Choosing between React Native and Flutter isn't about which is "better"—it's about which fits your project requirements, team skills, and business goals. Here's our framework for making this decision.
Decision Matrix
Choose React Native When:
- ✓ You have existing React web application (60-70% code sharing)
- ✓ JavaScript/TypeScript is your primary language
- ✓ You need extensive third-party integrations
- ✓ Development speed is critical (faster initial setup)
- ✓ You want over-the-air updates (CodePush)
Choose Flutter When:
- ✓ UI consistency across platforms is paramount
- ✓ You need complex animations and transitions
- ✓ Performance is the top priority
- ✓ You're building a greenfield mobile-only app
- ✓ Desktop support (Windows, macOS, Linux) is needed
Performance Comparison
We built the same e-commerce app in both frameworks:
- App startup time (React Native): 2.8s
- App startup time (Flutter): 1.9s
- List scrolling fps (React Native): 55-60 fps
- List scrolling fps (Flutter): 60 fps consistently
- Bundle size (React Native): 28MB (iOS), 32MB (Android)
- Bundle size (Flutter): 18MB (iOS), 22MB (Android)
Case Study: E-Commerce App
Project: Fashion retail app with 100K+ products
Decision: React Native
Reasoning:
- Client had existing React web app—shared 65% of business logic
- Needed Shopify integration (mature React Native library available)
- Frequent updates required (used CodePush for instant deployments)
- Development team was already proficient in React
Result: Launched in 8 weeks instead of estimated 14 weeks, saved $80K in development costs.
Case Study: Fitness Tracking App
Project: Fitness app with complex animations and real-time charts
Decision: Flutter
Reasoning:
- Required 60fps animations for workout transitions
- Complex custom UI components (easier in Flutter)
- No web version needed (mobile-only focus)
- Real-time chart rendering (better performance in Flutter)
Result: Achieved consistent 60fps performance, 4.8★ App Store rating for smoothness.
Development Cost Comparison
Typical Project Costs:
React Native:
- • Initial setup: 1-2 weeks
- • Development speed: Faster for simple UIs
- • Debugging time: More platform-specific issues
- • Total cost: $60K-$120K (typical app)
Flutter:
- • Initial setup: 1 week
- • Development speed: Faster for complex UIs
- • Debugging time: More consistent across platforms
- • Total cost: $55K-$110K (typical app)