If you're thinking about creating a mobile app, React Native might be the finest option. Why? It allows developers to design a single codebase that works on both iOS and Android, which saves a lot of time.
However, to fully utilise React Native, you must collaborate with the appropriate development team. A competent, experienced team will assist you in developing high-quality apps, ensuring seamless operations, and meeting deadlines.
In this article, we'll go over what you should look for when hiring a React Native development business, from understanding the technology to selecting the best team for your project.
What is React Native?
React Native is an open-source framework developed by Meta (formerly Facebook) that allows developers to build apps for both iOS and Android using a shared codebase.
By using JavaScript and React, developers can create mobile apps that work and feel just like native ones—without having to build separate versions for each platform. It's worth noting that while React and React Native are related, they serve different purposes. React is used primarily for building user interfaces on the web, whereas React Native extends that functionality to mobile.
What sets React Native apart in our experience is its flexibility and ability to scale. We've successfully used it to build everything from minimum viable products to full-scale enterprise applications. Whether it’s a simple mobile tool or a large platform with complex features, React Native allows us to move fast while keeping the quality intact.
It’s supported by a large, active community and a rich library ecosystem, making it easier to build smart, efficient solutions.
Popular Apps That Use React Native
Some of the most recognised brands in the world use React Native to build or enhance their mobile apps:
- Instagram – Uses React Native for specific features to speed up development.
- Facebook – Being the framework’s originator, Facebook naturally incorporates it into their app.
- Pinterest – Employs React Native to ensure consistency across mobile platforms.
- Bloomberg – Relies on it for delivering business and financial content.
- Discord – Uses React Native for their iOS app to ensure a smooth experience.
- Shopify – Migrated several apps, including their admin tools, to React Native.
- Uber Eats – Uses it for their restaurant dashboard components.
These examples show why large companies continue to invest in React Native. Its ability to speed up development, reduce cost, and still deliver near-native performance makes it a strong choice, but the right outcome still relies on experience, strategy, and skill. That’s where a specialised React Native app development company becomes essential.
What a React Native App Development Company Does
A company specializing in React Native development helps transform app ideas into cross-platform, functional applications. But writing code is just one part of the picture. The real value lies in building a complete product that meets user expectations, business goals, and market requirements.
Here’s what that process typically includes:
1. Understanding the Vision
A strong development journey starts with understanding what the app is meant to do. An experienced React Native team will take time to learn about your users, your product, and where you want to take it. Whether you’re launching something new or growing an existing app, this collaboration is critical.
2. Planning the Architecture
Before a single line of code is written, the development team outlines the project’s architecture, chooses the appropriate tech stack, and maps out user flows. React Native supports scalable and modular development, but how the structure is planned from the beginning impacts performance and maintenance down the line.
3. UI/UX Design
Designers work closely with the development team to create seamless interfaces across platforms. A consistent and intuitive design for both iOS and Android is key to ensuring users feel at home on your app, no matter what device they’re using.
4. Cross-Platform Development
This is where React Native’s strength truly comes into play. Developers maintain a unified codebase while customising features for each platform when needed. A skilled team knows exactly when to reuse code and when platform-specific tweaks are necessary.
5. Quality Testing
Development companies don’t just build apps—they test them thoroughly. With both automated and manual tests, they make sure the app works smoothly on all devices and operating systems, fixing bugs and preventing crashes.
6. Launch and Support
Once the app passes testing, it’s launched on the App Store and Google Play. However, post-launch support is equally important. Development companies continue to update the app, fix issues, and improve performance over time.
7. Continued Partnership
React Native supports quick iteration. A good development company helps keep that momentum going with ongoing collaboration, feature enhancements, and adapting to user feedback.
Why React Native Remains a Top Choice
When it comes to mobile development today, time, quality, and cost are all critical. React Native stands out because it delivers on all three. The 2024 Stack Overflow survey revealed that over 9% of developers still actively use React Native—a strong sign of its continued relevance.
Here’s why businesses and developers keep choosing it:
1. Build for Both Platforms
React Native allows developers to write one codebase that runs on both iOS and Android. That means faster development, fewer errors, and a smoother experience across devices.
2. Lower Costs
With a shared codebase, teams spend less time building and more time delivering. It’s a cost-effective way to launch and maintain high-quality mobile apps, particularly helpful for startups and businesses working with tight budgets.
3. Performance That Feels Native
Apps built with React Native perform remarkably close to native apps. When developed properly, they offer smooth transitions, fast load times, and responsive interactions—all of which users expect from premium mobile experiences.
4. Real-Time Updates with Hot Reloading
Hot reloading lets developers see changes instantly without having to rebuild the app. This speeds up testing and debugging and allows for a more dynamic development process.
5. Community and Ecosystem
Backed by Meta and supported by a vast developer community, React Native benefits from constant updates, a wealth of reusable libraries, and solutions to common development challenges.
6. Easier to Maintain and Scale
Thanks to its modular structure and single codebase, React Native apps are easier to update and expand. A skilled React Native app development company can add features or scale your app efficiently without having to reinvent the wheel.
Should You Hire a React Native Development Company?
So now that you understand the advantages of React Native, what’s the best way to take the next step? Should you build in-house or hire dedicated React Native developers through a specialised firm?
That depends on your team’s strengths, timeline, and long-term goals.
If you already have a tech-savvy in-house team with mobile experience, you might consider hiring one or two developers to manage the build. But keep in mind that mobile development isn’t just about code. You also need expertise in UI/UX design, testing, deployment, optimisation, and ongoing support.
Building and maintaining a production-level mobile app entirely in-house can be overwhelming, not to mention expensive.
On the other hand, choosing to hire dedicated React Native developers through a seasoned development company gives you access to a complete team: developers, designers, testers, and project managers. You benefit from a proven process, predictable delivery timelines, and expert handling at every stage from planning to scaling.
These companies often have reusable code, internal tools, and years of experience that reduce time to market and cut down risks. They know the common pitfalls and how to avoid them. With everything under one roof, you can stay focused on growing your business while the experts build your mobile app.
Whether you’re developing your first mobile product or scaling an existing one, React Native remains a solid framework choice. And when you hire dedicated React Native developers from a reliable company, you gain not just technical skill but a long-term partner in your app’s success.
