The 7 Best Frameworks for Hybrid App Development in 2024

Hybrid app development lets you take advantage of both web code and native mobile device code, which means you can get an app built fast. And when you consider that mobile is 58.21% of global internet traffic, an app is a great thing to have for your business.

A number of backends have cropped up to help build hybrid apps. These backends aim to make the hybrid app development process more straightforward and streamlined. 

But there are a lot out there, so choosing the best one for you can get overwhelming. To help you narrow down the choices, here are our seven picks for the best hybrid app development frameworks.

1. MobiLoud

MobiLoud is not technically a framework, but we can turn your existing website into an app. That means all your existing website’s code and functionality will remain intact on mobile and share a single codebase.

Since you have already spent the time and effort of creating your website, why bother duplicating your efforts just to make an app? Using a framework means you have to code your app in-house or hire a team of coders, which means something else to pay for and maintain.

With MobiLoud, you don’t have to do any coding. We do all the work.

Your app will have native interface elements combined with web-based components. You get support for key mobile features, including push notifications, a mobile-friendly UI, and a dedicated app icon.

This also ensures your branding, workflows, backends, catalogs, and anything else you have created for your website will work with your mobile app, too. 

We have built apps for lots of companies, including fashion retailers, magazines, and music festivals. 

Our pricing plans are simple and easy to understand. With options to suit businesses both large and small, no matter what type of app you would like to build, we have a solution for you.

Pros

• No coding is needed from you
• Takes your existing website and turns it into an app
• Easy-to-understand pricing

Cons

• May not be able to use native device features
• You need to have a website already created

2. Flutter

Flutter is from Google, and it lets you build hybrid apps using the Dart programming language. The hybrid app you build can work on devices with ARM or Intel processors, which means iPhones, Android devices, Windows, Linux, and macOS. Some apps built with Flutter include the Alibaba app, Google Pay, Kijiji, and more. 

One of the highlights of Flutter is the ability to customize the UI of your app. If you want your app to have a specific look and feel that aligns with your brand, you can do that. Plus, that interface will be consistent across devices and screen sizes. And if you do not have many design resources, there are ready-made components for you to use.

You can also harness hardware acceleration, which can help speed up the performance of your hybrid app. The apps you build can also be more complex than some of the other frameworks on this list allow. If you need special features, that’s handy to have.

Pros

• Apps have good performance
• Customizable UI abilities with ready-made components
• Dart is relatively easy to use

Cons

• Likely cannot reuse your existing website and code
• Apps may be on the larger side

3. React Native

If using an exclusive programming language seems too limiting, try React Native. This hybrid app development platform uses JavaScript, which is widely used throughout the app development world. 

React Native also includes an API that lets the app and the platform on which that app is running communicate, so you can run apps on iOS, Android, Windows, and the web. 

Meta (AKA Facebook) launched React Native, which means it has some strong backing behind it. There are already many use cases that deploy React Native, including the Facebook app, Skype, Microsoft Office, Discord, and more.

One of the highlights of React Native is a large library of pre-built components. These let you get started quickly. Plus, React Native is open source with community support available, so if you get stuck, it is relatively easy to find answers.

Once built, React Native apps tend to tie in well with their respective platforms. That means the user experience will the same for everyone regardless of the device they use. On the other hand, React native apps may have to pull in more native code to run compared to some other frameworks.

Overall, if you want strong device integration and want to avoid framework-exclusive programming languages, you can try React Native. Just remember you may have to do more device-specific coding to get everything to work.

Pros

• JavaScript-based development framework
• Integrates well with most mobile devices
• Used by many prominent apps already

Cons

• Does not take your existing website and turn it into an app
• May need to pull more native code to get your app working compared to other frameworks

4. Ionic

Ionic is another hybrid app development framework that supports iOS, Android, desktop, and web apps. It lets you use web programming languages, including HTML and JavaScript, along with native mobile code.

Some apps built using Ionic include the Southwest Airlines app, the Target shopping app, the Instant Pot app, and more.

Unlike some other hybrid app development frameworks, though, you do not have to create a user interface with Ionic to use its components. This opens up many flexible deployment options. You can also test your app in a web browser, which is useful.

However, because it uses mostly web-based technologies, the apps you build may not feel like some other native apps to end users. Instead, they may feel more like web apps. On the upside, app development with Ionic tends to be fast because you can use widely understood and easy-to-use programming languages.

You can also integrate native features using plugins, but that means you are out of luck if one is not available and you need the functionality. Therefore, it is best to use Ionic if you don’t anticipate the need for strong device integration.

Pros

• Uses web-based technologies
• App development tends to be quick
• Pre-built elements are handy

Cons

• May not be able to tie in the native features you want
• Testing an app using a web browser can get frustrating
• May not take your existing website and turn it into an app

5. .NET MAUI (formerly Xamarin)

Microsoft also has an entry in the hybrid app development frameworks field with .NET MAUI. It was formerly known as Xamarin, so if you have heard of it before, it is the same thing.

.NET MAUI uses C# and .NET to create apps for Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS. C# is relatively well known and used, so while it is not JavaScript or HTML, you likely won’t have a learning curve that is too steep.

Some apps built using .NET MAUI or its predecessor Xamarin include the UPS Mobile app, Microsoft’s Azure app, and NBC Sports Next, plus many more. If you have already built an app with Xamarin, you can move to .NET MAUI without much hassle and with no need to rewrite anything.

A major highlight of the .NET MAUI hybrid app development framework is that you can use Visual Studio to build apps. Developers tend to like Visual Studio, and many businesses already use it, so that’s a plus.

.NET MAUI apps tend to have consistent user interfaces that work across platforms, which is good for consistency and branding. And if you get stuck, you can find many resources through Microsoft.

However, the tradeoff for UI consistency is that complex UIs may be harder to build, and they may not tie in well with whatever OS they’re running on. Additionally, compared to some other frameworks, the apps you build tend to be larger and heavier.

Pros

• C# is easy to pick up and works across many platforms
• Visual Basic is easy to use and already widely deployed
• User interfaces tend to be consistent across platforms

Cons

• Visual Basic support requires payment
• User interfaces may not tie in well with the OS the app runs on
• Does not let you take your existing website and turn it into an app

6. Framework7

Framework7 is another open-source hybrid app development framework. It is based on HTML, JavaScript, and CSS, which are already widely used in web development. With Framework7, you can build iOS, Android, and web apps.

Some apps built using Framework7 include the Lasso memo and notes app, Hichat, Sprint Social, and more.

Framework7's website has some template projects to get you started, so if you need a hand, there’s one available. UI elements, including dialog windows, tabs, buttons, and more, are included, too, so you can customize the UI of your app relatively easily.

One of the hiccups of Framework7, however, is that the theme of the app comes from the framework, not the OS. That is, if the user changes their theme or there’s an OS update, the app may not alter its look and feel accordingly.

On the one hand, that gives you control over the app's look and feel, but it could also lead to a less-than-ideal experience for users if your app behaves in unexpected ways. As a result, people tend to like Framework7 for prototyping, but you may also want to tie in other plugins or move elsewhere when it comes to building the end-user-facing app.

Pros

• Uses widely deployed web languages
• Easy-to-use framework tools
• Lots of UI components included

Cons

• User interfaces may not tie in well with their respective OS
• May not reuse your existing website’s features and code

7. Apache Cordova (formerly PhoneGap)

Adobe’s Apache Cordova is a hybrid mobile app development framework that uses CSS, JavaScript, and HTML. You can build apps for iOS, Android, and Windows using it. You may have heard of its predecessor, PhoneGap, which was formerly one of the most popular hybrid app development frameworks.

One of the notable things about Cordova is the ability to run a webview and then wrap it in native code, along with the ability to use plugins to access native features. Some of these native features include the accelerometer, camera, microphone, and more.

Cordova is handy because you can easily deploy your app to the iOS and Android app stores. And you get plenty of resources, such as options for tabbed interfaces, toggle buttons, and more. 

On the flip side, Cordova apps do not use the native UI elements of the platform they are running on, so they may not feel totally at home on any platform. Furthermore, sometimes, Cordova apps can experience slowdowns when running.

Pros

• Fast development timelines
• USes existing web programming languages
• Easy to get your app into the Android and iOS app stores

Cons

• Does not use native UI elements
• May not be able to reuse your existing website’s features and code

The best frameworks for hybrid app development: Final thoughts

Hybrid app development has lots of advantages. You can save time, money, and development resources. Additionally, you can create a consistent experience for your customers and deliver it to more people.

Your app will be the same for everyone, whether on iPhone or Android. And unlike coding an app natively for each platform, you will not have to duplicate code for each platform.

As part of the process, hybrid app development frameworks can make building an app easier. If you want to stick with known web technologies such as HTML, JavaScript, and CSS, choose a framework that supports these languages. But if you do not mind sacrificing this, you can gain more functionality if you opt for a framework that uses its own development language.

However, keep in mind that no matter which framework you choose, you will still have to hire someone to code your app or code it in-house, and that can get expensive quickly. You will likely not be able to use your existing website’s code and features, either. 

That means you will have to re-do most of your hard work just to get your app up and running—not to mention you will end up with two separate backends and workflows.

Rather than dealing with the expense and hassle of coding an app yourself, MobiLoud can turn your existing website into an app. You don’t have to do any coding, either. We do all the work; you get a fully functional mobile app that integrates seamlessly with your website.

We can even provide you with a free preview of your mobile app to help see what it looks like before you buy. Contact us today to learn how to turn your website into an app.