Both frameworks ship excellent apps, so the question is never which one is better. It is which one fits this client, this team and this product. We settle it with four questions.
1. Who maintains it after launch?
If the client's team already writes React or TypeScript, React Native lets them own the app without learning a new language. If they are starting fresh, that advantage disappears.
2. How much native work is there?
Apps that lean on Bluetooth, background location or custom camera work spend more time in native code either way. We check which framework has mature, maintained libraries for the exact features on the roadmap.
3. How custom is the interface?
Flutter draws every pixel itself, which makes highly custom, brand-heavy interfaces consistent across platforms. React Native uses native components, which makes apps feel at home on each platform with less effort.
4. Is there a web app too?
When a product needs a web app alongside mobile, sharing logic and types with a React web codebase is a real saving over the life of the product.
Our default
With no strong pull either way, we pick the stack the client's future team is most likely to hire for.
- Mobile
- React Native
- Flutter
