
Flutter vs. React Native - Side by Side Comparison: Which Software To Choose in 2023?
If Flutter vs. React Native is your burgeoning question for the year, you’re not alone. It’s natural to be worried about what software can lead your business to future growth.
You don’t need statistics to figure out that mobile app usage is going up and up. But for the sake of credibility, note that in 2020 smartphone users in the United States spent approximately four hours a day on apps. This is more time than the average American spends watching live TV.
Taking advantage of the mobile market now will be a clever and frankly financially lucrative decision. But you need the right software to get you started. Flutter or React Native could be just what you need.
The following Flutter vs. React Native side-by-side comparison shows that Flutter outperforms React Native in several categories, including:
- Performance
- Language
- UI Building
- Ease of Installation
- Documentation
- Popularity
- Community
Keep reading for an in-depth analysis of each of these categories and learn why Flutter vs. React Native is a hot topic for the year.
Flutter vs. React Native: Side-by-Side Comparison
Flutter and React Native are both top picks for building cross-platform mobile applications. Sometimes making the right decision comes down to a matter of perspective. This side-by-side just might help.
Programming Language
Flutter uses Dart. And React Native uses JavaScript. JavaScript is a classic programming language with a memorable history of being the first language to enable dynamic web development.
Dart is a much newer language that was only introduced in 2011. But its modernity might be its advantage. The language is up to two times faster than JavaScript with both an ahead-of-time (AOT) and just-in-time (JIT) compiler.
These compiler types have the flexibility of interpreted languages but compile in the nick of time to gain the advantage of speed that traditional compiled languages offer.
TLDR: The programming languages of Flutter vs. React Native both have integrity, but Flutter wins.
UI Building
Skia for Flutter entrusts the framework with high portability cross-platform. React Native has a specific software from Facebook called Flux for building React components and uses JavaScript to bridge the connection to native modules.
The bridge affects performance, if only slightly, whereas Flutter can manage without a bridge.
TLDR: In Flutter vs. React Native for UI building, Flutter wins.
Ease of Installation
React Native can be installed from the Node package manager (npm). Those who have a background in JavaScript should be able to figure this out easily enough.
Flutter can be accrued from a small ZIP file. But then it needs to be added as a PATH variable from the command line. This makes things unnecessarily complicated.
TLDR: When it comes to Flutter vs. React Native, it is much easier to install React Native than Flutter.
Documentation
Both Flutter and React Native have guides to get you started. But React Native starts out with presumptions about what the developer already knows. There is little to no information about setup and command-line tools. And the documentation launches straight into getting your project started.
On the other hand, Flutter has detailed information about setting up the platform and IDE for both iOS and Android. Even the command-line interface (CLI) comes with Flutter doctor, a tool to guide developers through the setup.
TLDR: Flutter has more comprehensive documentation when compared to React Native in Flutter vs. React Native.
Community
Developers tend to show a lot of community support for software they love. In the case of Flutter vs. React Native, each language is driven by an enthusiastic community.
React Native has meetups and conferences around the world. And Flutter has many online events. That said, Flutter’s late release to the public sphere likely had an impact on community growth. In turn, React Native developers have shown up from the start.
TLDR: React Native has more community support than Flutter.
Learning Curve
The learning curve for these frameworks is almost completely dependent on your knowledge of their respective programming languages.
Most developers have some sort of background in JavaScript making React Native a natural choice. But someone new to programming or a developer who has experimented with Dart might opt for Flutter.
TLDR: The learning curves for Flutter vs. React Native are virtually the same.
Related reading: What Does a React Developer Do?
Popularity
React Native and Flutter have done a switch-a-roo. Only in 2019 and the years before, React Native was much more popular than Flutter.
At the beginning of 2021, React Native had 92,800 stars on Github, and Flutter has 111,000. And a simple Google Trends comparison shows much more searches for Flutter than React Native.
TLDR: Flutter takes the win for popularity in Flutter vs. React Native.
Performance
For the same reasons discussed earlier related to Skia and native bridging, Flutter faces far fewer issues where speed and performance are involved than does React Native.
TLDR: Flutter performs better than React Native.

Flutter is the clear winner of this battle. But if you need a bit more context to make your final decision, you’ve come to the right place. You can learn more about Flutter and React Native right below.
Other language comparisons that may interest you:
What Is Flutter?
Flutter is categorized as an open-source user interface (UI) software development kit (SDK). Using Flutter, not only can you develop mobile apps for iOS and Android, but you can develop software for computer operating systems (OSs) as well like Linux, Windows, Mac, and Fuchsia – a new OS in development from Google.
The first iteration of Flutter was called Sky and developed by Google. The goal was to develop software that could render consistently at 120 frames per second (FPS).

Of course, part of the package is that Flutter developers must rely on Google’s very own software development language, Dart, to write code.
Because you can write all your code using Dart and release it on multiple platforms, Flutter is effectively a cross-platform framework. Flutter promises fast development, a native experience for users, and a layered architecture for building UIs.
What Are the Advantages of Flutter?
To give you a better idea of how Flutter vs. React Native compare head-to-head, you should understand the unique advantages Flutter can provide.
Productive
Like with any cross-platform framework, being able to use just one codebase for both iOS and Android will save your developers an immense amount of time. Speeding up development means quicker time-to-market releases and more productivity overall.
Performant
Dart compiles to native code, paving the way for native-like performance. With Flutter, you can utilize Dart Web to compile code into JavaScript or Dart Native where you can use either an AOT compiler or JIT compiler to produce native machine code.
Fast
Hot reload is one fantastic feature of Flutter allowing developers to instantly view the changes they’ve made. This simplifies development to a great extent.
Flutter also claims that its framework requires no prior programming experience to get started as long as you’re familiar with basic programming concepts and object-oriented programming principles.
Portable
Aside from being cross-platform by definition alone, Flutter’s technology inspires a more expansive understanding of portability, that no other cross-platform framework has emulated as of yet.
In other words, Flutter works with Skia, a popular graphic engine powering many of Google’s tools, to render UIs on virtually any platform. The result is fewer compatibility issues, less testing, and a genuinely cross-platform user experience.
When Is the Use of Flutter Recommended?
Flutter should be used to build cross-platform mobile apps with near-native or native-like performance. But you can also use Flutter to build software for computers, whether that’s a Mac, Windows, or Linux.
The layered architecture of Flutter combined with its unique collaboration with Skia permits the framework to stand out more than others like it. Developers who would rejoice at having features like these should use Flutter.
What Companies Use Flutter?
Flutter vs. React Native is not a battle that can be won by big-name companies. Still, it’s important to have some comprehension of just what Flutter can do for you.

The New York Times
The renowned Ken Ken crossword puzzle courtesy of The New York Times runs with Flutter. Flutter helps Ken Ken become accessible to all crossword do-ers.
Rather than rewriting their puzzle apps for every different platform, they’re sharing codebases between iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, and Linux.
Google Assistant
Google Assistant is the voice that pops up every time you ask a question to the ether – that ether being your Android or iOS smart device, assuming you have the app installed. From your daily news and weather to your Google Home, Google Assistant works with Flutter to make it happen.
Realtor.com
When it comes to housing, you need to be in the know always. With Flutter, Realtor.com can give you live updates to listings so you never miss a thing.
What Is React Native?
React Native is yet another open-source framework for building mobile applications. Built by Facebook, the framework supports development for Android, Android TV, iOS, macOS, tvOS, Web, Windows, and Universal Windows Platform (UWP).
Mark Zuckerberg pushed for the development of React Native after initially building Facebook’s mobile version using HTML5. This ultimately resulted in an unstable and slow application.
React Native is based on the more generalized React, another JavaScript library. However, React Native is specialized for mobile app development. The main advantage of using React Native is cross-platform development.
The motto, “Learn once, write anywhere”, is a reflection of React Native’s purpose. Since all code is written in JavaScript and can be shared among multiple platforms, this saves time and money for developers and businesses alike.
What Are the Advantages of React Native?
Maybe knowing the specific advantages of React Native can help you better evaluate Flutter vs. React Native. Here are a couple of React Native’s best assets.
Modular
Through modular programming, program functions can be separated into interchangeable blocks known as modules. This technique allows for flexibility and intuition. And developers can update apps quickly and easily.
Stable
React Native simplifies the process of data binding. Data flows from the owner or parent to the child. For most developers, this makes code easier to understand and promotes stability. As opposed to two-way data binding, this is called one-way data binding.
Simple
Besides data binding, React Native offers similar features to Flutter when it comes to development. React Native extends what’s called Fast Refresh. Fast Refresh gives you near-instant feedback on your changes.
Fast
Cross-platform frameworks and languages are often considered to be the opposite of native languages. The assumption is that veering from a native language like Java or Swift will naturally mean a drop in performance.
One developer, John Calderaio, decided to put this assumption to the test. He found React Native ran nearly as fast as Swift — the official language for Apple products — and in some instances, faster.
When Is the Use of React Native Recommended?
React Native’s approach to cross-platform development involves using actual native UI building blocks. These are assembled with JavaScript. Given that the building blocks are quite literally native, your React Native apps will have the same look and feel as those coded in Swift, Java, or Objective-C.
Developers can also write and embed custom native code in order to mix native and React functions. Native appearance is still maintained.
What Companies Use React Native?
React Native is quite popular. The framework is being used in a variety of applications. Whether this gives React Native an edge in Flutter vs. React Native is up to you.

Instagram is owned by Facebook, so it’s no surprise that it relies on React Native too. Not long after React Native’s initial release, Instagram implemented the framework into its tech stack. Developers were able to share over 90% of their codebase between platforms for several features.
Discord
Discord is a gamer favorite utilizing Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology to connect users to one another via voice chat, instant messages, and video.
At first, Discord simply wanted to use React Native to improve the FPS of their app. But the results were much better, including the likes of fluid gesture interaction, a better developer experience, and shaving two seconds off the initial load time.
Pinterest is another social network of sorts. But the network is based on sharing a certain aesthetic, rather than merely images or text. The company noted an increase in “developer velocity” by being able to share codebases.
Conclusion
Flutter and React Native offer a close comparison. The technologies both have special features such as live refreshing or building graphic UIs with adaptable software. These similar features make any competition even more difficult.
Having said that, Flutter still comes out on top for almost every side-to-side Flutter vs. React Native comparison. But if you want to enjoy the perks of the React Native framework, nobody will blame you. JavaScript is just tradition. And there’ll be a community to back you up.
In fact, Trio developers also have a stake in the community and want to make sure your project gets done right. To learn more about hiring Senior React Native or other JavaScript-based developers, talk with Trio today.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Flutter?
Flutter is categorized as an open-source user interface (UI) software development kit (SDK). Using Flutter, not only can you develop mobile apps for iOS and Android, but you can develop software for computer operating systems as well like Linux, Windows, Mac, and Fuchsia – a new OS in development from Google.
What is React Native?
React Native is yet another open-source framework for building mobile applications. Built by Facebook, the framework supports development for Android, Android TV, iOS, macOS, tvOS, Web, Windows, and Universal Windows Platform (UWP).
What companies use Flutter?
Some big name companies using Flutter are The New York Times, Google Assistant, and Realtor.com.
What companies use React Native?
Major companies using React Native include Instagram, Discord, and Pinterest.

Cordenne Brewster
Cordenne Brewster is a tech enthusiast whose ardor is best expressed through the written word. With contributions ranging from software development to scaling, Cordenne provides insights to keep the curious and inquisitive informed, well-read, and on-trend.
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With the value of the mobile app market breaking $189 billion in 2020, a decision like Xamarin vs. React Native can have a notable impact on businesses engaging in mobile app development.
Both Xamarin and React Native allow developers to create performant non-native apps. Based on the comparison points below, React Native has a slight advantage over Xamarin.
- Performance
- Popularity
- Community & Developer Ecosystem
- Development Environment
- Availability
- Compilation
- Costs
To further analyze Xamarin vs. React Native and understand how two frameworks with the same intention express themselves differently, keep reading!
Xamarin vs. React Native: Side-by-Side Comparison
First and foremost is a side-by-side comparison of Xamarin vs. React Native. Direct comparisons are often the best way to make a major decision between two choices.
Performance
Because cross-platform and hybrid frameworks are known for sacrificing performance in turn for convenience, this category is paramount to your final decision.
Though both Xamarin and React Native offer near-native performance, Xamarin runs the fastest code on Android and iOS and has a user interface (UI) for using native tools.
TLDR: In Xamarin vs. React Native, Xamarin has more brownie points for native-like performance. Xamarin wins.
Popularity
Popularity does not always determine the value of software but it does have a big influence on how others interact with the software. Characteristics like a large talent pool, comprehensive tooling, and a great community often revolve around the popularity of the software.
Perhaps because React Native is open-source and Xamarin is closed-source and only maintained by Microsoft, React Native is more popular than Xamarin. From Stack Overflow insights to Google Trends, this is clear.
TLDR: When you compare Xamarin vs. React Native for popularity, React Native wins.
Community & Developer Ecosystem
For the same reasons as noted above, you can expect that React Native has a larger and more supportive community than Xamarin.
When React Native was younger, its community was limited. However, as the framework grows and JavaScript frameworks in general garner more attention, it’s become easier and easier to spot fellow React Native developers.
TLDR: Looking at Xamarin vs. React Native side-by-side, React Native has a larger community and better developer ecosystem.
Development Environment
Both Xamarin and React Native have pre-built components to enhance performance and the developer experience. But despite React Native’s live reload feature, the framework as a whole pales in comparison to Xamarin.
Xamarin.Forms along with Xamarin.iOS and Xamarin.Android empowers developers to create platform-specific native UI components. In this way, Xamarin developers can get closer to native-like performance than React Native developers might be able to.
TLDR: Xamarin has more useful pre-built components than React Native.
Related reading: What Does a React Developer Do?
Availability
Most open-source frameworks are free. But unfortunately, Xamarin can’t claim that label. Xamarin does have a free version, but its features are limited.
Free generally means more access, giving React Native the upper hand in this category.
TLDR: In contrasting Xamarin vs. React Native, React Native is simply more accessible than Xamarin.
Compilation
JavaScript and its frameworks, including React Native, use just-in-time (JIT) compilation. Though compiled languages typically run faster than interpreted languages because they are converted to machine code before execution, JIT compilation may be the best of both worlds.
JavaScript, Java, and C# all use JIT compilation. However, JIT compilation in React Native only works for Android not iOS, disrupting performance for iOS applications. C# has both JIT compilation and ahead-of-time (AOT) compilation. And AOT compiled code runs faster in most cases.
TLDR: Xamarin vs. React Native shows that both frameworks have similar compilation styles but Xamarin offers a compiler well-suited for both iOS and Android. Xamarin wins.
Costs
Xamarin and React Native are free. But Xamarin is only free for individuals and small companies. A Visual Studio Enterprise annual edition can cost nearly $3000. This, of course, makes the entirely free React Native much more appealing.
TLDR: React Native is cheaper than Xamarin.
Other language comparisons that may interest you:
Need to know a bit more about Xamarin and React Native before you make your decision? No problem. Trio has you covered just below.
What Is Xamarin?
Xamarin is a Microsoft software for building cross-platform Android, iOS, and Windows apps. The software is a sub-platform of .NET, a software framework providing tools and libraries for building apps.
Really, Xamarin is an extension of .NET, but the platform is specifically designed for mobile app development. You can consider all of these platforms as part of the Microsoft C# ecosystem.
C# is a programming language developed by Microsoft. The language was inspired by C and C++. However, it has better class libraries and support for object-oriented programming. The language features multiple programming paradigms and is statically typed with lexical scope.
The .NET Framework relies on C#, F#, and Visual Basic. Xamarin uses C#. With Xamarin, you can share up to 90% of your codebase from platform to platform.
For mobile app developers, a large concern is that cross-platform development – that is, sharing codebases between Android and Apple operating systems (OSs) – will impede performance. Frameworks like Xamarin endeavor to mitigate that concern.
Because Xamarin allows developers to use C# rather than the host languages of mobile operating systems, like Java for Android and Swift for iOS, developers can save time in development while also getting a native-like performance.
If Xamarin sounds like it would be helpful for your next project, it’s time to worry about hiring developers.
What Are the Advantages of Xamarin?
Xamarin vs. React Native wouldn’t be a fair fight without an adequate comparison. The following Xamarin advantages should help you compare the two frameworks.
Cross-Platform
Because Xamarin uses C# and is part of .NET, mobile app development is far easier than otherwise. In addition to your code working on multiple platforms, you still get the benefit of native-like performance.
Xamarin.Android and Xamarin.iOS give developers access to relevant software development kits (SDKs) for Android and iOS. And Xamarin.Essential is a library of overlapping native application programming interfaces (APIs).
Efficient
For the same reason, Xamarin is efficient. As codebases can be shared from one mobile operating system to the other, cross-platform development means saving time and costs.
With Xamarin, you also use a single technological stack as you can write both UIs and the application’s core logic in C#.
Maintainable
Xamarin.Forms is a means of maintaining apps by updating source code. The updates will automatically be applied to all solutions.
Xamarin Test Cloud and Xamarin Test Recorder can run automated tests so you can run bugs before they appear in a stable release.
Comprehensive
Since Xamarin is backed by .NET, it has lots of comprehensive tooling in support of an extensive developer experience.
Aside from the aforementioned Xamarin libraries, Xamarin lets you use CSS and other libraries, unlike React. There is also real-time collaboration via Visual Studio Live Share, as well as code clean up and intelligent suggestions.
When Is the Use of Xamarin Recommended?
Unsurprisingly, Xamarin should be used for building mobile apps. The platform provides a means to build mobile apps without utilizing OS-specific languages like Swift or Java.
Ultimately, the advantage of this is more efficient and holistic development as codebases can be shared cross-platform.
What Apps Use Xamarin?
Hopefully Xamarin vs. React Native doesn’t come down to a popularity contest, but it can be helpful to know where exactly Xamarin is used and why.
UPS
The United Parcel Service (UPS) needs little to no description. It’s the company delivering some large percentage of packages worldwide.
The UPS mobile app allows you to create shipments easily on the go. Thanks to Xamarin, developers were able to increase their productivity while making the app.
FreshDirect
FreshDirect is a leading online grocery delivery service specializing in local and organic produce as well as fresh seafood, custom cuts of meats, and chef-made meals.
Its corresponding mobile app shifted to C# from Objective-C and Swift in early 2015 to speed up time-to-market.
Olo
While the name Olo might not be the most recognizable, you’ve probably indirectly benefited from the app more often than you might think. Olo creates custom ordering apps for a number of restaurants including WingStop, Applebee’s, and Five Guys.
The DevOps team has used Xamarin from the very beginning to ensure a rapid time-to-market and a seamless user experience.
What Is React Native?
React Native is a mobile application framework developed by Facebook. The framework is based on React, a JavaScript library for building UIs.
Co-founder of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg maintained that, “The biggest mistake we made as a company was betting too much on HTML as opposed to native.” In other words, Zuckerberg realized that in using HTML5 to develop Facebook’s mobile version, he was sacrificing performance.
His solution was to build a new framework entirely for mobile development. React and React Native share the same base similarities. Both frameworks are explicitly concerned with state management and additional libraries must be used to render further functionality.
States control the behavior of an app at a certain time. State management refers to the management of UI controls like OK buttons, text fields, and whatever else responds to user interaction.
Because everything is written in JavaScript, this enables code sharing from one platform to the next. And developers do not need to write in Android or iOS-specific languages.
This mode of development is called hybrid app development, a convenient means of getting near-native performance without actually having to use native languages.
React Native developers are in high demand. If you want one for yourself, Trio knows just where to look. Have at it.
What Are the Advantages of React Native?
Get a good idea of how React Native pulls its own weight and take a look at the advantages of using React Native.
Intuitive
React Native uses a similar architecture to React which is modular in nature. With this modularity, it is easy to differentiate between varying functionalities via independent code blocks. This allows for ease of development.
Community-Driven
Though React Native first started as a project for Facebook’s personal use, when it was released as an open-source project, there was no going back. React Native’s community is large and therefore supportive, making mobile app development really feel like a collective effort.
Cross-Platform
Just like Xamarin, React Native promises code reusability at high percentages. Of course, the product is saving time and money.
Another perk driving React Native’s success in the cross-platform development industry is how it divvies up processing power.
While other frameworks rely on the central processing unit (CPU), React Native predominantly relies on the graphical processing unit (GPU). In comparison to hybrid technologies, React Native is exceptionally fast.
Idiosyncratic
Some features of React Native stand out more than others. For example, many React Native developers cherish one of the framework’s features called ‘hot load’ or ‘live reload’ where updates to your codebase can be seen immediately.
When Is the Use of React Native Recommended?
Not unlike Xamarin, React Native has a very specific use case. That is, developers should use the framework for building cross-platform mobile apps.
By using just JavaScript throughout your mobile app development, your project can be built faster and cheaper than using traditional native languages.
What Apps Use React Native?
Xamarin vs. React Native can only be contrasted directly if you observe how they stand on their own imaginary two feet. In that same vein, here are some major apps that rely on React Native.
Facebook
Given that Facebook developed React Native, it shouldn’t be shocking that they use their own software. For context, Facebook is a huge social networking website and mobile app.
Ironically, React Native was born out of a hackathon project that prioritized advantages such as quick iterations and having a singular development team.
Walmart
Walmart is a retail corporation with a sizable chain of grocery markets and department stores. The corporation chose React Native in an attempt to improve customer experience. As a result, they found almost 100% of their codebase could be shared between platforms.
Wix
Wix is an online company where you can build and host websites quickly and easily. Using React Native improved Wix’s speed and agility where web development is involved. The company also created its own software for handling navigation called wix-react-native-navigation.
Conclusion
Xamarin vs. React Native warrants an upfront, close look. The two frameworks share many similarities. Both frameworks enable developers to build cross-platform mobile apps with near-native performance.
When you look at the framework side-by-side, it’s clear that React Native does better than Xamarin in the majority of categories. Yet a business that prioritizes performance and compilation times over other factors might go with Xamarin instead.
Whichever way it may be, remember that Trio has the tools and developers you need to see your project to completion. And we’ll also consult with you to help you choose the software that will give you exactly what you need.

Companies using React Native seek to prioritize performance but also efficiency.
Most developers agree that native apps are the way to go when it comes to building mobile applications.
However, in 2015, Facebook saw the opportunity for a React-based framework geared towards mobile and created React Native to help businesses build hybrid apps.
Some of the more popular global companies using React Native include:
- Bloomberg
- Uber Eats
- Discord
- Skype
- Salesforce
- Baidu
- Walmart
- Wix
- Shopify
- Words with Friends
- Vogue
- NerdWallet
In this piece, you’ll learn more about the companies using React Native and why they felt it was the best fit for their brand and business. Keep reading to see if React Native might be right for your business.
What Is React Native?
React Native is an open-source framework for cross-platform mobile application development. Created by Facebook in March of 2015, it’s used to develop applications for iOS, Android, and Microsoft UWP.
Many businesses struggle to decide whether they should build native apps or cross-platform apps. The advantage of native apps is that they typically offer better user interfaces (UIs) and user experiences (UXs).Native apps are developed to work only on the platforms they are built for. Naturally, this is a disadvantage for most businesses who want their apps on every app store possible, and don’t look forward to taking the time to release an app on one store just to build a new one for the next.
Developing an app for iOS, Android, and possibly Windows is time-consuming, strenuous work. You need Java developers to develop for Android and Swift or Objective-C developers for iOS and so on. At the same time, businesses don’t want to sacrifice performance or functionality, which can be the cost of non-native apps.
Facebook, committed to delivering a better mobile experience, endeavored to create a solution to the issue. React Native, the proposed solution, allows developers to build native mobile apps but relies solely on one language – JavaScript.
A 2019 Stack Overflow survey found that React Native was the sixth most popular framework amongst developers. And as it turns out, many well-known companies use React Native for their mobile apps.
15 Global Companies That Use React Native
Now, it’s time for the React Native showcase. You’ve read about what React Native can do, but if you want a more up-close example, you might want to look into some of these companies that use React Native and have been all the more successful for it.
Below are some React Native app examples. Take notes, and maybe you’ll find out if React Native is worth all the hoopla.
1. Bloomberg
Bloomberg is a finance company that provides tools for equity trading and analytics among other enterprise applications. It’s also the name of their adjacent website which delivers news to inform the public on market and business trends.
The Bloomberg app has the same objective and uses React Native to complete the task. Through React Native, Bloomberg was able to implement automated code refreshes, meaning users will always get the latest updates once opening the app.
2. Facebook
Facebook developed React Native and have built their app using it. Honestly, it would be concerning if they didn’t use the framework for their own applications.
Facebook Ads Manager, a convenient space for individuals and businesses alike to manage advertisements for their products, is built entirely on React Native.
It’s cross-platform, yet it handles UI differences when it comes to ad and date formats flawlessly. UI’s animations and transitions meet the same standard.
3. Uber Eats
What started as a means for willing customers to get from point A to point B without paying the often unfriendly prices of a yellow cab soon graduated into a unique way of getting food from point A to point B.
In other words, Uber Eats is a delivery service, similar to Seamless or DoorDash. A small part of the Uber Eats app, specifically, their dashboard owes its existence to React Native.
React Native provided Uber Eats the development tools needed to build an elegant UI, complemented by a smooth UX. Sound and push notifications are also important additions to the app’s dashboard.
4. Discord
Discord is a cherished use case of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) at work. VoIP is just digital communication through the internet. In Discord, friends and more frequently whole communities can use voice, text, or video to communicate over the internet.
It’s entirely free and used mostly by gamers. Because of React Native, the iOS and Android Discord app share 98% of code.
5. Instagram
Instagram is another social networking site, ironically owned by Facebook as of 2012. Unlike Facebook, Instagram’s primary mode of operation is digital photography, and some short videos every now and then.
In 2016, Instagram started seriously thinking about switching to Reactive Native. Integrating React Native with existing technology was a challenge but now they’re able to push features faster and maintain both IOS and Android app versions with ease.
6. Skype
Skype is a VoIP software where video chat is the principal communication style. But you can also send and receive voice calls and instant messages with Skype. It is the product of Microsoft.
Microsoft recently opted to use Electron after using React Native for a number of years for the Skype mobile app, but not from lack of performance. While React Native is practical for mobile apps, Microsoft wanted the Skype app to be exactly what you’d get on a desktop.
A lot of people are actually disappointed by the change as it took away plenty of useful features like responding to messages from the notification bar and syncing with Outlook.
When Microsoft initially used React Native in 2017, users noticed several favorable upgrades from the icons to a complete redesign of the layout. The consistency between the Android and iOS app was also noted.
7. Pinterest
Pinterest is somewhat a social network, but it’s not particularly used for communication. Instead, people post and pin ideas related to a variety of topics, interior design, and recipes being the most popular subject interests.
Like many companies that use React Native, their choice was dependent on the framework’s capacity to share code from one platform to another. This way, Pinterest could invest in developer productivity in a constructive manner.
8. Salesforce
Salesforce is a customer relationship management (CRM) platform geared towards sales teams. Businesses use Salesforce for marketing, sales, eCommerce, and service.
Einstein – a Salesforce app-building platform for programming a customer service artificial intelligence – can be credited to React Native.
9. Baidu
Baidu is a Chinese multinational technology company. Their consumers look to them for internet searches and marketing solutions.
Baidu Mobile, its search engine, is used by over 600 million people in China. And it’s powered by React Native.
10. Walmart
Walmart is categorically a superstore. You can find one in almost every state, save Hawaii, and find everything from home goods to clothes to grocery items – depending on the location.
According to Walmart, they were able to share 95% of their codebase between Android and iOS thanks to React Native.
They appreciate that they only need one team of JavaScript developers to complete the job. Everyone is on the same page.
11. Wix
Wix is a cloud platform for developing websites. The platform makes website building easy for novices with no coding background whatsoever.
They chose to start their mobile journey with React Native back in 2015. The goal at that time, and now, was scalability.
Originally having worked with React, Wix felt using React front-end developers to work on the Wix mobile app in React Native was a natural shift. Although the shift came with some challenges, Wix developers feel they have grown from overcoming them.
12. Shopify
Shopify is a Canadian multinational e-commerce company. But you may be more familiar with it as the digital platform that works with various retailers to complete your transactions.
From electronic payments to shipping information, Shopify delivers, particularly for online retailers who enjoy the convenience of the platform.
Luckily, Shopify was already familiar with the React framework from their web platform so using React Native on their mobile apps wasn’t a huge transition.
In addition, Shopify was able to share 80% of their code between their iOS and Android, meaning there is even less time spent in development.
13. Words with Friends
Words with Friends is essentially Scramble, but an exclusively mobile version that makes it easy to play with friends.
Before Words with Friends adopted React Native, it was predominantly native app that relied on Obejctive-C and Java.
However, it’s been almost a decade since its initial design and the major performance differences that traditional nativity would provide are more or less negligible today.
Dealing with both the iOS and Android app meant two largely different codebases with equally complex bugs to handle and resolve.
Thus, Words with Friends chose React Native to improve code reusability in their now cross-platform approach to app development.
14. Vogue
You probably know Vogue as the trendy magazine that routinely features top models in high fashion outfits. Or if you’re old enough, you may even remember the voguing scene.
Well, in this case, the relevant reference is to the former version of Vogue, the magazine. Except it’s an app form.
That’s right! You can get daily content and photos you’d otherwise get from the Vogue magazine right from your smartphone. Videos too.
Rated one of the top 10 apps in the Apple Store in 2017, the Vogue app is built with React Native.
15. NerdWallet
NerdWallet is a nifty place to find all the intel you need on any finance-related endeavor. It’s both an app and a website.
Though NerdWallet first proposed having a single iOS app with a chat feature for financial consultations, it just wasn’t the right fit. They figured go big or go home and decided to scale with React Native.
Obviously, the biggest benefit is the shared codebase. But NerdWallet engineers also cited the reduction of communication and coordination overhead as a big plus too.
Why Big Companies Are Using React Native in 2022
You can bet that the popularity of React Native is backed up by some very real benefits to help your business out. Here are some reasons why so many major companies are using React Native.
Fast
It takes far less time to write the majority of code for one app on React Native than to develop separate, stand-alone apps using Java, Swift, or some other native-supported language.
In React Native, when developing apps for multiple platforms, much of the code is reusable from platform to platform. This saves time during app development and allows your business to release the app to the market sooner rather than later.
The slogan, “write once, use everywhere” accurately conveys one of React Native’s primary advantages and why many big companies that use React Native made the switch in the first place.
Performant
The apps you build with React Native won’t just be web applications but native apps just like the apps built with native code in Java or Swift. This means developers’ number one fear – sacrificing performance – can be curtailed.
Native
Developers have the option to use platform-specific languages if they want to. This can be helpful if you want to add a third-party service, like mobile payment. In programming, this technique is called bridging.
Friendly
React Native is community-driven. Like many open-source frameworks that have gained popularity, React Native has many developers flocking to forum boards to seek knowledge when necessary or offer advice when needed. There are also plenty of React Native newsletters to subscribe to.
The Github React Native Community is one source to go to for some solid discussion about the framework. There is also Reactiflux, a large chat server where developers can get solutions to their problems and answers to their questions.
Robust
Some features of React Native make it well worth the investment. First and foremost, installing React Native is simple. You only need the Node Package Manager (NPM) and a single line of code.
Once you start developing, your developers will probably like the idea of having Live Reload handy. This is a feature that lets developers modify the code from one screen and see live updates on another. It’s a great way to make sure your code runs as desired.
Another tool worth mentioning is Expo. Expo allows developers to send their apps from their computers to their own mobile devices for testing as well as share the app to others via a private link.
Reliable
You can go ahead and mark React Native down as a tried and trusted framework. Not only does Facebook itself use the framework, but so does Instagram, AirBnB, and Uber Eats.
There are many other React Native examples too and you’ll learn more about the companies using React Native in a moment.
Conclusion
These days, mobile app development is a given for nearly any business hoping for long-term growth. But the age-old question is whether to make a native app or cross-platform app?
React Native gives businesses the opportunity to create mobile apps differently than what was deemed possible even a decade ago. You can build native apps but stick to just one programming language: JavaScript.
Other companies have used this distinction to their benefit and in return, rather than sacrificing performance and functionality, they’ve made grand improvements on both ends. But this kind of improvement cannot be made without the help of qualified developers.
Trio can be a reliable resource for getting the developers you need. Learn more about the process of hiring React Native developers for your upcoming project here!

What is React Native?
React Native is an open-source mobile application by Facebook used to develop Android and iOS apps. It leverages the Reactjs library making it easy for Reactjs developers to dive into mobile development while maintaining the same programming language and tech stack.
What is a React Native Developer?
A React Native Developer is a JavaScript developer who has invested their time in learning the React Native framework to create cross-platform mobile applications.
As React Native essentially leverages the React library, some React developers expand their knowledge into React Native. In some rare cases, there are some pure React Native developers, however, this is the exception.
Companies Who Use React Native
- Facebook Ads Manager
- Bloomberg
- Airbnb
- Gyroscope
- Myntra
- UberEats
- Discord
Hire a React Native Developer
With iOS being the dominant mobile operating system in the United States, React Native comes as a popular alternative to native development. That being said, React developers are some of the easiest developers to find currently due to the popularity of the React library and the ubiquity of JavaScript as a whole.
With all of the freelance marketplaces and job boards available, you’d think it would be easy to find your rockstar and get started. How do you go about deciding if a developer joins your team?
We have a great resource for you to check out that talks about how to hire developers.
How to hire a React Native developer?
For those who wish to take the high road and hire React Native developers on your own, we’re still here to help.
Hiring a developer on your own is a very focused and hands-on process that requires considerable knowledge about software development in general.
The last thing you want to do is trust your hiring process to someone with no technical ability. If you are a non-technical manager looking to learn a thing or two, we have a great resource here for you to learn more about the hiring process in detail. Otherwise, we’d recommend you contact Trio for consulting and developer allocation.
What to look for in a React Native developer
At a high level, React Native developers should be able to:
- Be proficient with JavaScript
- Use the React Native framework
- Know and apply the Reactjs library
- Implement states and hooks
- Apply Object-Oriented Principles
- Build an app using MVC architecture
How much do React Native developers cost in the U.S?
According to ZipRecruiter and other sources, the average annual pay for a Senior React Native Developer in the United States is between $103,500 and $180,500 a year.
Here’s a chart that visualizes the salary ranges within the United States for a Senior Software Developer.
How much do React Native Developers cost in South America?
Due to economic differences between the United States and South America as a whole, the cost of offshoring software development is significantly lower than hiring full-time with U.S talent. For Senior React Native Developers in South America, the average salary is currently around $100,000 whereas a mid-level developer costs around $76,000.
How much do React Native Developers cost in Ukraine / Eastern Europe?
Eastern Europe shares very similar rates to South America, again due to the economic differences. When looking at salaries in Eastern Europe, data shows that a Senior React Native Developer costs around $100,000 on average.
Hourly rates for React Native Developers
Another way to look at developer costs is through hourly rates. While salaries are good to understand for hiring developers for full-time and long-term, you might just need a developer for a period of 3-6 months or 6-12 months. In these types of situations, it’s best to calculate your costs based on the hourly rates of a developer.
Below is a table that lists the various hourly rates of developers in different locations based on their job title.
Why Hire a React Native developer
Trio React Native developers are pre-vetted, interviewed, and then trained further to become true software professionals, capable of adapting to situations that are both within and outside of the scope of their general expertise.
At Trio, we hold our developers to a higher standard. Much like how elite special forces units recruit only the best from main branches of the military, we recruit developers who either show amazing potential or demonstrate exceptional skill. We then take their talents and sharpen them even further.
Another benefit of hiring a Trio developer is that you won’t incur the costs of hiring, which can add up to be around 30% of a developer’s salary on average, as well as overhead costs associated with full-time employment.
By working with Trio, you can enjoy a highly experienced full-time developer for a fraction of the cost, along with the added project management assistance.
To learn more, hit us up and tell us about your project so that we can get you started.