross-Platform Development?

When someone asks me about app development costs, I usually counter with this question: Are you looking at the price tag or the total cost of ownership? Because honestly, there's a massive difference between what you pay upfront and what your app actually costs you over its lifetime.

I've been building mobile apps for years now, and this native vs cross-platform cost debate never gets old. Every client wants to know which option will save them money—and the answer isn't as straightforward as most people think. Sure, cross-platform development sounds cheaper on paper. Build once, deploy everywhere, right? But I've seen plenty of projects where that "cheaper" option ended up costing more than going native from the start.

The truth is, mobile app development costs aren't just about the initial build. They're about maintenance, updates, performance optimisation, and user experience over time. A native app might cost £50,000 upfront whilst a cross-platform version costs £30,000, but what happens when you need to add platform-specific features six months later? Or when performance issues start affecting your user ratings?

The cheapest option today isn't always the most cost-effective choice tomorrow

What really gets me is how many businesses focus entirely on development pricing without considering their long-term mobile app budget. They'll choose cross-platform to save £20,000 upfront, then spend twice that fixing problems that wouldn't have existed with native development. That's why understanding the real cost picture—not just the initial quote—matters so much when you're making this decision.

Understanding Development Costs: The Real Picture

Right, let's talk money. And I mean really talk about it—not the sanitised version you'll find in most development articles that pretend everything costs exactly £50,000.

After building hundreds of apps over the years, I can tell you that development costs are about as predictable as British weather. One day you think you know what you're dealing with, the next day everything's changed and you're wondering where your budget went.

The truth is, asking whether native or cross-platform costs more is a bit like asking whether a car or a motorbike is more expensive. It depends on what you're buying, how far you want to go, and what bells and whistles you need along the way.

What Actually Drives Your Development Costs

Here's what really affects your app budget, regardless of which development approach you choose:

• App complexity and the number of features you want
• Custom design requirements versus using standard components
• Third-party integrations and APIs you need to connect
• Backend development and server infrastructure
• Security requirements and compliance standards
• Testing across different devices and operating systems
• Project timeline—rush jobs always cost more

I've seen simple apps cost £15,000 and complex ones reach £200,000+. The development approach matters, sure, but its often not the biggest cost driver. A simple native app will almost always cost less than a complex cross-platform one.

What catches most people off guard isn't the initial development cost—it's everything that comes after. Maintenance, updates, new feature requests, and scaling your infrastructure as you grow. These ongoing app costs can easily match your initial development investment within two years.

The smart approach? Start with a clear understanding of what you actually need versus what you think you want. That's where the real savings begin.

Native App Development: What You're Actually Paying For

When clients ask me about native app development costs, I always start with this: you're not just paying for an app—you're paying for two completely separate apps. One for iOS, one for Android. Different programming languages, different development environments, different everything really.

The iOS version gets built in Swift (or Objective-C if we're feeling nostalgic), whilst the Android version needs Java or Kotlin. That means your development team needs expertise in both platforms, which immediately doubles your developer requirements. And here's where it gets expensive: good native developers aren't cheap, especially ones who really know their stuff.

But what are you actually getting for that extra cost? Performance, mainly. Native apps run faster because they're built specifically for each platform—they speak the device's language fluently rather than through a translator. Your app will feel snappier, animations will be smoother, and you'll have access to every single feature the phone offers.

The Hidden Development Multiplier

Here's something that catches people out: its not just the initial build that costs double. Every update, every bug fix, every new feature needs to be implemented twice. Found a problem with the payment system? You're fixing it on both platforms. Want to add a new feature? Double the work again.

Testing becomes more complex too. You're not just checking if the app works—you're checking if it works perfectly on dozens of different Android devices and multiple iOS versions. That testing time adds up quickly in your development budget.

Budget for ongoing maintenance costs when choosing native development—plan for roughly 15-20% of your initial development cost annually for updates and improvements across both platforms.

Cross-Platform Development: Breaking Down the Numbers

Right, let's talk about cross-platform development costs—because honestly, this is where things get a bit more straightforward than the native route. When you're building with React Native or Flutter, you're essentially getting two apps for less than the price of building them separately. But it's not quite as simple as "half the cost" like some people think.

From my experience, a typical cross-platform app will cost you about 60-70% of what you'd pay for building separate native iOS and Android apps. So if native development would set you back £80,000 for both platforms, you're looking at roughly £45,000-55,000 for the cross-platform version. Not bad, right?

What Makes Up Cross-Platform Costs

The beauty of cross-platform is in the shared codebase—you write once and deploy everywhere. But there are still platform-specific bits that need attention. Here's what you're actually paying for:

• Single development team (usually 2-4 people instead of 6-8)
• Shared UI components and business logic
• Platform-specific integrations and tweaks
• Testing across both iOS and Android devices
• App store submissions for both platforms

The catch? Some features still need native code. Push notifications, camera integrations, and payment systems often require platform-specific work. I've had projects where we saved 40% on development but spent an extra week getting the camera to work properly on older Android devices—it happens!

One thing people don't always consider is the ongoing maintenance. You're maintaining one codebase instead of two, which means updates and bug fixes are generally cheaper and faster. When iOS releases a new version, you're not scrambling to update two separate apps.

Hidden Costs That Catch Everyone Out

Right, let's talk about the costs that'll make you spit out your tea when they show up on the invoice. I've seen clients budget £20,000 for an app only to end up spending £35,000—and that's not because we're trying to fleece anyone. It's because there are genuine costs that people just don't think about upfront.

First up: third-party integrations. Oh, you want to accept payments? That's Stripe fees. Push notifications? Firebase costs. Analytics? Google Analytics is free, but proper app analytics tools like Mixpanel or Amplitude? They start charging once you hit a certain number of users. These aren't development costs per se, but they're ongoing expenses that add up quickly.

The Publishing Nightmare

App store fees catch everyone out. Apple charges £79 per year for their developer programme, Google Play is £20 one-time. Sounds reasonable, right? But then there's app store optimisation, which can cost thousands if you want it done properly. Screenshots, descriptions, keyword research—it's basically marketing, and marketing costs money.

The app store submission process alone can add weeks to your timeline and thousands to your budget if you're not prepared for the back-and-forth with reviewers

Maintenance: The Never-Ending Story

Here's what really gets people: maintenance costs. iOS updates twice a year, Android even more frequently. Each update can break something in your app. I usually tell clients to budget 15-20% of their initial development cost annually for maintenance and updates. That £30,000 app? You're looking at £4,500-6,000 per year just to keep it running smoothly. Cross-platform apps actually have an advantage here—one codebase means fewer things to maintain, though you're still dealing with platform-specific issues when new OS versions roll out.

When Native Makes Financial Sense

Right, let's talk about when spending extra on native development actually pays off—because honestly, it's not as often as people think, but when it does, the difference is massive.

Performance is the big one. If you're building something that needs to squeeze every bit of power from the device, native wins hands down. I'm talking about apps with heavy graphics, real-time processing, or anything that pushes the hardware. Gaming apps, photo editing tools, AR experiences—these need native code to run smoothly. Cross-platform just cant match that raw performance when it matters.

Then there's platform-specific features. You know what? Sometimes you really do need those unique iOS or Android capabilities that cross-platform frameworks haven't wrapped yet. Advanced camera controls, specific security features, or the latest OS integrations—native gives you access to everything immediately, not months later when the framework catches up.

When Native Pays for Itself

• Apps requiring maximum performance (games, media editing, AR/VR)
• Heavy use of platform-specific hardware features
• Apps where user experience directly impacts revenue
• Long-term projects with dedicated platform teams
• Apps targeting power users who notice performance differences

Here's something most people miss—if your app generates significant revenue per user, the extra development cost becomes irrelevant pretty quickly. A fintech app that earns £50 per user monthly can justify the native premium because user retention and satisfaction directly impact the bottom line.

And if you've already got separate iOS and Android teams? Well, native might actually be more efficient since your developers can work in their strongest languages without learning new frameworks.

When Cross-Platform Saves You Money

Right, let's talk about when cross-platform development actually makes financial sense—because it's not always the cheaper option, despite what many people think. I've seen plenty of projects where going cross-platform saved clients a fortune, but I've also seen cases where it ended up costing more than native development would have.

The sweet spot for cross-platform savings is when you need to launch on both iOS and Android with similar functionality. If your app doesn't require heavy platform-specific features—think social media apps, productivity tools, or content-based applications—you could be looking at 30-40% cost savings compared to building two separate native apps.

Where Cross-Platform Really Shines

Here's where I typically recommend cross-platform to save on app development cost: startups with limited budgets who need to test their concept quickly across both platforms. The speed advantage is huge; you can get to market in roughly 60% of the time it takes to build native apps for both platforms. That's not just development time saved, it's money in your pocket.

E-commerce apps are perfect candidates too. Most shopping functionality translates well across platforms, and the native development cost for building separate checkout flows, product catalogues, and user accounts would be painful for most budgets.

If your app's core features can be built using standard UI components and don't need deep integration with device hardware, cross-platform will likely save you 25-40% on your mobile app budget.

• Content and media apps (news, streaming, podcasts)
• Business and productivity tools
• Social networking platforms
• Basic e-commerce applications
• Educational and learning apps

The development pricing makes most sense when you factor in maintenance costs too. One codebase means one set of updates, one set of bug fixes, and one team managing everything. That's where the real long-term savings kick in.

Long-Term Cost Considerations

Here's where things get really interesting—and honestly, where most people get their calculations completely wrong. They focus so much on that initial development cost that they forget apps aren't a "build it once and you're done" kind of thing. They're living, breathing products that need constant care and feeding.

I've seen clients choose the cheaper upfront option only to find themselves spending twice as much over three years. It's a bit mad really, but it happens more often than you'd think. The thing is, your app's total cost of ownership includes everything: updates, new features, platform changes, security patches, and yes—the dreaded operating system updates that can break everything if you're not prepared.

The Maintenance Reality Check

Native apps generally cost more to maintain because you're essentially maintaining two separate codebases. When Apple releases iOS 17 or Google pushes out a major Android update, you need to test and potentially update both versions. That's double the work, double the testing, double the potential headaches.

Cross-platform apps? They have their own challenges. Sometimes a framework update can cause issues across both platforms simultaneously—which is either really convenient or a complete disaster, depending on how you look at it.

But here's the thing most people miss: maintenance costs aren't just about fixing bugs. They're about staying competitive. Your users expect new features, better performance, and fresh designs. The apps that survive long-term are the ones that evolve.

• Native apps: Higher ongoing costs but more flexibility for platform-specific features
• Cross-platform apps: Lower maintenance overhead but potential framework dependencies
• Both approaches: Regular updates, security patches, and feature additions are non-negotiable
• Budget planning: Expect to spend 15-20% of your initial development cost annually on maintenance

The smart money plans for at least three years of development costs upfront. Because that's when you'll really know which approach was the better financial choice.

Making the Right Choice for Your Budget

Right, let's get down to brass tacks. After years of having these conversations with clients, I can tell you that the "right" choice isn't always the cheapest one upfront—it's the one that makes the most sense for your specific situation and wallet over time.

Here's what I always tell people: if you've got a tight budget and need to test your idea quickly, cross-platform is probably your best mate. You'll spend around £15,000-£25,000 instead of £30,000-£50,000 for native apps on both platforms. That's a massive difference when you're bootstrapping or trying to prove market fit.

But—and this is important—if you know you're going to be iterating heavily, adding complex features, or you need that buttery-smooth performance users expect from premium apps, native might actually save you money in the long run. I've seen too many clients go cross-platform to save money upfront, only to spend more later when they hit technical limitations.

The cheapest option today isn't always the smartest financial decision tomorrow, especially when user retention and app store success are on the line

My advice? Be honest about your goals and timeline. If you're a startup wanting to move fast and learn quickly, cross-platform gets you there. If you're an established business looking to create something users will love and use daily, the extra investment in native development usually pays for itself through better user engagement and retention. And remember—whatever you choose, factor in those ongoing costs we talked about because they'll be there regardless of which path you take.

Right, let's wrap this up. After years of building apps both ways, I can tell you there's no universal answer to whether native or cross-platform costs more—it genuinely depends on what you're trying to build and where you want to take it.

If you're a startup with limited funds and need to test your idea across both iOS and Android quickly, cross-platform development will almost certainly save you money upfront. You'll get your MVP out faster and cheaper. But here's the thing—if your app takes off and you start needing platform-specific features or performance optimisations, those savings might disappear pretty quickly.

For established businesses with clear long-term goals and the budget to match, native development often proves more cost-effective over time. Yes, you'll pay more initially, but you won't hit those frustrating walls where the cross-platform framework just can't do what you need it to do.

The hidden costs are what really catch people out though. That cross-platform app that seemed like a bargain? Wait until you need to add complex animations, integrate with platform-specific APIs, or optimise performance for different screen sizes. Those "quick fixes" add up faster than you'd think.

My advice? Start with your user experience requirements and work backwards to the technology. Don't choose your development approach based on cost alone—choose it based on what will deliver the best experience for your users within your budget constraints. Because at the end of the day, an app that nobody wants to use is expensive regardless of how you built it.