React Native vs Flutter in 2026: Which to Choose for Your App

Here is the short answer on react native vs flutter in 2026: if you already run a React or Next.js website and want to share talent and logic across web and mobile, pick React Native. If you want pixel-perfect, identical UI on Android and iOS with the smoothest animations and you do not care about web reuse, pick Flutter. Both ship a real Android + iOS app from one codebase, and at Nextline Creative a cross-platform app starts from ₹50,000.

That verdict covers most cases, but "most" is not "all." Below we break down exactly where each framework wins, what it costs in INR, and which one is easier to hire for in Delhi NCR - so you can make the call with evidence rather than whichever name your last vendor happened to know.

What are React Native and Flutter, really?

React Native is Meta's framework. You write in JavaScript or TypeScript using React, and it renders genuine native UI components under the hood. Its big advantage is that it shares a language, a mental model, and often actual code with the React and Next.js web world. Flutter is Google's framework. You write in Dart, and it draws every pixel itself with its own rendering engine, which is why a Flutter app looks identical on every device. Both are mature, both power apps you already use daily, and both are sensible, low-risk choices in 2026 - there is no "wrong" answer here, only a better-fit one.

How do they compare head to head?

This is the table most founders actually want. The ratings reflect what we see in real app development projects across India, not benchmark theatre.

Factor	React Native	Flutter
Performance	Very good; near-native for typical business apps. The newer architecture has closed most gaps.	Excellent; consistently smooth animations and heavy UI thanks to its own rendering engine.
India talent pool	Large. Anyone who knows React/JavaScript can ramp quickly, so hiring and replacing developers in NCR is easier.	Growing fast but smaller. Strong Dart/Flutter specialists cost more and take longer to find.
Cost to build	Lower if you already have a web/React team; logic and people are shared.	Comparable for a standalone app; can be higher if you also maintain a separate web stack.
Time-to-market	Fast, especially when reusing existing React code and APIs.	Fast; excellent tooling and hot reload, with less rework on UI consistency.
Web reuse	Strong. Shares language and much logic with a Next.js/React website.	Flutter Web exists but is heavier and weaker for SEO-driven, content-led sites.
UI consistency	Good; minor platform differences can need tuning.	Best in class; truly identical look on Android and iOS.

What does each one cost in INR?

Cross-platform exists precisely to save you from funding two separate native builds. Fully native iOS + Android for the same scope typically runs ₹12-25 lakh+ because you are paying two teams; a single React Native or Flutter codebase usually lands 30-40% cheaper. Here are the honest bands we see in Delhi NCR for production-grade work, not the cheapest quote on the market. You can see how these map to our packages on our pricing page.

App scope	What it includes	Typical INR band
Starter / proof of concept	A few core screens, auth, one API integration, Android + iOS from one codebase	From ₹50,000
Cross-platform MVP	8-15 screens, payments, push notifications, admin panel, shared backend	₹6-15 lakh
Scaled app	Complex flows, real-time features, multiple roles, deep integrations	₹15 lakh+

Two recurring costs founders forget: the Apple Developer account is roughly ₹8,000-9,000 per year and Google Play is a one-time ~₹2,000, and you should budget 15-20% of the build cost annually for maintenance, OS updates, and small improvements. This is true regardless of which framework you choose - it is not a React Native or Flutter difference.

When should you pick React Native?

React Native is the right default for a large share of Indian businesses. Choose it when you already have a React or Next.js website and want your custom web development team and your app team to be one team sharing skills and logic. Choose it when hiring and continuity matter - the JavaScript talent pool in Gurugram, Noida, and across NCR is deep, so you are never hostage to one specialist. Choose it for content-heavy or commerce apps where you also want a strong web presence, since the same stack reaches your e-commerce site and your app. For most founders building a first product on top of an existing web brand, React Native is the lower-risk, lower-cost path.

When should you pick Flutter?

Flutter earns its place when UI polish is the product. If you need rich, custom, animation-heavy interfaces that must look pixel-identical on every device - a fintech dashboard, a media app, a beautifully branded consumer experience - Flutter's own rendering engine gives you that consistency with less platform-specific tuning. Choose it when your app is mobile-first and standalone, with no serious dependence on a shared web codebase. Choose it when your team is building from scratch with no existing JavaScript investment, because then Dart's strong tooling and consistency are a clean advantage rather than a new skill to bolt on. For a striking, app-only consumer product, Flutter is often the better feel.

Does this decision even matter for an MVP?

Less than vendors make you think. For a first version, the bigger risks are scope creep, an unvalidated idea, and a slow team - not the framework name. Both stacks will get a well-scoped MVP to the stores quickly. What matters more is choosing a partner who scopes tightly, ships, and instruments the product so you learn. If you are still at the "should this even be an app?" stage, our startup MVP development approach is to build the cheapest thing that proves demand first, then invest where the data points. The framework is a detail inside that bigger decision.

What does Nextline Creative use?

We are deliberately framework-agnostic and recommend per project, but in practice we lean React Native for most clients - because the majority of our work already involves React and Next.js websites, so one stack reaches web, Android, and iOS with shared people and logic, which keeps your cost down and your hiring options open. We reach for Flutter when a project is UI-intensive, mobile-only, and demands flawless cross-device consistency. Either way, we pair the app with thoughtful UI/UX design and ship it ready to grow. The honest position is that the right choice depends on your existing stack, your team, and what your app must feel like - and we will tell you which one fits before you commit a rupee.

FAQs

Is React Native or Flutter faster?

For typical business, commerce, and content apps, both feel native and the difference is rarely noticeable to users. Flutter has a slight edge for animation-heavy, graphically rich interfaces because it controls every pixel through its own rendering engine. React Native's newer architecture has closed most of the historical gap, so performance alone should rarely be the deciding factor.

Which is easier to hire for in India?

React Native, comfortably. It uses JavaScript/TypeScript and React, which has the largest developer pool in Delhi NCR and across India, so hiring, scaling, and replacing developers is faster and usually cheaper. Flutter talent is growing quickly but remains a more specialist hire, which can mean higher rates and longer searches for senior people.

How much does a cross-platform app cost in India?

At Nextline Creative app development starts from ₹50,000 for a focused build, with a typical cross-platform MVP running ₹6-15 lakh depending on screens, payments, and integrations. A single React Native or Flutter codebase generally costs 30-40% less than funding fully native iOS and Android separately. See our pricing for how scope maps to budget.

Can I reuse my website code in the app?

To a meaningful degree with React Native, yes - if your site is built in React or Next.js, you can share business logic, types, and API code, and your team works across both. Flutter has Flutter Web, but it is heavier and weaker for SEO-led content sites, so reuse is limited. If web and app sharing matters to you, React Native is the stronger choice. Talk to us and we will map the right stack to your specific product.