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Software & Cloud Development

Hybrid and cross-platform app development

Most organizations need their app on both iPhone and Android, and maintaining two separate codebases doubles the work. Cross-platform frameworks let one team build and maintain a single codebase for both, with native code added only where an app needs it. We help you choose the right framework and build apps that still feel at home on each platform.

Discuss your project How the work is delivered

A good fit if

  • You need the same app on iOS and Android and want to control build and maintenance costs.
  • Your internal developers know JavaScript, TypeScript, Dart or C# and will help maintain the app.
  • The app is mainly forms, lists, data and workflows, rather than heavy graphics or unusual hardware.
  • You want to share code or design components with a web application.
  • An existing hybrid app built on an older framework needs modernizing.

Another approach may suit you better if

  • The app depends heavily on the newest platform features on release day, or on intensive graphics. Native iOS and Android development may suit you better.
  • Only one platform matters for your users. A single native app may be simpler.

What this service is

Hybrid and cross-platform app development means building one app that runs on both iOS and Android from a shared codebase. Instead of two teams writing the same features twice, one team builds them once, and the framework produces an app for each platform. Where an app needs something the framework cannot do, we add a small amount of native code.

We use this approach when it fits the app, not by default. Some apps are better native, and we will say so. See iOS app development and Android app development for those cases.

Frameworks we work with

  • Flutter (Dart). Consistent visuals across platforms, strong performance and a single rendering engine. A good fit for branded customer apps.
  • React Native (JavaScript or TypeScript). Native interface components and the ability to share logic and skills with React web applications.
  • .NET MAUI (C#). A natural choice for organizations whose developers and back-end systems are built on Microsoft technologies.
  • Ionic with Capacitor, and progressive web apps. Web technologies packaged as an app, or installed from the browser, when sharing code with a website matters most.

We also modernize older hybrid apps built with Cordova or earlier framework versions, moving them to supported technology without losing features or users.

When cross-platform makes sense

Cross-platform development suits apps built around forms, lists, content, bookings, payments and workflows, which describes most customer and business apps. It lowers build and maintenance costs because features, fixes and tests are written once. It also makes it easier to keep both versions in step, so Android users are not left waiting for features iPhone users already have.

It is less suitable for apps that depend on intensive graphics, specialized hardware or new platform features the day they are released. In those cases native development, or a cross-platform app with more native modules, is the better call.

Sharing code with the web

Cross-platform apps can share more than code between iOS and Android. With React Native, business logic, validation rules and API clients can be shared with a React web application; with a progressive web app, the same code serves the browser and the home screen. Shared design components keep the app consistent with your web platform, and one set of APIs serves every channel. This reduces duplicate work and keeps rules consistent wherever customers and staff use your services.

Quality on both platforms

A shared codebase does not mean identical behaviour. iOS and Android users expect different navigation, back behaviour, dialogs and gestures, and we adapt the app where it matters. Every release is tested on real devices on both platforms, including accessibility with VoiceOver and TalkBack. Apps can be localized in English and French, and privacy disclosures for both stores are prepared from what the app actually collects.

Costs are planned release by release with estimates in CAD. Managed-service clients can include the app's backend in 24/7 monitoring and support, with response targets set in the service agreement. For the full path from idea to launch, see mobile app development.

What is included

The exact list is agreed in writing for each project. These are the usual deliverables and the usual boundaries.

Typical deliverables

  • A framework assessment comparing Flutter, React Native, .NET MAUI and progressive web app options for your app.
  • Shared designs adapted to iOS and Android conventions where they differ.
  • The app built from one codebase, with native modules where needed.
  • Integration with your backend, identity provider and other systems.
  • Push notifications, crash reporting, and analytics that respect consent choices.
  • Automated builds and tests for both platforms from one pipeline.
  • Testing on real iOS and Android devices, including accessibility checks.
  • Store releases on both platforms, or private distribution to managed devices.
  • Documentation covering the framework version, native modules and upgrade steps.

Not included unless agreed separately

  • Apple and Google developer program fees, and test devices.
  • Third-party SDK or component licences, billed to you with your approval.
  • Backend systems outside the agreed scope.
  • Ongoing support after handover, unless covered by a separate agreement.

What we will need from you

Most delays in this kind of work come from access and decisions, not from the technical build. Knowing these early keeps the project predictable.

  • Apple and Google developer accounts in your organization's name.
  • Access to the APIs and systems the app must use.
  • Information about your team's skills if they will maintain the app.
  • A product owner who can approve designs and releases.
Delivery

How the work is delivered

Each stage ends with something you can review before the next one starts.

  1. Assess the framework

    Compare frameworks against your features, device needs, team skills and long-term support, and write down the choice.

    Output: Framework recommendation.

  2. Design

    Design once, then adapt navigation, controls and gestures where iOS and Android users expect different behaviour.

    Output: Approved designs and prototype.

  3. Build

    Build shared code in short iterations, adding native modules for features the framework cannot reach directly.

    Output: Test builds for both platforms.

  4. Test and release

    Test on real devices on both platforms, check accessibility, then release to both stores or deploy privately.

    Output: Released apps.

  5. Maintain

    Upgrade the framework on a planned schedule and keep native modules aligned with new operating system versions.

    Output: Maintenance plan and regular updates.

Testing and handover

  • Every release is tested on real iOS and Android devices, not only on one platform or in simulators.
  • Platform differences in navigation, back behaviour and system dialogs are checked on each platform.
  • VoiceOver and TalkBack are checked on key screens.
  • Native modules are documented, including why each one exists and how to update it.
  • Framework and dependency versions are recorded, with a tested upgrade procedure.

What affects the cost

We do not publish package prices. Each estimate is based on an agreed scope, in Canadian dollars, with taxes shown separately. These are the things that move the number most:

  • The number of screens and features.
  • The number of native modules needed for device features.
  • Integrations with backends and other systems.
  • Offline operation and data synchronization.
  • Upgrading or rewriting an existing hybrid app.

Questions buyers usually ask

Is a cross-platform app slower than a native one?

For most business and customer apps, modern frameworks perform well and users do not notice a difference. Apps with heavy animation, 3D graphics or intensive processing can benefit from native code, and we will tell you if yours is one of them.

Flutter or React Native?

Both are mature. React Native suits teams that already work in JavaScript or TypeScript and React, and can share logic with a React web app. Flutter gives very consistent visuals across platforms and strong performance. .NET MAUI suits organizations built around Microsoft and C#. We recommend based on your app and your team.

What is the difference between hybrid and cross-platform?

Older hybrid apps, built with tools such as Cordova or Ionic, run a web page inside an app shell. Cross-platform frameworks such as Flutter and React Native draw native-quality interfaces. We still use web-based approaches, such as Ionic with Capacitor or a progressive web app, when sharing code with a website matters most.

Can we use device features such as the camera and Bluetooth?

Yes. Frameworks provide plugins for common features, and we write small native modules for anything they do not cover.

How do we avoid getting stuck on an old framework version?

By upgrading regularly rather than once every few years. We plan framework upgrades into maintenance and keep native code small and documented, so each upgrade stays manageable.

Service

Mobile app development

One app taken from idea to the App Store and Google Play, through discovery, design, build, testing, release and improvement based on real use.

Service

iOS app development

Native iPhone and iPad apps built in Swift and SwiftUI, released on the App Store or distributed privately to company-managed devices.

Service

Android app development

Native Android apps in Kotlin for phones, tablets and rugged devices, published on Google Play or deployed privately through Android Enterprise.

Need your app on both iPhone and Android?

Tell us what the app should do, who will use it and who will maintain it. We will reply to arrange a conversation about the right framework before anything is priced.

Discuss a cross-platform app