Compare · Mobile Frameworks
React Native vs Native (Swift + Kotlin).
React Native lets one JavaScript codebase target iOS + Android. Native means Swift + Kotlin, two teams, two codebases. The tradeoffs are similar to Flutter vs native but ecosystem dynamics differ.
(01) — Strengths
What each does best.
React Native
- JS/React team can build mobile — reuse existing expertise
- ~50% cheaper than dual native
- Fast iteration with hot reload
- Massive JS package ecosystem
Native (Swift + Kotlin)
- Complete platform access with no bridge overhead
- Best-in-class performance
- Independent iOS + Android feature roadmaps
- Zero cross-platform edge cases
(02) — Head-to-head
Direct comparison.
| Criterion | React Native | Native (Swift + Kotlin) |
|---|---|---|
| Cost efficiency | Excellent | Higher |
| Team utilisation | Web + mobile shared | Two separate teams |
| Native feature access | Very good | Complete |
| Performance | Very good | Excellent |
| Debugging edge cases | Occasional bridge issues | Native only |
(03) — Decision
When to pick each.
Pick React Native when
You already run React across the org, want to reuse team, or need to ship fast on a limited budget.
Pick Native (Swift + Kotlin) when
You need maximum platform depth, absolute performance, or plan a 5+ year mobile roadmap.
(04) — FAQ
Common questions.
Facebook, Instagram, Shopify, Discord, Coinbase, Tesla all ship React Native in production.
With the new architecture (turbo modules + fabric), React Native performance is very close to native for typical business apps.
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