For Android + iOS, one cross-platform codebase costs about ×1.35 what a single platform costs. Two fully native apps cost about ×1.8. On a medium app, that multiplier is a ₹4–6 lakh decision — here's how to make it correctly.
The same app, three ways (medium scope, India agency)
| Approach | Codebases | Factor | Cost (₹) | Cost ($, US agency) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One platform (Android or iOS) | 1 | ×1.0 | ₹10.2 – 15 lakh | $51,600 – 76,000 |
| Flutter / React Native (both) | 1 | ×1.35 | ₹13.8 – 20.2 lakh | $69,700 – 102,600 |
| Fully native (Swift + Kotlin) | 2 | ×1.8 | ₹18.4 – 27 lakh | $92,900 – 136,800 |
Why cross-platform wins on total cost of ownership
- One team, one backlog. Every feature and every bug fix ships to both stores at once.
- Maintenance halves. The 15–20%/year maintenance bill applies to one codebase, not two.
- India's talent pool: Flutter developers are now the largest mobile cohort in India, which keeps rates competitive; React Native lets web teams reuse their JavaScript skills.
Where native still earns its 80%
- Games and AR/VR (Unity/native rendering pipelines)
- Heavy hardware work — advanced camera control, BLE peripherals, background audio
- Products where micro-animations are the brand (think flagship fintech polish)
- Watch/Auto/TV companion experiences with platform-specific frameworks
How much will your app cost?
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The 30-second decision framework
- Is the app's core value graphics/hardware-bound? → Native.
- Is your market Android-dominant (India: ~90%)? → Single platform Android first, cross-platform when iOS demand appears.
- Everything else → Flutter or React Native, and spend the saved lakhs on marketing.
Frequently asked questions
Is Flutter cheaper than React Native?
Costs are near-identical — both are one codebase for two platforms. India's Flutter talent pool is now larger and slightly cheaper; React Native still wins if your team already knows JavaScript/React.
When is native worth the extra 80%?
Games, AR/VR, heavy real-time graphics, hardware-intensive features (advanced camera/Bluetooth work) and apps where the last 10% of scroll/animation smoothness is the product. For everything else, cross-platform is the rational default.
Can I switch from Flutter to native later?
Yes — and successful products often rewrite hot paths natively after traction. Instagram, Airbnb and others started cross-platform or hybrid. Validate first, optimise later.