Why Cross-Platform Development Is Saving Businesses 40% in Costs

Building an app in 2025 is expensive. Developer rates are up, timelines are tight, and managing separate codebases for iOS and Android? That’s a full-time headache.

More and more teams are asking the obvious question: Why are we doing this twice?

That’s what’s pushing a lot of businesses toward cross-platform development. Tools like React Native and Flutter that let you build once and launch everywhere. It’s not about cutting corners. It’s about spending smarter and getting to market faster, without blowing half your budget just to get version one out the door.

This isn’t just a trend. Even Forbes is saying what many dev teams already know: cross-platform is changing the game.

So what’s really going on? Let’s break it down.

App development is getting more expensive in 2025

If you’ve gotten a quote for a mobile app lately, you’ve probably blinked twice.

Developer salaries are climbing.

And just when you think you’ve got things under control, the platforms throw something new at you: foldables, wearables, whatever’s next. More features mean more work. And more work means more money.

These days, building a native Android app alone can run you anywhere from $30K to over $100K, depending on what you’re building.

Want it on iOS too? Cool, double the cost, double the team, double the headaches. Because now you're maintaining two separate codebases that do mostly the same thing.

Two dev teams.
Two sets of QA.
Two of everything.

For startups and lean businesses, that’s just not sustainable. They need results fast, without going broke. That’s where cross-platform development steps in.

Cross-platform development is built to save you money

Here’s the real draw: with cross-platform frameworks like React Native and Flutter, you write code once and deploy it on multiple platforms. iOS, Android, even web in some cases.

This approach:

• Cuts development time by up to 50%
• Reduces testing cycles
• Simplifies updates and maintenance

For businesses using cross platform app development services, the shift doesn’t just save money, it also speeds up time-to-market. And in 2025, speed equals survival.

Pro Tip:
If you're launching an MVP or ecommerce mobile app, prioritize cross-platform from day one. You’ll get feedback faster and pivot easier, without burning budget on duplicate code.

How companies are saving 40 percent by going cross-platform

Let’s talk numbers. Here’s a typical scenario:
A business wants to build a mobile ecommerce platform.
Native development estimate: $180,000 (iOS and Android combined).
Cross-platform estimate using React Native app development: ~$100,000.

That’s $80,000 in savings right out of the gate. And it doesn't stop there. With one shared codebase:

• Maintenance costs drop.
• Future feature rollouts are faster.
• You need fewer developers.

A lot of companies are now outsourcing to teams that know React Native inside and out. These aren’t just coders-for-hire. They’re full teams that handle everything (design, development, testing, launch) all under one roof. That kind of setup cuts down on handoffs, keeps things moving, and yeah, it usually costs way less than trying to piece it all together with separate vendors.

Why React Native and Flutter are leading the charge in 2025

So why are these two frameworks at the center of so many projects right now?

React Native is backed by Meta. It’s ideal for apps that need slick UIs, fast performance, and strong community support.

Flutter, backed by Google, offers beautiful UI out of the box, with blazing fast rendering and growing adoption, particularly in places like Dubai, where demand for Flutter app development in Dubai has surged in the last two years.

Each framework has strengths, but both offer what businesses want most:

• Cost efficiency
• Faster dev cycles
• Near-native performance

Choosing between native and cross-platform isn’t as hard as it used to be

A few years ago, the trade-offs were bigger. Cross-platform apps felt clunky. Native was the gold standard.

Now? That gap has narrowed fast.

Cross-platform apps today:

• Handle animations, gestures, and device APIs well.
• Deliver performance that feels native to most users.
• Support integrations with everything from Firebase to Stripe.

Sure, there are still cases where native development wins, like apps with complex hardware requirements (AR, high-end gaming, etc.). But for 80% of business apps? Cross-platform delivers everything you need at a fraction of the cost.

Ecommerce apps are growing faster with cross-platform solutions

If you run an ecommerce business, you already know how important mobile is. But building an app from scratch can feel overwhelming and expensive.

Here’s the smart move: go cross-platform with an ecommerce mobile app solution that’s built to scale. You’ll:

• Launch faster
• Iterate quicker
• Offer a seamless experience across devices

Plenty of ecommerce startups are skipping the long, expensive native app route and going straight to cross-platform. With the right team, you can launch something solid (product pages, cart, checkout, push notifications) all without spending six months and six figures.

Quick Tip:
Pick a cross-platform framework that covers the basics out of the box: push notifications, payments, and analytics. Saves you from patching those in later.

Saving 40% is just the start

The real win with cross-platform isn’t just what you save upfront. It’s what you keep saving over time: on updates, maintenance, new features, and scaling across platforms without doubling your effort.

Here’s what you gain:

• Lower upfront dev costs
• Faster release cycles
• Easier scaling as you grow
• Lower maintenance overhead

In a competitive market, that’s a serious edge.

Final thoughts

Cross-platform used to feel like a tradeoff. Not anymore.

Today, it’s just the smarter way to build, especially if you’re trying to move fast and not burn through your entire budget.

Whether you’re starting from scratch, rebuilding something outdated, or finally launching that ecommerce app you’ve been sitting on, the numbers are hard to ignore.

React Native and Flutter aren’t just popular. They’re proven. They help you ship faster, spend less, and keep things flexible for whatever’s next.

At Diggit, we build apps that don’t waste your time or your budget. Whether you’re starting from scratch, launching an MVP, or trying to scale something that’s already live, we use React Native and Flutter to get you there faster and without the usual price tag.

Contact us and see how we can help!