Flutter vs. React Native: A Business Owner's Guide to Cost, Speed, and Maintenance
October 1, 2025
Which Approach Saves You Money and Time?
For speed and lower initial investment, React Native is often the winner due to its larger talent pool and reusable web code. However, Flutter offers greater long-term stability and faster runtime performance if your application requires heavy graphics or proprietary hardware integration.
Detailed Breakdown
| Feature | Flutter | React Native |
|---|---|---|
| Access to Native APIs | 8/10 | 9/10 |
| Talent Cost | Medium | Low/Medium |
| Typical App Size (MB) | ~15-20 MB | ~20-25 MB |
Our Experience
Case Study: Mobile Fitness App
We chose Flutter for a client's mobile fitness application because their app needed real-time data streaming for live workout classes. The performance benefits of Flutter's Skia graphics engine were a deciding factor in delivering a smooth, high-framerate experience to users.
Future-Proofing
The maintenance factor is a critical consideration. React Native's reliance on native UI components means that major OS updates can sometimes lead to more breaking changes. Flutter, by using its own rendering engine, offers a more consistent experience across platforms and can be less susceptible to OS update issues, showing its long-term expertise.