7 Favored Cross-Platform App Development Tools in 2021

Cross-platform app development tools are highly advantageous for developers. After all, you need to code once and can use it in multiple places. This not only helps save time but saves capital too. There are so many good cross-platform tools out there to choose from. But which one is the best?

If you’re curious too, you’ll find out the answer in this blog. You will find a curated list of the most reliable seven cross-platform development tools in 2021. You can go through the list and find out which one works the best according to your requirements. So, let’s get started.

Top 7 Cross Platform App Development Tools in 2021:

1.   React Native:

React Native is the first choice of cross-platform development tools among app developers. React Native came into the picture in March 2015. Since then, its popularity has only increased. If you’re a developer with a decent knowledge of JavaScript, React Native is a great choice to make.

React Native helps in easy application planning. Also, it’s an open-source app development framework that helps you reuse the code for developing applications.

 Pros:

• Cost and time efficient.
• Efficient resource placement.
• Single Codebase for iOS, Web, and Android.

Cons:

• Some modules require the app developer to be an expert.
• It follows a single codebase approach and is not fully cross-platform.

Some Apps/Games Built Using React Native: –

• Bitesnap – Count Calories by taking a photo
• Bunch- Gaming Social Network App

2.   Flutter:

Flutter is relatively new. Google launched it in 2018. Flutter is an open-source Software Development Kit aka SDK that comes with a range of UI or User Interface components. This SDK is quite flexible and allows the developers to tweak the application quite well. Flutter is perfect according to the latest technology trends.

Pros:

• It comes with ‘hot reload’ for instant app preview, which saves time.
• Highly customizable and renders fast.
• Supports web platforms and has detailed documentation for the same.

Cons:

• Apps built using Flutter are quite heavy.
• The SDK is still not fully developed or is immature to many developers.

Some Apps/Games Built Using Flutter: –

• Square- Payments app
• Google Assistant – Personal mobile assistant app.

3.   Ionic:

Ionic is another famous cross-platform app development framework that is based on web technology. Ionic has been there since 2013. And since then, the developer community has only expanded. It offers a resourceful library of plugins and other components as well.

Pros:

• Lots of plugins and integration capabilities.
• Built-in debugging tools and browser instruments for ease of maintenance.

Cons:

• The system is plugin dependent.
• Performance with native applications is not impressive.
• The application size is quite big.

Some Apps/Games Built Using Ionic: –

• MarketWatch – Financial Information App
• Diesel – Shopping App

4.   Xamarin:

Xamarin is another developer-friendly tool for cross-platform app development. Xamarin is backed by Microsoft and has the codebase in C#.

Now, this factor makes it quite suitable for .NET developers. Xamarin comes with a Test Cloud feature. Using this feature, you can easily test your application, and it provides you with full code reusability.

Pros:

• Easy maintenance.
• Xamarin is open source and free.

Cons:

• Large application size is a problem here.
• UI consumes a lot of time and is not mobile-friendly.

Some Apps/Games Built Using Xamarin: –

• Just Giving: Online Fundraising Platform
• Storyo: Video Story Creator

5.   Cordova:

Cordova is a great tool both for beginners and experts. It’s easy to learn and is highly flexible. With Cordova, you can use the accelerometer, phone camera, compass, geolocation, messages, and similar features for your applications.

And this is not just it. You can save decent time if you use Cordova as it uses high caliber highlights. And this helps in progressively creating applications within the given time.

Pros:

• It uses JavaScript, which makes it compatible with JavaScript developers.
• You can write native plugins using JS and integrate them into your application.
• Easy to use and learn.

Cons:

• It doesn’t have a huge developer base for support.
• Some configurations require command-line tools, which makes It hard for beginners.

Some Apps/Games Built Using Cordova: –

• Pacifica: Stress and Anxiety Relief
• Sworkit: Personal Workout Trainer

6. Appcelerator:

Appcelerator is a real cross-platform app development tool. With this tool, you can reuse up to 90% of the code you write for different platforms. Now, this feature is quite helpful while you’re creating native applications.

It also comes with a feature known as Hyperloop. Using this feature, you can initialize iOS and Android Application Programming Interface or APIs using JS, which is quite advantageous.

Pros:

• The developer community is rapidly growing.
• Quick prototyping.
• It uses JavaScript.

Cons:

• It’s not vastly flexible, which limits the developer.
• It can be complex if you try to make a highly complex application.

7. Corona:

Corona SDK is well suited for gaming applications. You can easily create cross-platform games using a single codebase. Corona is a free SDK in which you can track Luca Code’s changes using the Corona Simulator. Even if you’re a new developer, you can easily reach the core functionality.

However, some interfaces like the Facebook API interface are hard to understand for beginners. So, you need to be an expert or an average level developer to understand this fully.

Pros:

• Easy to use and view changes using the Corona Simulator.
• Highly popular and has numerous code examples available on the web for free.
• It has a large developer community that’ll answer your queries frequently.

Cons:

• You must use only the native version of your phone, including the keyboard and other applications. You can use your own UI. But you’ll have to be pretty advanced for the same.
• Facebook API interface is not beginner-friendly. You need to be an expert to understand it on the first attempt.

Some Apps/Games Built Using Corona SDK: –

• Merge City: City Building Game
• Mission Me: Daily Life Missions App

The Crucial Aspect: How to Pick Out the Best One?

The above list of popular cross platform development tools is based on ease of use and flexibility. You can list your requirements and check which one fulfills them the best. This way, you can find the tool that’ll work for you.

However, all the above tools are popular and trusted by developers. So, choosing any one of them won’t be a mistake.

Who Can Help you with Cross Platform App Development?

Now, if you want an expert to help you develop an application, contact Juego Studios. Juego Studios is a full-stack app development company you can trust. Developers here use the latest cross-platform tools and technologies for app development. Here are some popular games created by the developers at Juego Studios: –

• Brigade Battle Game
• Riyadh Run Gamexc
• OSKAR Art Collection App – GEO Map App

Conclusion:

If you want similar or more advanced applications, you can get it done at Juego Studios. Juego Studios has worked with fortune 500 companies and possesses an experienced team of developers. So, if you’re itching to create something memorable, connect now with Juego Studios!