Top 10 Mobile App Development Platforms in 2024

Believe it or not, but on average, people check their phones at least 58 times a day. If you’re living in the United Arab Emirates, then the number can reach an astonishing 144 times, even more. Mobile technology has dominated the world. Users spend 88% of their time on mobile app browsing, emailing, gaming, shopping or spending time on social media. Whether it’s shopping, gaming, food, healthcare, education or dating, there’s a mobile app for just about everything. 

There are over 8.9 million applications around the world. Apple Store has over 1.64 million apps and the Google Play Store has over 3.55 million apps. Because of how massively the market for mobile apps is growing, it’s important that businesses must consider investing in a mobile app solution as well. But what goes into mobile apps? What is the very foundation on which a mobile app is built? It’s the platform. Today, we are going to discuss the top 10 mobile app development platforms. 

After all, choosing the right app development platform for mobile apps will ensure your mobile app works perfectly. So without further ado, let’s dig into the details. Let’s explore the different mobile app platforms. 

What is a Mobile App Development Platform? 

A mobile app development platform is a software program that offers the necessary tools and resources to develop mobile apps. The apps usually run on iOS and Android which holds 99.26% of mobile operating systems share worldwide. Such apps can also be web and window applications. 

The best app development platform and framework is one that includes the best features, integrations and services. Developers usually use these assets because they want to build, test and deploy a mobile application in a successful manner. 

What Are the Different Types of Mobile Application? 

There’s an increasing number of mobile applications circulating the market. Therefore, it’s important to understand the different types of platforms. Below, we have highlighted some of the best mobile application development platforms. They can help businesses and individuals to understand the impact & use more clearly.

Native App Development 

Native app development enables developers to create OS-exclusive apps using native API and relevant tools. Native app developers can build a separate variant of Android mobile app, and they can do the same for iOS.

Native apps are great for software specific businesses. Since they are designed to function on a specific hardware, they usually deliver an excellent experience for their respective users. They also have robust security parameters which ensures your data remains well protected. 

A perfect example of a native app is WhatsApp. It has separate versions for iOS and Android. Native apps are ideal for software specific businesses. 

Cross-Platform App Development 

Cross-platform mobile app development services require a single codebase to build an app solution that works on multiple operating systems. The best part about this approach is how it allows the code to be reusable, making it highly efficient. 

It helps businesses stay future-proof by adapting to shifting market demands. Unlike native app development, businesses don’t have to invest in separate platforms for different app bases; cross-platform solutions offer a much more cost-effective option compared to other development methods. 

Hybrid App Development 

Hybrid apps, as the name suggests, are hybrid in nature, meaning they can be downloaded and installed on multiple mobile platforms, including iOS and Android. These apps are developed in such a way that they allow developers to reuse the same code across different operating systems, making the development process more efficient. Apps like Instagram fall under the category of hybrid mobile apps. If you’re looking to build such apps, partnering with a hybrid mobile app development company can ensure the smooth and effective creation of cross-platform solutions.

Custom App Development

Last but not the least, custom app development allows businesses to build applications as per the unique needs and demands of customers. 

Why is custom app development the best solution for your next mobile app solution? In custom app development, you can design & develop the code of your mobile app as per your choice. You can add as many features as you want, and you can change the UI/UX design as per your preference. 

In a custom app, you gain full authority on how you want your app to be. Partnering with a custom app development company ensures that your vision is executed flawlessly. Uber is a perfect example of a custom app built to address the specific demands of ride-sharing and location-based services.

The 10 Best Mobile App Development Platforms to Consider in 2024 

Flutter 

Flutter is an open-source software. It’s one of the best mobile app development platforms. Powered by Google, Flutter builds, tests and deploys wonderful apps for mobile, web, and desktop platforms. It helps with designing beautiful mobile app experiences from a single code base. 

Flutter comes with a wide range of features. It makes it easy for developers to build responsive & fully optimized mobile applications. 

Whether it’s cloud-based integration, data storage, authentication, or any other requirement, Flutter application development services provide the perfect solution for creating top-tier mobile apps.

Pros: 

• It works on Dart programming language. 
• The app is easy to learn and use. 
• It has all the essential features and resources. 
• You can readily back it up on Google. 

Cons: 

• Doesn’t have any third-party libraries. 
• Flutter includes built-in widgets, which increases the app size to more than 4 MB which is relatively larger than Java (539 KB) and Kotlin (550 KB). 

React Native

React Native is an open-source app development platform. It’s created by Meta Inc. Developers usually use React Native app development to create app solutions which offer stunning visuals and leave a perfect aesthetic appeal. Besides, it offers file-based routing, enabling the developer to use any library, SDK or native code base using only the best robust developer tools. If you’re looking to build a seamless mobile app, partnering with a React Native app development company can ensure your project leverages the full potential of this dynamic platform. 

Pros: 

• Reduce development time and cost. 
• Decrease the time to market. 
• Offer pre-developed components. 
• Implement a smoother & faster experience. 

Cons: 

• Not a good interface.
• Shows updating issues. 

Ionic

Ionic is an open-source UI toolkit for building performant, high quality mobile apps using the latest web technologies such as HTML, CSS and JavaScript. It uses popular integration and frameworks such as Angular, React & Vue to build and install mobile apps. Ionic developers allow businesses to develop cross-platform solutions from a single code base. 

Pros: 

• Single code based development 
• Reduced cost and less time required for development 
• Easy to learn platform 
• A strong community with appropriate documentation 

Cons: 

• Lack of performance with native applications 
• No hot reloading 

.NET MAUI

.NET Maui brings a multi-platform mobile development platform for developers. It enables them to develop mobile apps which are of the native built. You can also create cross-platform desktop and mobile apps. With .NET Maui, it requires a single codebase which is built for productivity.

In fact, you can integrate Visual Studio with .NET MAUI. 

Pros 

• Quick, easy and less expensive. 
• NET CLI reduces code duplication. 
• Cross platform development with a single code base. 
• Great for ebooks and podcasts. 

Cons 

• Performance may appear a bit unstable. 

Apple XCode 

Apple XCode is a robust iOS app development platform. It includes the most advanced features, including but not limited to, code completion, live animations, TestFlight and Xcode Cloud. The XCloud 15 is almost 50% smaller, and it includes the downloadable simulator runtimes for all platforms. The Apple XCode ensures that you stay organized and the bookmark navigator allows you to bookmark stuff during the development phase. 

Pros 

• It’s a swift and powerful programming language. 
• Faster and smoother development process. 
• GUI builders allow easy customization and sets your UI to become more engaging. 
• Brings a bunch of testing tools for better performance & usability. 

Cons 

• Only supports Apple devices. 
• Apple NDA makes it hard to find solutions for Xcode issues. 

Android Studio

Android Studio is an open-source and go-to platform for Android app development. It comes with the Jetpack feature that’s usable in developing dynamic layouts. The Studio comes with an intelligent code editor that allows developers to quickly code. The Android Studio also has a flexible build system, and comes with an Android app bundle for optimization. 

Pros 

• It features a grade-build system. 
• It has a feature rich emulator. 
• It’s integrated with Gemini AI assistant. 
• It comes with a visual layout editor. 
• It has a large user base of Android users. 

Cons 

• It’s not that easy to use. 
• It has fragmentation issues. 

Firebase

Firebase, which is backed by Google, is a cross-platform app development platform which allows developers to easily build and deploy engaging mobile apps. The platform is great for creating AI-powered applications and introduces many advanced features, powerful app storage & easy synchronization. 

Backed by Google, Firebase allows developers to create app solutions which are loaded with some of the most advanced features. It brings many advanced features, plugins and templates fully integrated with Gemini API features. Firebase’s Cloud Firestore comes with the NoSQL document database & offers robust user-base security. 

Pros 

• It’s loaded with powerful services & integrated features. 
• You can organize all your data into sophisticated documentation. 
• It has a no-cost plan for using all of its products & services. 
• You can have a fast and easy way to set it up and perform integration. 

Cons

• It has limited data migration capabilities. 
• There are a few platform-dependencies. 

NativeScript 

NativeScript is a cross-platform mobile application based on JavaScript. The platform is fully compatible and supports JavaScript, TypeScript, Angular, Vue, Solid, React Native, Svelte, Capacitor and Ionic. The platform is great for beginner developers, especially the ones looking to start a career. NativeScript is also a great platform for mentors. It offers AMA sessions with complete support for OSS maintainers and beyond. 

Pros 

• It supports existing and new libraries. 
• NativeScript apps look and feel like Native apps. 
• It’s highly compatible with existing and upcoming mobile OS versions. 
• As a developer with a sound understanding of XML, JavaScript and CSS. 

Cons 

• Certain UI components are paid. 
• It does not support HTML or DOM. 

Apache Cordova

Apache Cordova was the brainchild of Nitobi; however, the company was bought by Adobe Systems in 2011 who made Apache Cordova open-source. The platform is a free and open-source app development platform which lets you build apps using HTML, JS, and CSS. The best thing about using Apache Cordova is that the platform uses a single code base. Apache Cordova comes with a range of plugins and includes the best APIs to use device specific features. Even if the developer doesn’t have enough learning on the OS-specific language such as Swift or Java, Apache Cordova is still a useful one. It offers third-party libraries and framework integrations. 

Pros 

• Cordova is free to use. 
• The platform is highly customizable. 
• It comes with complete support for third party package installations such as GitHub and more. 
• Cordova is free and easy to learn and apply. 

Cons

• The user experience is not fully native. 

Appy Pie 

Appy Pie is an AI-based no code mobile app development platform. The platform carves the way for novice developers and is quite the addition for app developers who want to create an app for their particular business. The best thing about Appy Pie is how you don’t need to know a single line of code. Platform Appy Pie gives you all the reasons to design and develop powerful AI design tools and automation features. As a result, customers get a more powerful and engaging app or website, that goes a long way. 

Pros 

• No code AI app development. 
• They have highly responsive and attentive customer support. 
• With more than 200 features, the platform introduces CMS, in-app payments & more. 
• The platform offers easy customization with a drag-and-drop feature. 

Cons 

• Appy Pie is not entirely free. There’s a 7 day free trial period. 
• The platform can become a bit confusing for a certain number of users. 

Sencha Ext JS 

Sencha Ext JS is great for developing enterprise-level applications. Sencha Ext JS helps developers build the best cross-platform modern web and mobile application. What makes Sencha JS amazing is its capability to develop high-performance digital solutions which have a wide range of UI components. The app comes with adaptive and easy layout management. It also aligns with the ADA standards, making it remarkably attractive for users. 

Pros 

• Sencha Ext JS has a large community for complete support & assistance. 
• It offers cross platform development with complete optimization for desktop, web and mobile applications. 

Cons

• The platform is ideal for experienced and skilled developers. 

Concluding Thoughts 

Choosing the right mobile app development platform in 2024 is critical to the success of your app, whether you’re building a native, cross-platform, hybrid, or custom solution. Each platform discussed offers unique features, pros, and cons, catering to different business needs and developer expertise. From the flexibility of Flutter and React Native to the robust enterprise solutions of Sencha Ext JS, there’s a platform suited for every type of app. Ultimately, the best choice depends on your specific project goals, budget, and long-term vision. Now that you’re equipped with insights into the top platforms, it’s time to make the right investment and bring your app idea to life!

Are you looking to invest in creating a next-gen mobile app to market your business? Branex is a full-scale Top mobile app development company in Dubai where we offer you native mobile app development, cross-platform app development, custom app development, and other solutions. 

Need assistance? Call our professionals for quick consultation.