What are the Best Cross-Platform and No-Code App Development Frameworks in 2022?

In today's rapidly advancing technological realm, cross-platform app development for your enterprise is the best way to reach a wider audience cost-effectively.

Technology is continuously changing, and sticking to old traditional methods will not help your business achieve its desired heights. Hence just developing a web and mobile app is not enough. The competition has reached the next label as everyone understands the importance of digital platforms and coming up with attractive, user-friendly, and feature-rich apps.

Now businesses leave no stone unturned and reach potential customers through different mediums like desktops, tablets, mobiles, PC, etc. This can only be possible by using cross-platform app development frameworks.

With more than 6.6 billion smartphone users in 2022, we are sure no business can afford to lose its presence on vastly used mobile application development frameworks – Android & iOS. If you use native development methods, you have to write separate codes for each platform. But cross-platform app development frameworks permit a single code base for both. Hence it is more cost-effective than native methods and allows access to a wide range of hardware or software.

There are various cross-platform app development frameworks available that make app development easier. These cross-platform app development frameworks allow developers to develop mobile apps with one-time coding and, you can run those apps on various platforms. That’s why it is called multiplatform app development frameworks.

Let’s look at the cross-platform mobile app development frameworks used by developers globally from 2019 to 2021.

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One question that might be running in your mind is how to choose the best framework for your app development?

This blog will help you; here, we have curated a list of the best frameworks for iOS and Android app development, which will help expand your business in 2022.

Before exploring the list of cross platforms app development frameworks, let's start from the basics and understand more about cross-platform development and how it is better than native development.

What is Cross-Platform Mobile App Development?

It is clearly understood from the term cross-platform app development or hybrid mobile app development itself that it is an app development method that allows us to create an app compatible with various platforms and operating systems.

Due to the combination of independent code with native code, these cross-platform or hybrid applications have a native look and feel. Here developers can write the code once and reuse it, thus making it the most cost-effective and fast application development method.

The cross-platform app development frameworks are a set of tools that allow you to build hybrid apps for multiple platforms (Windows, Android, iOS, etc.) with a single codebase.

Some developers still believe that native app development is best. But do you know native apps use programming language specific to the focused operating system? For example, they used C++ and Java for Android, Swift and Objective-C for iOS and Visual Basic for Windows.

Using native methods, you will undoubtedly achieve a dedicated, highly functional app, but we have to develop a separate one for various platforms. It will result in more time for development, an increase in cost and require separate monitoring and maintenance. However, cross-platform mobile app development frameworks using just a single code set enable you to reach a larger audience on multiple platforms at reduced cost and less time.

Let's cover some more points to distinguish between the cross-platform and native mobile app development.

Why is Cross-Platform Mobile App Development needed in 2022 for your business?

The cross-platform mobile app development is perfect for both start-ups and already established businesses, as it helps to increase your customer base. It is ideal for Minimum Viable Product, which means when you have big potential, but limited budget and time. The cross-platform app development frameworks have compatibility in iOS and Android and with popular operating systems – Linux, Windows, Blackberry, and more. Moreover, cross-platform frameworks are the best choice if you are looking for a simple mobile application without complex functions and animations.

Let's discuss all such benefits you achieved when developing apps for your enterprise solution using cross-platform app development frameworks.

Reduced Cost and Resources

Cross-platform or hybrid app development is based on the concept of reusable codes and follows agile app development processes. That helps you manage budget, quality, and development time.

Increase Exposure to Target Customers

Mobile apps created using cross-platform app development frameworks can be deployed over various platforms. Hence by developing a single app, you can target both Android and iOS platforms and thus increase your business reach.

Easy Deployment & Maintenance

Mobile app developers need to maintain and write single source code in cross-platform or multiplatform mobile app development methods. It results in easy and fast development and even becomes easier to maintain your app. Moreover, updates are easier to make as they are synced across various platforms, instantly saving effort and time.

Uniform Design

It is easier to share a unified UI/UX across multiple platforms with cross-platform app development frameworks while maintaining all platform-specific standards. Thus, providing users with a consistent experience that will help them to interact with your app on any platform easily.

Easy Integration with Cloud

The cross-platform apps are easy to integrate with the cloud. The cross-platform app developers coordinate the single source code with various extensions and plugins to increase the functionality and scalability of your app.

Top 10 Cross-Platform App Development Frameworks in 2022

1. Flutter

Flutter is a free and open-source UI software development kit used for creating native applications. It was created by Google. Flutter was released in 2017. Although it is pretty new in the market but it has emerged as one of the cost-effective cross-platform app development frameworks. According to Statista, Flutter is the most used framework; almost 42% of developers use this framework for application development.

This cross-platform framework consists of an SDK (Software Development Kit) and a widget-based UI library. The library included a wide range of reusable UI elements, for example, buttons, sliders, and text inputs.

Developers use a programming language called Dart to develop mobile applications using Flutter. This language is mainly used for front-end development, but you can also use it for developing web and mobile applications. Dart language was created by Google in 2011, and it has improved a lot in the past few years.

According to the Stack Overflow survey, Futter is the most loved framework among developers.

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Top Apps built with Flutter

• Google Ads
• Reflectly
• Cryptograph
• KlasterMe
• Postmuse

Features of Flutter

• The hot reload feature of Flutter enables developers to see the changes in the code instantly.
• This framework is capable of building complex and highly customized widgets as per the requirement of your application.
• The main components of Flutter are the Flutter engine, Dart platform, foundation library, and design-specific widgets.
• Flutter has its own graphic engine
• It is best for MPV

2. Ionic

Ionic is an open-source and freely available front-end cross-platform app development framework. Ionic was introduced in 2013 by Drift CO. Its first alpha version was launched in November 2013. Since then, various versions of the Ionic platform have been launched, allowing developers to develop unusual and innovative mobile applications.

Ionic is mainly popular for its open-source mobile SDK. It allows developers to develop mobile-based applications using the same codebase for Windows, iOS, and Android. Developers widely use this framework for creating both desktop and mobile applications. It offers developers all functionality and features that are needed for continuous delivery.

Ionic Usage Statistics

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Top App build with Ionic

• Market Watch
• Sworkit
• Diesel
• Honeyfi
• JustWatch

Features of Ionic

• Ionic offers a library of components and tools.
• When combined with Angular to develop the application’s structure, it gives incredible results.
• It is mostly used for developing native apps and PWAs.
• It uses front-end technologies like- HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Angular for mobile application development.

3. React Native

React Native is an open-source JavaScript framework for developing natively rendering mobile applications for Android and iOS. It is one of the well-known cross-platform app development frameworks launched in 2015 by Facebook. It is based on React but unlike React, React Native targets mobile platforms.

Using this framework, developers can develop mobile applications with a native look and feel, with the comfort of a JS library that everyone knows. Like all other cross-platform app development frameworks in React Native, most of the code can also be shared between various platforms. Hence your application develops fastly and simultaneously for both Android and iOS.

In React Native framework, developers can either incorporate the framework components into the code of the existing app or reuse the Cordova-based code with the help of plugins.

This framework is adopted by various big businesses worldwide. Let's see some names of the apps built using React Native.

Let’s check the popularity of React Native on Google Trends

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Top Apps built with React Native

• Skype
• Facebook Ads
• Walmart
• Uber Eats
• Instagram

Features of React Native

• React Native offers a native-like experience with better stability.
• It uses Objective-C, JavaScript, Java, C++, and Python programming language.
• It is one of the best multiplatform mobile app development frameworks that follow the concept of max code reuse with expense saving.
• It consists of a wide range of ready-to-use plugins.

4. Xamarin

This cross-platform app development framework was developed by Microsoft in May 2011. This framework is based on the Microsoft technology stack. It is the most effective cross-platform app development framework that allows developers to share up to 90% of code between major platforms. It is very easy to work on this framework as it is backed by a huge community having more than 1.4 million developers. Thus, if you come across any issue, it gets resolved readily.

With its native-friendly interface and control, assisting the development of native-like apps is easier. Xamarin provides great compile-time checking and helps developers experience fewer run time issues or errors. Moreover, it integrates with Visual Studio and creates a wonderful iOS, Android, and Windows application.

According to Google Trends Xamarin worldwide search stats.

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Top Apps built with Xamarin

• Picturex
• Captio
• Storyo
• APX
• Vanderlande

Features of Xamarin

• This framework can be tested over multiple devices with the help of cloud services.
• With the use of certain plugins and specific APIs, it reduces the hardware compatibility problem to some extent.
• It supports the direct inclusion of Java, Objective-C, and C++ libraries.
• Developers can add components to apps directly from your IDE via Xamarin Component Store.

5. Node.js

Node.js is an open-source and completely free cross-platform app development framework. It is mainly used for developing server-side and network applications. It was developed in 2009 by Ryan Dhayal. Node.js is built on the JavaScript V8 Engine of Google. Due to its amazing features and functionality, it is used by both start-ups and established businesses.

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Node.js is undoubtedly a better platform than other server-side platforms like PHP or Java. It is best for developing video streaming sites, online chat applications, single-page applications, and many more. It comes with a rich library of JavaScript modules, which ease down the web application development processes to a great extent.

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Top apps built using Node.js

• Netflix
• LinkedIn
• Uber
• Yahoo
• Mozilla

Features of Node.js

• This framework library is very fast in code execution.
• Node.js applications simply output the data in chunks. It never buffers data.
• It uses the single-threaded method with event looping.
• All APIs of this framework are non-blocking (asynchronous).

6. Adobe PhoneGap

PhoneGap is an open-source and free cross-platform app development framework. It was developed by Nitobi and purchased in 2011 by Adobe. This framework is based on the Apache Cordova project, which Adobe developed. This framework uses standard web technologies like Java for Android, Objective-C for iOS, and C# for Windows phone devices.

The Adobe PhoneGap is basically a group of HTML pages covered in a native app shell. The applications then use native APIs pushed out to native platforms of HTML pages. This framework integrates various libraries with existing codes and functions to make the whole development process quicker and simpler.

Adobe PhoneGap Usage Statistics

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Top apps built with Adobe PhoneGap

• The DHS Program
• Paylution
• Wikipedia- The Free Encyclopedia
• HealthTap
• TripCase

Features of Adobe PhoneGap

• It has a robust backend system due to which application development processes speed up.
• It provides great flexibility to the developers, hence using this framework any type of mobile application can be developed easily.
• It is devoid of any hardware restrictions.

7. Sencha Touch

Sencha Touch is a well-known cross-platform app development framework of Sencha. It is used for developing UI for mobile apps using CSS, simple HTML, and JavaScript. This framework is based on MVC architecture.

This cross-platform framework can perfectly replicate almost all native features. It has emerged as the best framework for developing complex web applications that need to replicate a native app in the past few years. Let's have a look at the market share of Sencha.

Market Share of Sencha

Companies using Sencha Touch in their tech stacks are-

• Applic8
• Telstra
• One hat
• Reliance Industries
• XT

Features of Sencha Touch

• The latest versions of the framework have code compatibility with the older ones.
• The application developed has adaptive layouts, smooth scrolling, and animations that provide a better user experience.
• You can highly customize your application with a collection of rich UI and 50+ UI widgets.
• The native-looking themes offer the look and feel of the target platforms.

8. Firebase

Firebase is a BaaS (Backend-as-a-Service) platform for multiplatform mobile app development. It was founded in 2011 as an independent company. Later on, in 2014, Google acquired the platform. This cross-platform app development framework offers developers various services and tools and thus helps them develop customized apps and enhance their revenue.

Firebase is one of the best cross-platform app development frameworks loved by developers across the globe. It comes with powerful features for developing, enhancing, and handling applications. Some of the amazing features of Firebase are- push messages, authentication, analytics, databases, file storage, etc. Since the services here are cloud-hosted, developers can efficiently conduct on-demand scaling without any hassle.

Industry verticals where Firebase is used

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Top apps built with Firebase

• Alibaba
• Halfbrick
• Fabulous
• NPR
• Playbuzz

Features of Firebase

• Firebase allows for reporting of 500 distinct events.
• You can easily integrate Firebase with other services such as Firebase CrashReporting, Google Tag Manager, Firebase Notification, Big Query, etc.
• We can easily store files in the database.
• It can store and sync app data in real time.

9. NativeScript

NativeScript is one of the widely used cross-platform app development frameworks. It is also an open-source framework popular for developing truly native apps with JavaScript or using any programming languages that transpile to JavaScript, such as TypeScript. Progress initially created it in 2014. In 2019 it was taken over by nStudio, which is the long-term Progress partner.

Using JavaScript, TypeScript or Angular, this framework provides direct access to all native platform APIs. Hence it offers a native-like experience on iOS, web, and Android.

Market Share of NativeScript

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Top companies using NativeScript in their project

• FinTech Consortium
• GeekyAnts
• Beachy
• Monogramm
• Traverse LLC

Features of NativeScript

• In this framework, developers can use any view as the root of your mobile application.
• You can use more than one frame in an app.
• It is easier to authenticate the app with different sign-on providers.
• It uses Webpack and LineSync simultaneously.

10. Corona SDK

Corona SDK is the best cross-platform development framework for creating 2D games for desktop and mobile devices. This framework was developed in 2009 by Corona Labs Inc. It is known for developing highly robust and scalable apps in less time. It works on very easy to learn Lua scripting language.

With OpenGL hardware acceleration for animation and graphics, Corona SDK is no doubt a high-performing multimedia development tool.

Market Share of Corona SDK

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Top apps built with Corona SDK

• Zip Zap
• Tiny Boxes
• Ava Airborne
• Scale
• PKTBALL

Features of Corona SDK

• Its real-time device testing saves lots of developers' time.
• The monetization plugin of this framework allows you to take support of ads and banners and earn from your gaming apps.
• Its automatic AEL-GS integration makes screen manipulation easier.
• It consists of 1000 APIs and plugins that help to transform your ideas into fascinating apps. Thus, it is an excellent choice for cross-platform development.

These are the best frameworks for iOS and Android app development in 2022. These frameworks allow code sharing and reduce the time developers spend on coding. But what if no time is invested in coding?

Yes, it is true, nowadays various no-code cross-platform frameworks are available in the market in which you can easily develop applications without any need for coding. Let’s discover in our next section how it is possible and what are the best no-code platforms for mobile application development.

No-code cross-platform app development frameworks for Android & iOS app development

“Programming is not about typing; it is about thinking.”

Chris Wanstrath

GitHub CEO

No-code app development is a method of application development without writing any code. By dragging and dropping pre-configure blocks, inexperienced developers can develop feature-rich applications. Isn't it just like a dream to design an application by yourself? However, it needs technicalities, so it's better to hire cross-platform mobile app developers by going with no-platform too. These no-code platforms make app development faster and easier than ever.

No-code cross-platform app development platforms provide non-programmers and programmers to develop applications for all devices and operating systems through GUI (Graphical User Interfaces) and configuration. These platforms gained popularity among organizations with a limited supply of competent software developers and parallel trends of an increasing workforce.

Let's cover some of the top non-code cross-platform app development frameworks.

• AppGyver

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• Goodbarber

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• BuildFire

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• AppyPie

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• Bubble

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How to choose the right Cross-Platform App Development Framework for your next project?

This blog has covered the top 10 cross-platform app development frameworks. But there are many other cross-platform frameworks, and many new ones will launch in the future. Now the question is how to choose the best one for your business. For that, you need to ask yourself and understand your business requirements and the purpose you want to achieve with application development. There are various factors you need to consider, but the most crucial ones are-

• A goal you want to achieve
• The expertise of developers you hire
• Size of the company

Without considering these factors, you cannot decide the best fit for your enterprise solutions. For example, if you are a startup or small company and want just simple applications for your business, then Ionic is the best choice. If you are a big established organization looking for robust solutions, then Xamarin, Sencha, etc., are a good fit.

As per the Stack Overflow and Statista reports, Flutter and React Native is trending in 2022. In that case, our blog Flutter vs React Native will surely help you to decide the best one out of these two.

Final Words

As discussed earlier, cross-platform app development helps increase the reach of your business. With the increase in the usage of smartphones today, most companies want to develop mobile versions of their website to remain competitive. Using the multiplatform app development method, you just need to create one application that will run on multiple operating systems, and Android & iOS.

The only key to achieving highly robust applications that can skyrocket your business is to have an excellent team of professional developers and designers. APPWRK is one of the leading organizations for cross-platform app development. We provide a wide range of cross or hybrid platform app development services, including consulting, development, support, and maintenance.