If you’re looking to start building your first hybrid mobile app, you might be wondering where to start. Hybrid mobile app development frameworks make it easy to develop apps that work on different platforms without needing to learn native coding languages to focus on your product’s user experience and usability.
Statista states that mobile app downloads will reach 258 billion in 2022. Creating a hybrid mobile app lets you reach multiple operating systems simultaneously. It saves time and money effectively. You must choose a compatible framework to make the most of your hybrid app development.
But which framework should you choose? There are many hybrid app frameworks to choose from today, but it can be challenging to pick the best one if you don’t know what you’re looking for. This post will help you find & choose the best framework based on your needs and goals to succeed in the mobile marketplace!
Here’s what you need to know about hybrid app frameworks before deciding.
Due to their versatility, there has been a sharp increase in demand for hybrid mobile application development over recent years.
Here’s an infographic depicting the market of different hybrid app development frameworks in 2021.
This article will highlight some of the top hybrid mobile app frameworks for 2022.
Table of Contents
9 Best Hybrid App Development Frameworks in 2023
1) Flutter – Ability to Go Beyond Mobile
Created by Google in 2017, Flutter is a cross-platform app development framework that allows developers to use one codebase to build an application for both iOS and Android devices. This app framework has been trendy since its launch because of Google’s involvement and its versatility.
Statista states Flutter has a market share of 38% in 2021 among the most used cross-platform frameworks. Many users say they enjoy working with Flutter because it is easy to learn and quickly gets ideas into apps. Overall, Flutter receives high ratings from most who try it.
Pros of using Flutter:
- Flutter is free and open source. And, since it’s open-source, you can use it freely to build your projects or sell your work.
- Flutter is a new mobile app SDK for building high-performance, high-fidelity apps for iOS and Android from a single codebase.
- Thanks to its rich Material Design Widgets library, Flutter makes building beautiful mobile apps simple and easy.
- A blazing fast 60fps on Android devices with Google’s Closure compiler.
- Dart, one language for both Android & iOS development with an improved type system.
- Highly customizable platform themes.
- Code reusability due to shared UI components across platforms.
Top Apps using Flutter:
- Google Ads- Ad Campaigns Management App
- Hamilton- Music-based App
- Pairing- Dating-based App
2) React Native – Backed by Facebook
React Native is counted among the exciting hybrid app development frameworks. It offers a more native look and feel and first-class support for things like TouchID and pushes notifications, and React Native is appealing.
Its popularity grew when Facebook announced it was using it in production. As per Statista, React Native has a market share of 38% in 2021 among the most used cross-platform frameworks.
Pros of using React Native:
- React Native, a Facebook technology for building mobile apps with Javascript, has become one of the most popular app development frameworks.
- 95% of the code is cross-platform compatible.
- React Native leverages GPU and provides excellent app performance.
- Higher flexibility helps in creating smooth updates in no time.
- React Native has a hot reload feature that speeds up the development process, thus saving development costs and time.
Top Apps using React Native:
- Facebook- Social Media App
- Instagram- Social Connectivity App
- Skype- Video Calling-based App
An Interesting Idea – Why is Hybrid Approach a Good Choice for Mobile App Development?
3) Ionic – Powerful Tool Set of Plugins and APIs
While it’s probably not entirely fair to call Ionic a framework, it is more of a hybrid mobile app development tool and has become one of the most popular in recent years. That’s primarily because of its affiliation with AngularJS. Ionic and Angular can help you build cross-platform mobile apps quickly, even if you don’t have any significant programming experience or knowledge.
In addition to being one of Android’s top tools for creating hybrid apps, Ionic also has an impressive user base: It claims that there are more than 30 million downloads per month and growing. According to Statista, Ionic has a market share of 16% in 2021 among the most used cross-platform frameworks.
Pros of using Ionic:
- Ionic is a responsive, mobile-first front-end framework for developing hybrid mobile apps with HTML5.
- Built and maintained by developers at ionic technologies.
- Ionic supports AngularJS and allows you to build native applications using Cordova plugins.
- It uses Web Components & web standards to deliver cross-platform experiences for mobiles & other devices.
- It comes with high-quality UI components and gestures, along with easy-to-follow development tools and services that make it easy to develop hybrid apps in no time.
Top apps using Ionic:
- Sworkit- Fitness App
- Justwatch- Streaming Engine
- McDonald’s Turkiye- Food Delivery app
4) Xamarin – Cost-Effective Framework
With Xamarin, software developers can use a single programming language (C#) to create mobile apps for Android, iOS, and Windows devices. The framework creates native mobile apps using up-to-date tools and an efficient coding workflow. Statista declares Xamarin has a market share of 11% in 2021 among the most used cross-platform frameworks.
You can think of Xamarin as a type of precompiled C#. There are some apparent pros here for developers who don’t have experience with cross-platform development or multiple programming languages. Leveraging all your existing skills is excellent, but there’s also a potential risk here.
Pros of using Xamarin:
- Xamarin will help you create incredible apps that can run on all platforms like iOS, Android, Windows, MacOSX, and other operating systems.
- Xamarin will allow you to reuse your code and make it more cost-effective for your business.
- Many developers choose Xamarin because it allows you to easily extend existing C# code with native APIs to build cross-platform applications.
- Not only developers but also businesses are moving towards using Xamarin to reduce their costs for mobile app development.
- One significant advantage of developing mobile apps using Xamarin is that it will allow easy access to user analytics and crash reporting features, which are essential for any business looking to succeed in today’s competitive market.
Top apps using Xamarin:
- Storyo: Video Story Creator
- Just Giving: Online Fundraising Platform
- The World Bank: Survey Conducting App
5) Solar 2D – Earlier Known as Corona SDK
Solar 2D is counted among renowned hybrid app development frameworks that work with native iOS and Android app development languages. The strength of Solar 2D lies in its use of simple, standard Lua code to create native applications while still providing all of the features you’d expect from a hybrid mobile application.
Today, Solar 2D has more than 220 published apps in its catalog, including titles like Invincible Armada and Inklingo Photo Lab. Plus, it’s free to download and distribute your App on iTunes or Google Play using Solar 2D technology.
Pros of using Corona SDK for your Hybrid app development
- The new Corona SDK helps reduce bugs and builds a beautiful cross-platform app for iOS and Android with less effort.
- Using Corona SDK is easy because it uses a Lua programming language that is easy to learn and understand.
- The best thing about using Corona SDK is that you can build apps for any platform without having to use additional code or other languages,
- It saves you from extra development costs.
Top Apps using Corona SDK:
- Tiny Boxes- Puzzle-based gaming app
- I Love Hue- Color-based gaming app
- Scale- Arcade Game app
6) Jquery Mobile – Uncomplicated and Flexible
JQuery Mobile has a steep learning curve for beginners, but if you understand how JQuery works, it is an easy framework to grasp. JQuery Mobile is used for cross-platform compatibility and is optimized for touchscreens. The resulting website or application looks and feels like a native app.
JQuery Mobile also features media queries that make it easier to adapt mobile apps to various screen sizes and resolutions. One downside of using Jquery mobile is that when users visit your site from a desktop computer, they are directed to an error page because, by default, most websites redirect their desktop traffic to a mobile version of their site.
Pros of using Jquery Mobile:
- Support for all major mobile platforms and frameworks. The Jquery library supports almost every significant framework, including Cordova/Phonegap, Xamarin, Titanium, and Wix App builder.
- Jquery is currently running on 90% of devices, so you can be sure that your App will run smoothly across all different platforms.
- Jquery comes with excellent documentation, making it easy to develop your new hybrid App!
- Massive community support. Jquery mobile has enormous community support, which is a pro considering that most enterprise organizations have not adopted hybrid app development yet.
Top Apps using Jquery Mobile:
- Backbone- Demo App
- Contact-based application- Demo App
7) Mobile Angular UI – Creates Attractive HTML5-based Apps
Angular is a JavaScript framework for creating interactive web applications. A few frameworks based on Angular are Ionic Framework, Onsen UI, Miui mobile, and more. Angular apps allow users to access their content quickly with fast download speed and efficient information processing.
In short, Angular is a framework for developing hybrid mobile apps or responsive web applications using HTML5 & CSS3 that run on mobile devices with a browser or as standalone native apps using Apache Cordova.
The application development process involves writing HTML/CSS/JavaScript code that describes your desired application structure instead of how it looks.
Pros of using Mobile Angular UI:
- It is easy to use. Its wide array of UI elements and components comes with many customizable features for delivering high-quality output.
- It allows you to create multi-channel applications compatible with devices such as desktops, tablets, and mobile phones.
- It has an Angular JS framework for building high-end single-page apps. With integrated directives like NgRepeat, NgModel, etc.
- It supports the development of reusable templates while reducing code duplication within your App.
- You will not need to depend on multiple technology stacks when creating hybrid mobile apps. It takes care of everything from front to back-end development, making things easier and smoother for developers.
Top Apps using Mobile Angular UI:
- Forbes- Magazine-based App
- PayPal- Payments-based App
- Gmail- Email-based App
8) Appcelerator Titanium – Speeds-Up Development
Titanium is a cross-platform mobile app development framework. Titanium works by taking JavaScript source code and converting it into a native application using WebKit. The web-based framework is famous for developing apps for platforms including iOS, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Phone, Facebook apps, and HTML5 apps.
With over 20 million downloads since its first release in 2007, Titanium is one of the most widely used hybrid mobile app frameworks.
Pros of using Appcelerator Titanium
- There is a high performance on mobile applications.
- There are many cross-platform frameworks available, but Titanium always gives you a guarantee of success.
- The SDK for Appcelerator is open source, so you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars in license fees.
- You will not face any issues getting into a native coding environment because Titanium works efficiently on browser environments and device-specific windowing systems like iOS or Android/Windows.
Top Apps using Appcelerator Titanium:
- InMobi- Money-Making Ad-based App
- PayPal- Payments-based App
- Paint- Drawing-based App
9) Intel XDK – Clean and Easy-to-Use Interface
XDK is an HTML5 hybrid app development framework that lets you use web technologies to develop cross-platform apps for Android, iOS, and Windows Phones. Cross-platform capabilities combined with a simple codebase make XDK one of our favorites.
You can even create your custom version based on it. The downside? The interface isn’t as advanced as other frameworks, and there aren’t many documentation options. Still, if you want to test out mobile app development, XDK is a good option.
Pros of using Intel XDK:
- If you’re a web developer with solid knowledge of HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript, Intel XDK offers you a brilliant, integrated platform for building mobile apps using open-source tools and technologies.
- You can use a set of Web UI widgets such as Material Design and Bootstrap 3, along with AngularJS, HTML5 canvas, and WebGL technologies.
- Intel XDK allows developers to quickly build cross-platform hybrid apps deployed on Android devices through Google Play or tested in an iOS app store.
- According to various reviews from industry leaders in app development, Intel XDK is easy to use and has unmatched user experience design capabilities that help create beautiful hybrid applications for all types of users.
Top Apps using Intel XDK:
- Ninja Legacy- WP-based App
- Second Fiction- Game-based App
Read Also: Hybrid App Vs. Native App: Which is The Best For Your Business in 2022?
Grow your business with Hybrid App Development Frameworks. Let’s discuss how we can transform your business growth strategy.
Top 5 Reasons for Choosing Hybrid Mobile App Development
For the last couple of years, we’ve seen a rise in demand for hybrid app development among startups and established businesses. Many of you have been asking us why, and we’re excited to give you an answer finally! For your convenience, we’ve put together this list of the top 5 reasons to choose hybrid mobile app development, so you can see precisely what makes it such an attractive option.
1) Scalability
With hybrid apps, you can make your app available on Android and iOS without any significant hiccups. Since these are web-based apps, they’re compatible with nearly every modern mobile platform. It allows you to easily scale and deliver an exceptional user experience across multiple devices and platforms.
Additionally, since it uses native code to build native features, everything will be highly optimized for performance. Most users expect apps to load almost instantly—the instant loading offered by HTML5 ensures optimal speed for your customers regardless of their device or OS version.
You won’t have any issues supporting customers who don’t use state-of-the-art equipment; they will still have a great experience using your application regardless of their OS version or hardware capabilities.
2) Design Flexibility
Hybrid apps are designed using web technologies, which makes them highly flexible. Whether you’re building an app for Android or iOS, your developers will use open-source libraries that are compatible with both platforms.
As your business grows and your needs change, so can your mobile app. Simply update your web app, compile it for a new platform—and voila! You have a brand new feature or version of your application.
3) Faster Time to Market
The goal of your mobile app is to get it into your customer’s hands as quickly as possible, right? A hybrid approach allows you to do just that. Using web technologies like HTML5 and CSS3 will enable you to move fast and get your prototype in front of customers quicker than an all-native team.
Then when you’re ready for launch, simply switch out the web views with native components. Voilà! Your app has gone from prototype to final product without missing a beat. It’s fast—real fast! And if you’re growing at exponential rates, waiting months (or even years) to test out your idea isn’t a viable option.
4) Cost Saving
Hybrid mobile app development saves you time and money by limiting your changes later in development. No matter how solid a design or prototype is, it’s always cheaper and easier to get things right from day one of development—and hybrid mobile app platforms can do just that.
Some platforms have been shown to slash up to 70% off of standard development costs. Give yourself a fighting opportunity for success by choosing a venue with cost-saving features baked in from day one.
5) Differentiate From Competition
According to a recent Forbes study, over 75% of new mobile apps fail. On top of that, app development can be time-consuming and expensive – with a cost per app ranging from $1 million to more than $5 million.
One alternative is hybrid mobile app development – a process in which a cross-platform framework allows developers to create an app with native functionality using HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript.
Also Read: Top Web Development Frameworks for 2022 Comparison: All You Need To Know
Wrapping Up
That was all about the top frameworks to go for hybrid app development. The most compatible framework largely depends upon the kind of project and its core requirements.
Connect with a hybrid mobile application development company in India for a free consultation and affordable development of your project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is flutter a hybrid app development framework?
Yes, Flutter is considered among the top hybrid app development frameworks used by developers worldwide.
Is WhatsApp a hybrid app?
No. WhatsApp is not a hybrid app. It is a native app
Is react native a hybrid app?
Yes, React Native is one the most rapidly used hybrid app development frameworks available out there.
What is a Hybrid Mobile Application?
Hybrid mobile applications are created using HTML5 and CSS3 or JavaScript and are compatible with running on multiple OS. In addition, hybrid apps can also include any native mobile features, such as a camera, and get developed using cross-platform tools. Because hybrid apps get built with web technologies, they are compatible with any operating system.
Most importantly, these applications are easily scalable and have fewer development costs than native apps. Although users on most platforms will download an app more quickly if it got natively developed for their devices, they might choose to use a hybrid app if its performance is better than other similar apps.
What Is a Cross-Platform Framework?
A cross-platform framework allows developers to build applications (apps) for different platforms (iOS, Android, Windows, etc.) using the same underlying codebase. These frameworks let you write your application only once and then deploy it across all mobile operating systems.
Why Should You Go for Cross-Platform Development?
The foremost reason to go for cross-platform development lies in the lower cost it requires compared to other platforms. Developers can use a single code base and develop apps that run on iOS and Android without incurring any extra financial burden. It also ensures the fast development of apps and reduces time-to-market for app developers.
What Is an App Development Framework?
An application development framework is a collection of pre-developed software components and technologies that allow you to develop apps in less time with increased security. Various frameworks are available, including ‘native,’ ‘hybrid,’ and ‘web.’
Native app development frameworks are built for a specific development platform, e.g., iOS or Android. In contrast, cross-platform frameworks are much more common in the current context. Hybrid app development frameworks are a combination of web and native technologies.
What Is The Difference Between Native, Hybrid, and Web apps?
Native apps are built to perform on a specific platform. For example, an app developed for Windows Phone will not work on iOS or Android. On the other hand, hybrid apps are built using web technology that runs inside a native container.
Hence, they are capable of running on multiple platforms. Native apps are faster, have access to more features, and provide a better user experience. However, they also require expert developers with in-depth knowledge of the platform.
On the other hand, hybrid apps do not offer as good an experience because of their inherent reliance on web technology. Web applications, like native or hybrid apps, are platform-independent and are accessed using a web browser.
However, they are not as fast or responsive as native or hybrid apps.
