10 Best Cross Platform Mobile Development Tools

Designing and developing cross platform mobile apps is a daunting task for developers and one which has no single best approach. Let’s see some of the best Cross Platform Mobile Development Tools out there, which you can use to develop your mobile apps faster and better as compared to before as well as to develop them for multiple platforms without any hassle.

Cross Programming

Cross-programming app development frameworks are used for creating apps that can run on multiple platforms with less work. Cross Programming will help you to build native apps that are optimized for the platform and platform-specific features. It allows you to reuse code and optimize your projects by diving deeply into the mobile platform.

Cross Development enables you to use the latest technologies, such as Android and iOS, within your applications so that you can reach more people and charge your higher rates more quickly.

Factors that Influence the Selection of Cross-Platform Mobile App Development Tools

There are  many factors that can influence the selection of cross-platform mobile application development tools. Here they are:

• Reusability of the Tool
• Interoperability between Tools and Platforms
• Productivity Levels
• Workflow Design Tools
• Scalability, upgrade and maintenance cost
• Launch charges

10 Best Cross Platform Mobile Development Tools

With the rise in mobile websites and applications, development has moved beyond a desktop driven mindset. With the help of mobile applications development tools you can build a secure, efficient and smooth application without having to leave your desktop.

10 best cross platform mobile applications that can help you grow your business quickly and make money with ease are given below.

Click here to read:  How to market an app successfully: A guide for startups

1.Unity3D

Unity is an incredibly flexible and powerful development environment. Unity is a popular option for creators who need a cross-platform engine to build their games. Unity has been used in the production of several popular games, such as Escape from Tarkov, Monument Valley.

If you want to create high-quality graphics, use this cross-platform development tool. The results are impressive. In addition, it’s also used for developing more than just mobile apps. Unity3D can be used to develop apps or games for

• Windows
• Xbox
• PlayStation
• iOS
• Android
• Linux
• Web Player
• Wii

You may be able to avoid a bunch of work by using Unity3d to get your apps on the various stores, if that’s what you’re doing. Unity offers the option to upload the game directly to all of the game-downloading sites you’ve selected without having to navigate an individual approval process for each one.

Pros

• Create impressive scenes very easily by using 2D elements
• Utilize Unity 3D to develop video games
• Develop rich visual experiences, such as virtual reality applications
• The customer service for Unity3D is helpful
• It’s one of the easier and user friendly platform
• Cost effective
• Provide IDE to compose codes

Cons

• Unity is a complex program
• Coding skills are required to compose coding
• When using Microsoft Visual Studio, you may have to sign in from time to time

2.Adobe phoneGap

PhoneGap provides headache-free cross-platform app development, thanks to its smooth integration with Adobe. It’s based on the Apache Cordova framework, an open-source toolset that allows you to streamline the development process and easily create cross-platform mobile apps.

PhoneGap can help you shorten the time it takes to develop, launch and post new features for your mobile app. With PhoneGap, you can use all the languages and APIs that you already know to build apps for multiple platforms. The software was created to improve efficiency in the development of web applications.

PhoneGap provides a feature called hydration, which lets you create fewer builds and test your app faster. The version of the app on user’s device will be updated every time the user tests the app.

Pros

• If your app allows people to make purchases, you can use Google Play Store or Apple App Store to sell it
• PhoneGap apps run at optimal levels on every major mobile platform, without any functional or performance barriers
• PhoneGap provides an API, allowing you to use JavaScript or other libraries like MooTools, Sencha Touch, etc. for application interactions
• It has a modular architecture, so developers can extend it by creating new plugins

Cons

• PhoneGap does not support plugins with hooks
• This is not intended for hardware-intensive applications
• You must have a Mac computer for creating iOS applications

3.Qt

Qt is continually gaining popularity among mobile app developers, which is the best tool for cross-platform mobile app development. One of the reasons why Qt is in my top cross-platform tools is because of its many features that create a user interface. Those features can create a user interface for a variety of devices, including Android devices, iOS devices, and Windows devices.

If you’re using Qt to code your app, then you can use C++ to do so. Also, there is a seamless export process for various platforms. Using this software, you will be able to test how your app is likely to perform on various devices so you can see which options are best for your app.

Pros

• A cheaper and more efficient way to produce innovative devices
• Qt is a cross-platform application framework
• Qt Creator automates the building and installation of projects as well as providing a good foundation for building your own custom IDE
• Exceptional documentation

Cons

• You have to learn QML before you can create your app
• It is not very fast for graphics intensive apps
• Older computers may have compatibility issues since Qt is a bit heavy on them

Click here to read: The Complete Guide to App Store Optimization (ASO)

4.Ionic

Ionic is an HTML5 SDK that allows you to develop native platform apps using advanced technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. This SDK is used to make the UI look appealing and smooth interactions.

The mobile apps you create for Ionic are able to run on multiple platforms, including Android, iOS, desktop, and web. Ionic is definitely a good tool for any front-end developer looking to build a site quickly and reliably.

This framework uses several development tools, such as Typescript and Virtual DOM, and is best suited for creating Progressive Web Apps. These include Pacifica, Nationwide, and ChefSteps. The Ionic framework allows you to use HTML5 to build mobile apps. The benefit of this is that you don’t have to learn a new programming language, and there are lots of tools out there for editing HTML5.

Pros

• Ionic framework makes it easy to develop native-looking mobile apps
• Ionic has a ton of tools, but the development team still needs to know about HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Angular
• List the most popular plugins that provide the functionality you want for your smartphone.
• The Ionic UI framework is designed to help with front-end development of Angular applications
• If you modify your source code, you can make it any way you want

Cons

• Ionic isn’t a native framework, so you’ll need to find plugins to integrate with native functionality
• The performance of Ionic is questionable
• One disadvantage of Ionic is that it doesn’t provide hot reloading (With hot reloading, you can apply changes without finishing the whole loading process) when developing
• Despite the inherently secure nature of hybrid apps, they still need to be secured

5.Corona SDK

Corona is a favorite among game developers because of its simplicity, accessibility, and high levels of customization. With just a few lines of code, developers can create cross-platform games that are optimized for each platform. The Corona 2D game engine is a powerful, creative tool for making games across multiple platforms.

The flexibility and advanced features of Corona mean that even a beginner can get started on making an app that looks great on tablets but works differently on computers and mobiles. Corona’s abundance of features makes it easier for beginners to get started making apps rather than reading tutorials on how to use them.

Pros

• Control over the app development
• Offline mode
• This operates flawlessly on all mobile devices
• It also works on Windows, Linux and Mac computers
• Allows distribution via iTunes Connect or Google Play Store
• Use the toolkit to develop 2D or 3D games
• No need for manual coding

Cons

• Corona has limited access to hardware facilities
• Limited features for more complex apps
• Slow rendering speed of some projects can make some users experience difficult working on it
• It’s not great for debugging or profiling its code

6.Sencha

Sencha Touch is a free cross-platform app development tool mainly used in 2D games. Sencha Touch makes it possible to develop games in any platform like iPhone, iPad, Mac OSX and Linux computers. Sencha Touch provides a revolutionary new programming paradigm that allows any developer with basic programming skills to develop high quality games in just a couple of hours.

You do not need to have any programming background or know how to use Windows applications in order to use Sencha Touch. Using Sencha Touch you can develop almost any type of game, including 2D or 3D.

Pros

• Offers a common UI framework for devices and browsers
• Allows creation of interactive and dynamic user interfaces
• It saves lots of time to create awesome HTML5 apps
• Using hardware acceleration frees up system resources for applications

Cons

• Graphics cards and drivers of computers are particularly susceptible to incompatibility
• You can’t import any package or include third-party JavaScript files
• It is slower than other frameworks

Click here to read: How to convert an android app to iOS?

7.5App

Coming from a background in HTML5 and JavaScript, 5Apps believes data security to be of utmost importance. The tool allows your employees to create relevant content for their performance. The app was thoroughly tested on both Android and iOS devices.

The 5App Hub helps anyone access information and resources to make an informed decision and communicate and plan accordingly.

Pros

• Develop a mobile app with 5App, and support your users with learning programs
• Customer engagement through Visual Contents
• Excellent UI

Cons

• Lack of control over the app’s design
• No performance analysis
• Limited capabilities in compare with native apps

8.React Native

React Native’s speed and ease of use allows developers to get apps to market quickly and efficiently, and its ability to run on multiple platforms means that it can be used by companies of all sizes. React Native helps developers write code once using JavaScript, and then use it to make either mobile applications or regular web applications.

Because of this, you can use this framework to create apps for many different platforms. For example, if you have a web app, you can also create a native application for Windows or tvOS.

Pros

• Your app will be found faster in app stores
• A reusable, modular architecture is a time-saving, cost-effective method of developing a web application
• Discover the interactive experience offered in this technology

Cons

• less polished-looking UI
• harder to maintain code because it is getting bulkier due to the platform-specific code
• It is slow compared to native app

9.Flutter

Flutter is an innovative mobile app development toolset that enables real-time interactivity across a variety of platforms and devices. Utilizing a best-of-class framework and performance packaging technology, Flutter apps deliver an unmatched level of responsiveness and interaction — and allow end users to achieve certain feats that were previously considered impossible with static websites and lightweight mobile applications.

Although Flutter was originally developed for software development and design, its components have been used throughout multiple industries. Developers at different companies have discovered that making use of Flutter’s cutting edge technology can help them create better apps for different platforms and devices. These are not just useful for software developers anymore, but can be applicable to any business that deals with numerous users and has a tight control over their business logic.

Pros

• The Flutter runtime is extremely fast
• Flutter enables you to create software that can be deployed on Android and iOS, in addition to the web
• Built-in UI components, such as entry fields, buttons, and switches
• Integrated third-party plugin support for video and imaging

Cons

• Because Flutter is in beta, you might encounter unique bugs
• Not 100% native (needs Dart and Flutter plugins)
• Learning curve is steep
• Performance is not guaranteed

10.Xamarin

Xamarin represents a very interesting trend in software development – the ability to develop mobile applications with nothing more than a web browser and Python programming language. The company offers a development platform that includes a suite of tools for developing iPhone and Android applications as well as web apps using the Xamarin Framework.

Although this tool was initially developed to develop App Store applications, it can be utilized for developing any type of mobile application based on the JavaScript engine included. This opens up a new world of possibilities for developers who already have background in developing for iOS or Android and want to expand their skills by implementing technology.

One of the best things about this tool is that it allows you to build tests right from within the IDE (Integrated Development Environment). This allows you to test basic functionality before you push your code into the wild.

Pros

• Provides complete support for native UI and UX
• Beneficial for Native and Hybrid App Developers
• Wide range of compatible platforms
• Only platform that builds both native and hybrid apps
• Xamarin has excellent tools that help you monitor your app without any hustles! (App Inspector, Xamarin Insights)

Cons

• Xamarin emulates a PC like an android emulator for debug and testing purposes. You cannot run it on a simulator such as xcode or devenv
• Xamarin comes with alot of bugs and it’s hard to navigate through xamrin tools

Wrapping Up

The best mobile applications are those that allow you to do everything you ever wanted to do with your smartphone. The thing is that mobile developers have a hard time competing with the development tools available on the market. Each platform is different, so figure out what works best for you. Most of us know what a pain in the neck it is to build an app. But the fact is that everyone who has a smartphone has at least one piece of app software installed on it. Even if you don’t use it for any sort of purpose, having an app installed will require you to spend money on it at some point.