Why teams choose React Native
React Native is an open-source framework created at Meta and used in production by large consumer apps and small startups alike. You write your app in React, and React Native renders it with the platform’s own native components. Buttons, lists and text inputs behave the way iPhone and Android users expect, because they are the platform’s own controls.
For many businesses, the biggest advantage is people. React is one of the most widely used front-end libraries, so React Native lets your web developers contribute to mobile, and makes it easier to hire and to hand the project to another team later.
The second advantage is speed of delivery. Most of the code, typically the large majority, is shared between iOS and Android. Features, fixes and tests are written once. With fast refresh, developers see changes in the running app almost instantly.
The third is flexibility. When an app needs a platform capability that is not available in JavaScript, we write a native module in Swift or Kotlin and call it from React Native. You get cross-platform efficiency where it makes sense and native code where it is needed.
Where React Native fits best
We recommend React Native for:
Companies with a React web app or React team
Developers, patterns, design tokens and some business logic can be shared between web and mobile.
MVPs and new products
One team reaches both stores and you learn from real users sooner.
Content, commerce and community apps
Feeds, catalogues, checkout, profiles and messaging, where native look and feel matters.
Business and field apps
Forms, approvals, offline data capture, barcode scanning and dashboards for staff on the move.
Apps that need over-the-air updates
JavaScript changes can be shipped quickly between store releases, within Apple’s and Google’s rules.
Rescuing an existing React Native app
Upgrading old versions, stabilising crashes and adding the tests and release process the project never had.
Where we would steer you elsewhere
React Native is not the right answer for every product, and we would rather say so before you invest.
If your app depends mostly on deep platform features, such as advanced augmented reality, complex background processing, Bluetooth hardware control, or iOS widgets and Live Activities as core functionality, native development in Swift and Kotlin is often simpler and more predictable.
If you do not have React developers and your priority is a highly custom, pixel-identical design on both platforms, Flutter may be the better fit. And if what you need is a fast, search-friendly website rather than an app, Next.js is the right tool.
React Native versus Flutter: how we decide
We build with both, so we can compare them on your requirements rather than on preference.
Choose React Native when
your team already knows React or TypeScript, when you want to share code or developers with a React web app, when native platform look and feel matters, or when you rely on libraries from the JavaScript ecosystem.
Choose Flutter when
you want one custom design rendered identically on every device, when your team has no React background, or when you plan to target desktop and embedded screens from the same codebase.
Both are mature, both run large production apps and both can deliver excellent results. The deciding factors are usually your team, your design and your roadmap.
What we build with React Native
Consumer apps
Onboarding, profiles, feeds, subscriptions, push notifications and in-app purchases, with analytics from day one.
E-commerce and marketplace apps
Catalogues, search, carts, payments, order tracking and seller or provider apps that share a backend.
Booking and on-demand apps
Scheduling, maps, real-time status, chat and payments for customers and service providers.
Business and field service apps
Offline-first forms, photo capture, barcode and QR scanning, signatures and sync with your CRM or ERP.
Apps with AI features
Chat assistants, recommendations, document and image recognition and personalisation, designed with our AI development team.
Takeovers and upgrades
Auditing an existing app, upgrading React Native and its libraries, moving to the new architecture and fixing the issues that block releases.
How we structure React Native projects
A React Native codebase can stay pleasant to work on for years, or become fragile within months. The difference is decided early, so we set these foundations before building features.
TypeScript throughout
Typed components, API responses and navigation parameters catch whole classes of bugs before they reach users.
Feature-based folders
Code is organised by what the user does, such as onboarding, checkout or profile, so features can be built, tested and changed in isolation.
Clear state management
Server data handled with TanStack Query, and app state with Redux Toolkit or Zustand, chosen to suit the app and applied consistently.
Typed navigation
React Navigation or Expo Router with deep linking configured from the start, so links from emails and notifications open the right screen.
Current architecture
New projects use React Native’s new architecture and the Hermes engine for faster start-up and smoother interaction. Native modules are written in Swift and Kotlin when needed.
Environments and secrets
Separate development, staging and production builds, each with its own API endpoints and keys.
Expo or bare React Native
Expo is a set of tools and services on top of React Native, and it is now the recommended way to start most new React Native apps. It handles native configuration, provides well-maintained modules for the camera, notifications, location and more, and offers cloud builds and over-the-air updates.
We use Expo for most new projects. When an app needs unusual native code, Expo’s development builds and config plugins still let us add it. For older apps built without Expo, we can keep the existing setup, or migrate gradually when it reduces maintenance. We decide this per project and explain the trade-offs.
Backends and integrations
Firebase
Authentication, Firestore, Cloud Functions, Cloud Messaging, Remote Config and Crashlytics for fast launches with managed infrastructure.
Custom APIs
Built in Laravel or Node.js with PostgreSQL or MySQL when your data, reporting or compliance needs call for it.
Payments
Stripe, Razorpay, Apple Pay, Google Pay and in-app subscriptions.
Maps and location
Google Maps, Mapbox and background location where permitted.
Commerce and content
Shopify, WooCommerce and headless CMS platforms.
Analytics and messaging
Firebase Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude, OneSignal and customer messaging tools.
Technology stack
| Area | What we typically use |
|---|---|
| Framework and language | React Native, TypeScript, Expo |
| Navigation | React Navigation, Expo Router |
| State and data | TanStack Query, Redux Toolkit, Zustand |
| UI | Native components, Reanimated, Gesture Handler, NativeWind |
| Native code | Swift, Kotlin, Expo modules |
| Backend | Firebase, Node.js, Laravel |
| Storage | MMKV, SQLite, secure storage |
| Testing | Jest, React Native Testing Library, Detox, Maestro |
| Delivery | EAS Build, EAS Update, Fastlane, TestFlight, Google Play Console |
| Monitoring | Sentry, Firebase Crashlytics |
Our React Native development process
- 01
Discovery
We map your users, journeys and risks, confirm React Native is the right choice and agree on scope. You leave with a feature list and a rough timeline.
- 02
Design
UI and UX designs and a clickable prototype that respect iOS and Android conventions, built as a reusable component library.
- 03
Foundation
Project structure, TypeScript, navigation, environments, continuous integration and the API contract are set up before feature work starts.
- 04
Iterative build
One- to two-week sprints, each ending with a build you can install on your own phone.
- 05
Quality assurance
Automated tests, testing on real iOS and Android devices and manual testing of poor networks, interruptions and edge cases.
- 06
Store release
Listings, screenshots, privacy details and submission to the App Store and Google Play, including handling review feedback.
- 07
Post-launch
Crash and performance monitoring, analytics review, fixes, React Native upgrades and the roadmap for the next release.
Pricing and timelines
A React Native app usually costs noticeably less than building separate iOS and Android apps, because most code, testing and project management are shared. Published guides suggest savings of around 30 to 40 percent compared with two native apps. Typical published ranges are below.
| Scope | Published market range (USD) | Typical timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Basic app or MVP | about $25,000 to $55,000 | 2 to 4 months |
| Mid-complexity app | about $55,000 to $120,000 | 4 to 7 months |
| Complex, multi-role or regulated app | $120,000 to $250,000 or more | 6 to 10 months or more |
These are market-wide figures from published guides and vary by region, scope and team. The main cost drivers are the number of screens and user roles, backend work, integrations, real-time features, payments, offline support and design complexity. Plan for annual maintenance of roughly 15 to 25 percent of the initial build cost. Working with an India-based team usually changes the budget significantly compared with North American or Western European rates.
Quality, performance and release engineering
Performance
We profile on mid-range Android phones, where problems show up first. Long lists use virtualised components, images are cached and sized correctly, animations run on the UI thread with Reanimated and heavy work stays off the JavaScript thread.
Testing
Unit tests for business logic, component tests for screens and their loading, empty and error states, and end-to-end tests for sign-up, checkout and other critical journeys, run on every pull request.
Release pipeline
Builds, signing, versioning and store submission are automated. Over-the-air updates deliver JavaScript fixes quickly, while native changes go through the stores, always within Apple’s and Google’s guidelines.
Upgrades
React Native, iOS and Android all change every year. We keep dependencies current and upgrade in small steps, so your app never falls so far behind that an upgrade becomes a rewrite.
Sharing code with your React web app
If you already have a React or Next.js web app, React Native lets you share more than skills. Business logic, validation rules, API clients, types and design tokens can live in a shared package used by both. Interface components are usually written separately for web and mobile, because each platform has its own patterns, but the parts that hold your business rules stay in one place. We set up the monorepo and tooling so both teams can work without getting in each other’s way. See our React.js development services for the web side.
Frequently asked questions
How much does React Native app development cost?
Published market ranges start at around $25,000 for a basic app or MVP and rise past $120,000 for complex apps with several user roles and integrations. React Native typically saves around 30 to 40 percent compared with building two native apps. We give you a fixed estimate after discovery.
How long does it take to build a React Native app?
A basic app or MVP usually takes two to four months to reach the stores. Mid-complexity apps take four to seven months, and complex apps longer. Timelines depend on decisions and content as much as on engineering.
Is React Native good for production apps?
Yes. React Native is used in production by large consumer and enterprise apps. Its new architecture and the Hermes engine have improved start-up time and responsiveness, and native modules cover anything the framework does not.
React Native or Flutter: which should I choose?
Choose React Native if your team knows React, you want to share code with a React web app or you want platform-native look and feel. Choose Flutter for a single custom design rendered identically everywhere. We build with both and recommend based on your project.
Can you take over or upgrade an existing React Native app?
Yes. We audit the code, dependencies and release process, upgrade React Native in safe steps, fix crashes and performance problems and add the tests and pipeline the project needs to keep moving.
Do you use Expo?
For most new apps, yes. Expo speeds up development and releases, and its development builds still allow custom native code. For existing apps without Expo, we either keep the current setup or migrate gradually when it reduces maintenance.
Can React Native access device features like the camera, GPS and Bluetooth?
Yes. Most device features are available through well-maintained libraries. When something is not, we write a native module in Swift or Kotlin and connect it to your app.
Who owns the source code and app store accounts?
You do. The code, designs and store listings belong to your company, and we recommend registering the Apple Developer and Google Play accounts in your company’s name.
Do you offer support after launch?
Yes. We offer maintenance plans and reserved engineering hours for monitoring, fixes, React Native and OS upgrades and new features.