The debate about native vs. cross-platform development has been going on for years.
On one side, we have non-native frameworks like React Native and Flutter that offer reactive cross-platform development. On the other side, we have newer frameworks from Apple and Google, such as SwiftUI and Jetpack Compose, aiming to simplify the development process while ensuring a native, performant experience.
As Apple and Google continue to evolve their ecosystems, one might expect the number of new apps based on React Native and Flutter to decline.
Is this really the case? Not exactly. In fact, quite the opposite trend appears to be happening.
Cross-Platform Usage Trends Since 2020
Appfigures analyzed all new apps and games released each year since 2020, comparing the share of apps built using Flutter, React Native, and native technologies. These two frameworks were selected as the most popular cross-platform SDKs for mobile development across both app stores.
In 2020, the data shows that new apps and games developed with React Native or Flutter accounted for 7% of all apps released that year. In absolute terms, more than 125,000 apps and games using these frameworks were published on the App Store and Google Play.
By 2021, this figure had grown to 12%. Fast forward to 2024, SDK usage data indicates that 15% of new mobile apps and games were built using one of these two cross-platform frameworks.
While 15% may seem like a modest share, the fact that it has more than doubled in just a few years is notable — especially considering Apple and Google’s active efforts to make native development more accessible, adds NIX Solutions.
We’ll keep you updated as more data emerges, but this steady growth of cross-platform frameworks is an interesting development in the current mobile landscape.
Revenue and Download Impact
The next question is: How much revenue and how many downloads are these apps generating?
According to Appfigures Intelligence, over the past year, apps built with React Native and Flutter generated nearly $8 billion in net revenue — that is, revenue after the stores’ share. They also accumulated 6 billion downloads. To put this in perspective, these apps account for approximately 9% of total net revenue generated by the stores and 6% of all downloads.
While still a relatively small piece of the overall market, these numbers are significant and expected to grow further in 2025.