10 Best Cross Platform Application Development Frameworks in 2025

Mobile applications are fast becoming a necessity for businesses. As smartphone adoption rates soar through the roof worldwide, companies are mulling their app development options. Cross platform app development gained immense popularity in recent years thanks to their wide-ranging benefits.

However, there are many cross-platform development frameworks out there, and the question remains: which cross-platform app development framework suits you best?

Before we delve into the details of the 10 most popular cross-platform application development frameworks in 2025, it’ll help to explain what cross-platform apps are and why they are so popular today.   

Let’s start by explaining cross-platform application development.

What is Cross-Platform App Development?

In simple words, cross-platform applications are a kind of software that can operate on multiple operating systems, i.e., iOS, Android, Windows, etc. What sets these apps apart from native apps is that they do not require separate codes for different platforms.

Instead, you write the code once, enabling the app to run on various platforms efficiently. The multi-platform app development approach is becoming the go-to development choice for many developers and mobile app development companies.

As a result, many cross–platform application development frameworks and tools have surfaced, overwhelming developers with a broad range of frameworks to choose from.

This is why we are writing this article: to help you choose the best cross-platform app development framework for developing incredible apps that function on various operating systems.

Benefits of Cross Platform Application Development Frameworks 

The primary benefit of using cross-platform app development frameworks is faster development. According to industry metrics, cross-platform apps are 30% quicker to build than creating apps separately. Faster time-to-market can be crucial in determining the success or failure of an app.  

Moreover, cross platform application development frameworks expand your app’s reach at a much cheaper cost than native app development.  

Creating two separate apps is not only time intensive, but it is also more expensive. This is approach is not always feasible, especially for small businesses and startups.

Cross-platform apps are the solution for this problem as you can reach a wider audience at a fraction of the cost compared to native apps. 

10 Most Popular Cross-Platform App Development Frameworks

Now, let’s look at the 10 best cross platform application development frameworks in 2025. 

1. React Native

It is hard to ignore React Native when talking about cross-platform app development frameworks. As a cross-platform development tool, React Native is built on JavaScript. It gives apps a native-like feel, allowing them to run smoothly on iOS and Android devices.

Moreover, React Native combines the benefits of React.JS and JavaScript. In addition to enabling developers to write modules in Swift, Objective-C, and Java, it also allows developers to execute heavy operations like video processing and image editing, which are typically not part of the framework APIs.

React Native is one of the top choices for developers and businesses alike due to its incredible features.

Features of React native:

• It is an open-source platform that boasts a large community of developers to support it.
• Another key benefit of React Native is that it runs on the WORA (write once, run anywhere) principle. This one-time coding eliminates the need for developers to write different codes for the same application on different platforms.
• WORA reduces your development time significantly, thus reducing the development costs.
• It supports third-party plugins.
• React Native helps you deliver exceptional user interfaces (UI) that require little to no time to load, making them highly responsive.

2. Ionic

Ionic is another leading cross-platform app development framework. It is built on Angular.JS and allows developers to use various programming languages (CSS, JavaScript, HTML5, etc.).

It helps developers add fantastic features to their apps besides delivering an excellent user interface (UI). Moreover, apps built using Ionic are responsive and native-like. It is also a good option for progressive web app development.

Leading features of Ionic:

• An open-source front-end framework that enables developers to alter the code structure to suit their specific requirements.
• It gives access to multiple UI parts that help you develop a powerful application.
• Ionic is built on the SAAS UI framework, making it even better for developing mobile apps.
• It is based on Angular.JS, which allows you to provide extensions to HTML syntax conveniently.
• Ionic uses Cordova plugins, letting you access in-built device features like GPS, camera, audio recorder, etc.

3. Xamarin

Xamarin is a cross-platform development framework that is significantly different from the frameworks previously discussed. It uses C# and .Net instead of JavaScript and HTML to develop Android, iOS, and Windows applications. Developers can use the same code (90%) to build apps for all three platforms.

As an open-source mobile app platform, Xamarin gives native-like application aesthetics due to its excellent APIs.

Top features of Xamarin:

• It uses C#, a cross-platform app development programming language that supports multiple paradigms.
• It uses specific APIs and plugins to reduce hardware compatibility problems.
• Xamarin gives native-like app capabilities, customization, and functionality. You can even link it with other native libraries, making it a formidable contender for cross-platform app development.
• It runs on WORA, reducing the app development cost and time.
• Xamarin offers compile-time checking, reduces run-time errors, and delivers a well-functioning app.
• It offers an amazing user interface, which gives it a native-like appearance.

4. Flutter

Back in 2017, Google introduced Flutter, a fantastic cross-platform app development framework. It is an SDK (software development kit) that enables developers to quickly and easily develop high-performing iOS and Android applications.

Leading features of Flutter: 

• It supports GPU, which allows the developer to work on modern interfaces by leveraging UI power.
• It comes with a reactive framework, eliminating the need for developers to update UI content manually.
• Flutter is cost-efficient and enables quick application development, making it the ideal choice for building an MVP (minimum viable product).
• You can remake a widget tree automatically and understand code adjustments.
• It offers an in-built graphic engine that eliminates the need for you to build separate interfaces for iOS and Android.

5. Node.JS

Node.JS is another impressive open-source, cross-platform server environment that runs on Linux, Windows, Unix, and others. It is essentially a JavaScript run-time framework based on the Chrome V8 JavaScript engine. You can use it to build scalable server-side networking applications.

It also makes it easy for you to build web applications by offering an extensive library of JavaScript modules. Moreover, node.js can handle multiple concurrent connections simultaneously.

Top features of Node.JS:

• Every API of Node.js is asynchronous, demonstrating how node. Js-based servers don’t have to wait for data from APIs; instead, the server moves on after calling the API. It has a notification alert that lets the server get a response from the API call.
• Node.js cross-platform applications output data in bits and chunks instead of buffering.
• It speedily executes the code because it is built on Chrome’s V8 engine.
• It employs a single-threaded model with event-looping capabilities to deliver a pleasant and well-functioning application.

6. PhoneGap

PhoneGap (Apache Cordova) is an excellent cross-platform application development framework that utilizes JavaScript, CSS, and HTML5. It lets developers share their apps in the cloud to get feedback from other developers.

As a cross-platform application development framework, PhoneGap uses existing web technologies to build impressive applications. Moreover, it completely supports a device’s in-built features like storage, phonebook, camera, GPS, etc.

Top features of PhoneGap:

• It is trendy among developers because it uses existing web technologies like JavaScript and HTML5 to build great cross-platform apps.
• PhoneGap supports using a single codebase to build top-notch applications for different frameworks.
• Its architecture supports plugins, enabling developers to extend their access to native device APIs in a modular manner.

7. Corona SDK

You can use Corona SDK to build 2D mobile applications for Windows, Kindle, and other major platforms. It is exceptionally good for game app development, as it offers a ten times faster development speed.

It uses Lua, a high-level, lightweight, multi-paradigm programming language that focuses on top features of app development speed, scalability, portability, and ease of use. Moreover, Corona SDK supports real-time testing and is free.

Leading features of Corona SDK:

• It offers over a thousand APIs, enabling your developers to sprite audio, music, animations, tween objects, etc.
• It is highly responsive to code changes and gives a real-time preview of an application as it would appear on a device.
• Corona SDK supports more than 200 plugins, which include media, analytics, in-app advertising, and more.
• It is a powerful and quick framework because it relies on Lua.

8. NativeScript 

NativeScript is a powerful open-source framework designed for crafting truly native-like mobile applications using familiar web technologies like JavaScript, TypeScript, or Angular. Developed by Progress Software, NativeScript empowers developers to create high-performance, cross-platform apps with native UI components.

Top features of NativeScript:

• Native UI Components: Unlike hybrid frameworks, NativeScript renders user interfaces using native components rather than web views. This approach ensures that apps have a native look and feel, providing a seamless user experience on both iOS and Android devices.
• Single Codebase: With NativeScript, developers can write a single codebase using JavaScript, TypeScript, or Angular and deploy the application across multiple platforms. This streamlines cross platform development efforts and reduces maintenance overhead.
• Direct Access to Native APIs: NativeScript offers direct access to native APIs, allowing developers to leverage platform-specific features and functionalities without sacrificing performance. This level of access enables the creation of feature-rich applications tailored to the unique capabilities of each platform.
• Framework Flexibility: Whether you prefer the simplicity of JavaScript, the type safety of TypeScript, or the power of Angular, NativeScript caters to diverse development preferences. Its flexibility and extensibility make it an ideal choice for developers of varying skill levels and backgrounds.

9. Framework 7

10. Framework 7 is a free open-source HTML framework made for making web applications and native-like hybrid mobile apps. It is an incredibly feature-rich platform which is primarily used for building mobile web apps, progressive web apps (PWAs), and hybrid apps using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. 

    Key features of Framework 7: 

    • Rich UI Components: It offers a comprehensive set of UI elements and widgets to create aesthetically pleasing apps with neat looks and feel. 
    • Integrations: Framework 7 supports integration with other popular frameworks, such as Vue.js and React. It helps developers transition between tools as they like. 
    • Custom Solutions: It is a highly customizable and flexible tool. Developers can design custom solutions using the platform’s flexible themes and styles. 

10. Kotlin Multiplatform 

JetBrains, the creator of the Kotlin programming language, has developed Kotlin Multiplatform (KMP) to enable Kotlin developers to share their Kotlin code across multiple platforms. It is an excellent multi-platform app development framework as it offers the best of native programming while letting you deploy your app code to diverse platforms like Linux, Windows, Android, iOS, macOS, etc.

Top features of Kotlin Multiplatform: 

• Shared Codebase: Kotlin Multiplatform allows developers to write shared business logic, data models, and networking code in Kotlin, which they can reuse across different platforms. This approach significantly reduces code duplication and improves code maintainability.
• Platform-Specific Implementations: While the core logic is shared, Kotlin Multiplatform provides mechanisms for writing platform-specific implementations or integrations when necessary. This allows developers to leverage platform-specific features and APIs while still benefiting from code sharing.
• Interoperability: Kotlin Multiplatform seamlessly interoperates with existing codebases written in Kotlin, Java, Swift, or Objective-C. This interoperability enables developers to gradually adopt KMP into their projects and leverage existing libraries and tools.
• Performance & Efficiency: Kotlin Multiplatform promotes code reuse and consistency by sharing code across platforms. This leads to improved development efficiency and reduced time-to-market. Additionally, Kotlin’s performance and conciseness contribute to the overall productivity of developers.

How to Choose the Right Cross Platform Application Development Framework 

There are plenty of other cross platform application development frameworks in the market. With so many options, how do you choose the right tool for your needs? Well, there are certain factors that go into making the right decision.  

1. Team Expertise  

Each cross-platform framework is based on a specific programming language. Therefore, before selecting any tool, check whether your team has the necessary technical expertise. 

For example, if your in-house team already has JavaScript developers, then it is best to go for React Native. 

2. Performance Needs 

Performance is a critical factor in cross-platform apps. Different cross platform application development frameworks have different performances. Flutter is ideal for applications that require complex UI transitions, while Ionic and Framework 7 perform better with web-based solutions. 

3. Community Support 

Availability of community resources is important for many developers. React Native has a large and active community, which means there are plenty of third-party libraries, plugins, and documentation available.  

Flutter, while newer, has seen rapid growth, thanks to Google’s support and its increasing adoption in the industry. Ionic and Framework7 are also popular among web developers, as they allow for rapid development using familiar technologies. 

4. Learning Curve 

React Native and Ionic are relatively easy to learn, especially for developers with JavaScript experience. Flutter has a steeper learning curve due to its use of Dart. However, if you need a solution that allows for fast development with minimal learning effort, Ionic and Framework7 are good choices. 

5. UI/UX Customization 

A framework’s ability to create a visually appealing and highly responsive UI is another important consideration. Depending on how important UI/UX is for your app, you need to know how easily a framework can customize UI/UX elements. 

Flutter allows for extensive UI customization thanks to its widget-based system. React Native also makes apps feel more consistent with the underlying operating system. 

Conclusion

The cross-platform app development industry is in constant flux as new tools and technologies emerge every year. If you’re looking to choose one of these frameworks for cross-app development, it would be best first to identify your requirements and the resources you have.

You can then make an informed decision about choosing a framework that best meets your needs. In case you need further assistance, contact us at [email protected] for a FREE consultation session. Xavor is a leading technology company based in Irvine, California.

Our capable web and mobile app development team has launched 100+ successful applications on the Play Store. Drop us a line today and tell us what you have in mind for your project.