Building a mobile app today often comes down to a deceptively simple question: Should you go native or cross-platform?
On one side, you’ve got native apps, built in Swift for iOS or Kotlin/Java for Android. They’re tailored to each ecosystem, deeply integrated, and optimized for performance. On the other side, you’ve got React Native, a framework that lets you build for iOS, Android, and even the web, all from a single codebase written in JavaScript or TypeScript.
At first glance, the choice seems straightforward. However, when you dig into the trade-offs, team dynamics, and long-term costs, the decision gets more nuanced. That’s exactly what Kevin Erl, Team Lead at Delta Systems, unpacked in a recent episode of SaaS That App: Building B2B Web Applications.
What Native Apps Bring to the Table
Native apps are exactly what they sound like: applications built with the official tools and languages of iOS or Android. Think Xcode + Swift for Apple, or Android Studio + Kotlin/Java for Google.
The benefits are clear:
- Performance at the metal: When speed is everything (think 3D graphics, real-time data processing, or Bluetooth-heavy features), native development still reigns supreme. As Kevin explained, React Native’s JavaScript runtime is inherently single-threaded. It can handle most business apps fine, but if you’re building something that pushes hardware limits, native wins.
- Direct access to APIs and hardware: Features like Bluetooth sockets or low-level camera access can be simpler to implement natively since you’re not adding another abstraction layer.
- No middleman risk: If a React Native library breaks or gets abandoned, you might be left scrambling for a patch. With native code, you’re closer to the OS and less dependent on third-party maintainers.
However, as Kevin pointed out, these scenarios are now the exception, not the rule. Unless your product truly depends on bleeding-edge performance, the reasons to go fully native are shrinking.
Why React Native Has Become the Default
React Native started as a way for Facebook engineers to write once and run everywhere. Over time, it’s evolved into the go-to solution for most business applications, and for good reason.
Here’s why React Native has become the preferred choice:
- One Codebase, Many Platforms
Instead of building and maintaining two apps, you write one. That means fewer bugs, faster iterations, and lower long-term costs. No more situations where the iOS version has a feature Android doesn’t, or vice versa.
- Hiring Flexibility
Native apps require separate specialists for iOS and Android. With React Native, you can draw from the vast pool of JavaScript/TypeScript developers. As Kevin noted, it’s far easier for a web dev to slip into React Native than to suddenly pick up Kotlin or Swift.
- UI/UX Consistency
React Native allows design teams to think in one unified structure, closer to how the web works. Rather than forcing Android and iOS teams to mimic each other, you build once and deliver a consistent user experience.
- React Native for Web
Here’s where it gets really powerful: React Native isn’t limited to mobile. You can use React Native for Web to share components across your mobile apps and web interface. Delta Systems used this approach to modernize a client’s legacy web app and extend it into mobile, all while maintaining a single shared codebase.
The Business Impact
At the leadership level, the native vs. React Native debate isn’t just technical; it’s strategic.
- Cost of multiple codebases: Two teams, two backlogs, two sets of bugs. That’s double the payroll and double the risk of misalignment.
- Legacy challenges: For companies already running native apps, the question becomes whether to rebuild in React Native, maintain both, or slowly transition. Kevin notes that hybrid approaches are usually the worst-case scenario: costly, complex, and unsustainable.
- App store dynamics: Oddly enough, Kevin points out that sometimes being a step removed from the OS can actually make app store compliance easier. Google and Apple constantly shift their rules, and React Native libraries often absorb those changes so you don’t have to rewrite your code.
When Native Still Makes Sense
All of this isn’t to say native is dead. There are clear cases where native apps are the right call:
- High-performance use cases (gaming, complex 3D, streaming).
- Heavy reliance on platform-specific APIs (advanced Bluetooth, ARKit on iOS, etc.).
- Existing in-house expertise: If you already employ expert native developers, it may be cheaper to stick with what you have than to retrain or rehire.
As Kevin summarized, unless you have strong performance needs or strong staffing reasons, React Native is likely your better option.
Team Structure and Scaling Decisions
Perhaps the most overlooked part of the debate is team structure. For startups, this might be the deciding factor.
- With native, you need two teams (iOS + Android) plus a web team.
- With React Native, you can often cover web, iOS, and Android with a single team of JavaScript/TypeScript developers.
That efficiency matters, especially when every hire is critical. React Native gives small companies a way to scale faster without inflating headcount. For larger organizations, it helps keep platform parity and prevents one app (usually Android) from lagging behind.
Final Thoughts
In 2025, React Native is no longer the scrappy newcomer. It’s the default choice for most B2B and consumer-facing apps that need to run across platforms. Native apps still have their place, but it’s a shrinking niche.
If you’re a startup founder, CTO, or product manager weighing your options, here’s the bottom line:
Default to React Native unless you have a clear, compelling reason to go native.
Because in the end, the real debate isn’t about frameworks. It’s about building the right product with the right team.
Kevin’s Background
Kevin is a Team Lead at Delta Systems, bringing deep expertise in both native Android development and cross-platform mobile development using React Native. Originally joining Delta Systems through an acquisition as an Android developer, Kevin successfully transitioned to become proficient in React Native and Ruby on Rails, demonstrating exceptional adaptability and technical prowess. With a strong background in embedded systems and C++ development, he offers valuable insights on the strategic decisions between native mobile development and cross-platform solutions.
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