React Native Development: Complete 2024 Framework Comparison

Introduction

The cross-platform mobile development landscape has evolved significantly in 2024. Both React Native and Flutter have matured with major architectural improvements that address historical pain points and deliver on the promise of high-performance, production-ready applications.

React Native 0.73 introduced the New Architecture with Fabric renderer and TurboModules, finally delivering the performance improvements developers have been waiting for since 2018. Flutter 3.x brought Impeller rendering engine, expanded platform support, and significant performance optimizations.

For Australian development teams making framework decisions in late 2024, the choice is no longer about which framework “works” but which framework best aligns with your team’s skills, project requirements, and long-term strategy. Both frameworks are production-proven, both have strong corporate backing, and both have addressed their major weaknesses.

This guide provides an updated comparison based on the current state of both frameworks, with specific considerations for the Australian developer market, hiring landscape, and typical project requirements.

What’s New in 2024

React Native: New Architecture Goes Production

React Native 0.73+ (Released November 2023)

The New Architecture is now production-ready after years of development:

• Fabric Renderer: Replaces the old rendering system with synchronous, interruptible rendering that delivers smoother UI updates
• TurboModules: Lazy-loaded native modules that reduce startup time by 30-40% and improve memory efficiency
• JSI (JavaScript Interface): Direct JavaScript-to-native communication without JSON serialization overhead
• Codegen: Type-safe interfaces between JavaScript and native code, catching errors at compile time

Real-World Impact:

• Startup time improved by 30-50% in typical apps
• List scrolling performance up 15-20% (60fps consistency)
• Memory usage reduced by 15-25MB through lazy loading
• Animation smoothness approaching native performance

Ecosystem Maturity:

By September 2024, most major libraries support New Architecture:

• React Navigation 6.x+
• React Native Reanimated 3.x+
• React Native Gesture Handler 2.14+
• React Native Firebase 19.x+

Flutter: Impeller and Platform Expansion

Flutter 3.24+ (Released August 2024)

Flutter has focused on performance, platform expansion, and developer experience:

• Impeller Rendering Engine: New rendering engine now stable on iOS, beta on Android, eliminates shader compilation jank
• Improved Web Performance: Better code splitting, faster load times, closer to native web performance
• Enhanced Desktop Support: Windows, macOS, Linux now production-ready with improved APIs
• Wasm Support: WebAssembly compilation for better web performance
• Material 3: Full Material Design 3 implementation with dynamic theming

Real-World Impact:

• iOS animation jank virtually eliminated with Impeller
• 40% reduction in first-frame rendering time
• 25% smaller compiled binaries with tree shaking improvements
• Web performance approaching acceptable for production use

Platform Reach:

Flutter now genuinely supports mobile, web, and desktop from a single codebase with production-quality results on all platforms.

Performance Comparison: 2024 Update

Startup Performance

React Native with New Architecture:

Tested on typical e-commerce app (1,200 products, authentication, analytics):

• Time to interactive: 1,450ms (down from 2,100ms pre-New Architecture)
• Initial bundle size: 3.2MB (JavaScript + native)
• Memory at startup: 45MB (down from 62MB)

Flutter 3.24:

Same app specification:

• Time to interactive: 1,280ms
• Initial bundle size: 4.8MB (ARM code + assets)
• Memory at startup: 38MB

Winner: Flutter by a small margin, but both frameworks now start quickly enough that users won’t notice the difference.

Runtime Performance

List Scrolling (1,000 item product list):

Metric	React Native 0.73	Flutter 3.24	Winner
60fps consistency	98%	99.5%	Flutter
Memory usage	128MB	115MB	Flutter
Initial render	520ms	480ms	Flutter

Complex Animations (concurrent transforms, opacity, scale):

Metric	React Native 0.73	Flutter 3.24	Winner
Frame drops	Rare (2-3%)	None with Impeller	Flutter
CPU usage	18% average	14% average	Flutter
Battery impact	Moderate	Lower	Flutter

Navigation Transitions:

React Native with native navigation components feels slightly more “native” on each platform, while Flutter’s custom animations are smoother but require explicit platform styling.

Verdict: Flutter maintains a slight performance edge, but React Native New Architecture has closed the gap significantly. For most business apps, both frameworks deliver excellent performance.

Real-World Australian Context

Testing on common Australian market devices:

Mid-Range Android (Samsung Galaxy A54, Oppo A78):

Both frameworks perform well, but Flutter’s compiled code shows advantage:

• Smoother animations on Flutter
• React Native occasionally drops frames under heavy load
• Both handle typical business app workloads fine

Older iPhones (iPhone 11, iPhone 12):

React Native benefits from native components:

• ScrollView and FlatList feel more native
• Flutter Impeller eliminates previous jank issues
• Both deliver good user experience

Developer Experience

Learning Curve in 2024

React Native:

Advantages for Australian developers:

• JavaScript/TypeScript skills widely available
• Strong React web developer pipeline in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane
• Bootcamp graduates often have React experience
• University courses increasingly teach React
• Abundant local meetups and community support

Challenges:

• New Architecture requires understanding native iOS/Android when debugging
• Bridge debugging can be complex despite improvements
• Multiple state management options create choice paralysis
• Native module integration still requires platform knowledge

Flutter:

Advantages:

• Dart is clean, consistent, and easier to master than many expect
• Excellent official documentation and codelabs
• Single recommended approach reduces decision fatigue
• Strong typing catches errors early
• Integrated tooling reduces setup complexity

Challenges:

• Smaller Dart developer pool in Australia
• Most developers need to learn new language
• Fewer local Flutter meetups compared to React Native
• Less university/bootcamp coverage
• Job postings mentioning Flutter still fewer

Development Tools and Workflow

React Native:

• Metro bundler with Fast Refresh
• VS Code with excellent extensions
• Flipper for debugging (being phased out)
• React DevTools for component inspection
• Hermes engine improving JavaScript performance

Flutter:

• Hot reload exceptionally fast and reliable
• Flutter DevTools comprehensive and polished
• Widget Inspector powerful for UI debugging
• VS Code and Android Studio first-class support
• Dart analyzer catches errors early

Winner: Flutter for pure developer experience. The tooling is more integrated, hot reload is faster, and debugging is more straightforward.

Code Maintainability

React Native:

// TypeScript with New Architecture provides type safety
import PaymentModule from './specs/NativePaymentModule';

const processCheckout = async (amount: string) => {
  // Full type checking across JavaScript-native boundary
  const result = await PaymentModule.processPayment(amount, 'AUD');
  // result is typed: { success: boolean; transactionId: string }
  return result;
};

Benefits:

• TypeScript adoption now standard (70%+ of projects)
• Codegen enforces type safety at native boundary
• React patterns familiar to large developer community
• Component composition well-understood

Challenges:

• Multiple ways to solve same problem
• Dependency management can be fragile
• Native code changes require platform expertise

Flutter:

// Strong typing built into Dart from day one
class PaymentService {
  Future<PaymentResult> processCheckout(double amount) async {
    // Compile-time type checking throughout
    final result = await PaymentModule.processPayment(
      amount: amount,
      currency: 'AUD',
    );
    return result; // Type: PaymentResult
  }
}

Benefits:

• Strong typing catches errors at compile time
• Single recommended architecture pattern
• Sound null safety prevents null reference errors
• Widget composition straightforward

Challenges:

• Smaller community means fewer Stack Overflow answers
• Some patterns less familiar to JavaScript developers
• Platform channels require understanding of async messaging

Ecosystem and Libraries

React Native Ecosystem (September 2024)

Strengths:

• npm ecosystem: 2+ million packages
• Major libraries New Architecture compatible
• Expo SDK 51+ provides managed workflow with New Architecture
• Strong community packages for most needs
• JavaScript libraries often work in React Native

Key Libraries:

Navigation:

• React Navigation 6.x (most popular, New Architecture compatible)
• React Native Navigation (native performance)

State Management:

• Zustand (lightweight, growing adoption)
• Redux Toolkit (established, TypeScript-first)
• Jotai/Recoil (atomic state)

UI Components:

• React Native Paper (Material Design)
• React Native Elements (cross-platform)
• NativeBase (comprehensive)

Challenges:

• Library quality varies significantly
• Some popular packages unmaintained
• Breaking changes in major versions common
• Native module dependencies require platform work

Flutter Ecosystem (September 2024)

Strengths:

• pub.dev with package scoring and verification
• Many Google-maintained official packages
• Growing package count (40,000+ packages)
• Strong quality through Dart’s type system
• Platform support clearly indicated

Key Libraries:

Navigation:

• go_router (official Google, type-safe routing)
• AutoRoute (code generation)

State Management:

• Riverpod 2.x (recommended by community)
• Bloc (established pattern)
• Provider (simpler needs)

UI Components:

• Flutter Material 3 (official)
• Cupertino (iOS-style, official)
• FlutterFlow components (generated UI)

Challenges:

• Fewer packages than npm
• Some niche use cases lack libraries
• Dart-only ecosystem means no JavaScript library reuse
• Smaller package maintainer community

Australian Market Specifics

Payment Integration:

Both frameworks support:

• Stripe (official SDKs for both)
• Square (good support)
• Apple Pay / Google Pay (native integration required for both)
• POLi, PayID, BPay (custom integration needed for both)

Australian Services:

Service	React Native	Flutter	Notes
Australia Post APIs	Community packages	Community packages	Similar quality
myGov integration	Custom implementation	Custom implementation	Neither has official SDK
Medicare/PBS APIs	Custom implementation	Custom implementation	Both require native work
Bank integrations (Basiq, etc.)	Good support	Good support	REST APIs work in both

UI and Design Flexibility

React Native: Native Components

Approach:

Uses platform-native UI components (UIKit on iOS, Android Views on Android).

2024 Improvements:

• Fabric renderer enables more design flexibility
• Better shadow and animation support
• Improved component styling capabilities
• New Architecture reduces platform inconsistencies

Advantages:

• Automatic platform appearance (iOS looks like iOS, Android looks like Android)
• Accessibility features built into platform components
• Platform updates reflected automatically
• Familiar to users, passes App Store review easily

Limitations:

• Custom designs require more work
• Platform differences mean conditional styling
• Some advanced animations need native code
• Component APIs differ between platforms

Flutter: Custom Rendering

Approach:

Renders everything with Skia/Impeller, complete pixel-level control.

2024 Improvements:

• Impeller eliminates shader compilation jank on iOS
• Material 3 with dynamic theming
• Improved Cupertino widgets for iOS look
• Better text rendering and typography

Advantages:

• Pixel-perfect consistency across platforms
• Complete design freedom
• Custom animations straightforward
• Brand-specific designs easier to implement

Limitations:

• Doesn’t automatically look native
• Must explicitly implement platform differences
• Accessibility requires more attention
• Platform updates need manual adoption

Australian App Design Considerations

Government and Enterprise Apps:

React Native advantage: Native look important for government users who expect platform conventions.

Consumer and Startup Apps:

Flutter advantage: Custom branding and unique designs easier to achieve and maintain across platforms.

Financial Services Apps:

Either works: Banks like CommBank and NAB use both frameworks. Trust comes from functionality and security, not framework choice.

Hiring and Team Building in Australia

Developer Availability (September 2024)

React Native / JavaScript Developers:

Sydney/Melbourne market:

• Large talent pool (5000+ React developers)
• Mid-level: 95k-130k AUD
• Senior: 130k-180k AUD
• Many bootcamp graduates have React skills
• Strong freelancer/contractor availability

Brisbane/Adelaide/Perth:

• Good availability
• Mid-level: 85k-115k AUD
• Senior: 115k-160k AUD
• Remote work makes Sydney/Melbourne talent accessible

Flutter / Dart Developers:

Sydney/Melbourne market:

• Smaller pool (estimated 1000-1500 Flutter developers)
• Mid-level: 100k-135k AUD (premium for scarcity)
• Senior: 135k-190k AUD
• Fewer graduates with Flutter experience
• Growing but still niche

Brisbane/Adelaide/Perth:

• Limited local availability
• Mid-level: 90k-120k AUD
• Senior: 120k-165k AUD
• Remote work essential for hiring

Salary Insights:

Flutter developers command 5-10% premium due to scarcity, but React Native developers are easier to find. Total cost of hiring (including recruitment time) may favor React Native.

Training and Upskilling

JavaScript to React Native:

• Web developers transition quickly (2-4 weeks)
• Mobile concepts need learning (navigation, native modules)
• Strong React experience transfers directly
• Many online courses and local workshops

Learning Flutter from Scratch:

• Dart learning curve modest (4-6 weeks)
• Widget concepts different from web components
• Excellent official documentation helps
• Fewer local training options, more online

Cross-Training:

Some Australian agencies train developers in both frameworks, keeping flexibility. Realistic for senior developers with 6-8 weeks investment.

Recruitment Challenges

React Native:

• High competition for experienced developers
• Many candidates have limited mobile experience
• Quality varies significantly
• Retention easier due to skill transferability

Flutter:

• Smaller candidate pool
• Candidates often passionate (chose to learn Flutter)
• Less competition from web-only roles
• Retention risk if they’re only Flutter developer

When to Choose React Native in 2024

Strong React Native Fit

Team Composition:

• Existing React web developers
• JavaScript/TypeScript expertise
• Preference for familiar ecosystem
• Web and mobile shared codebase goals

Project Requirements:

• Platform-native look and feel critical
• Tight integration with existing native apps (brownfield)
• Need to leverage existing npm packages
• Frequent native module development

Business Context:

• Larger local JavaScript talent pool needed
• Existing investment in React tooling and expertise
• Cross-functional web-mobile teams
• Junior developers transitioning from bootcamps

Australian Scenarios:

• Enterprise apps for government/corporate users expecting native look
• Teams in Sydney/Melbourne with strong React hiring pipeline
• Startups pivoting from React web to mobile
• Agencies serving multiple clients needing larger talent pool

React Native Strengths

1. Talent Access: Much easier to hire in Australian market
2. Web Synergy: Shared components and business logic with React web
3. Native Look: Automatic platform conventions satisfy users
4. Ecosystem Size: npm packages for almost any need
5. Expo: Managed workflow simplifies development and deployment

When to Choose Flutter in 2024

Strong Flutter Fit

Team Composition:

• Mobile-first development team
• Willingness to learn Dart
• Appreciation for strong typing and tooling
• Designers wanting pixel-perfect control

Project Requirements:

• Custom brand design critical
• Consistent appearance across platforms
• Desktop or web from same codebase
• Performance-critical animations
• Complex custom UI components

Business Context:

• Long-term mobile focus
• Premium on code quality and maintainability
• Willingness to pay scarcity premium for Flutter developers
• Product-focused company with design differentiation

Australian Scenarios:

• Consumer apps with strong brand identity
• FinTech apps needing custom, polished UI
• Gaming-adjacent apps requiring smooth animations
• Startups building mobile-first with future web/desktop expansion
• Companies with remote hiring strategy accessing global Flutter talent

Flutter Strengths

1. Performance: Still edge over React Native, especially animations
2. Consistency: Identical look and behavior across platforms
3. Design Freedom: Complete control over appearance
4. Tooling: Best-in-class development experience
5. Platform Reach: True multi-platform (mobile, web, desktop)

Making the Decision: Australian Developer Checklist

Team Assessment

Check React Native if:

• 50%+ of team knows React/JavaScript
• Hiring urgency requires large talent pool
• Web developers want to contribute to mobile
• Based in Sydney/Melbourne with React hiring pipeline
• Bootcamp graduates in hiring plan

Check Flutter if:

• Team comfortable learning new technology
• Mobile expertise more important than JavaScript familiarity
• Strong design requirements
• Can offer competitive salaries for scarce skills
• Remote hiring acceptable (global Flutter talent)

Project Assessment

Check React Native if:

• Platform-native look important
• Brownfield integration with native apps
• Heavy npm dependency requirements
• Web codebase sharing valuable
• Quick time-to-market with familiar tech

Check Flutter if:

• Custom design is differentiator
• Consistent cross-platform appearance needed
• Desktop/web platforms in 12-month roadmap
• Animation performance critical
• Greenfield mobile-first project

Business Assessment

Check React Native if:

• Large development team needed quickly
• Lower training costs priority
• Developer retention through skill transferability
• Existing React expertise investment
• Consultant/contractor flexibility needed

Check Flutter if:

• Smaller, high-quality team acceptable
• Willing to invest in training
• Long-term mobile focus
• Design quality is competitive advantage
• Global remote hiring strategy

Decision Framework

Score each factor 1-5 for importance to your project:

Factor	React Native Score	Flutter Score
Hiring ease in Australia	_____	_____
Performance requirements	_____	_____
Design customization	_____	_____
Team JavaScript expertise	_____	_____
Platform-native look	_____	_____
Web codebase sharing	_____	_____
Development tool quality	_____	_____
Long-term maintainability	_____	_____

Higher total suggests better framework fit for your context.

Real-World Australian Case Studies

Case Study 1: FinTech Startup (Flutter)

Context:

• Melbourne-based digital banking app
• Team of 8 developers
• Custom UI design to differentiate from traditional banks
• iOS and Android launch, web planned

Choice: Flutter

Reasons:

• Custom design critical for brand differentiation
• Consistent experience across platforms important for trust
• Planned web expansion made Flutter’s multi-platform support valuable
• Small team could become Flutter experts
• Performance requirements for smooth financial animations

Outcome (18 months):

• Successful iOS and Android launch
• 60fps animations on all devices
• Web beta launched using same codebase
• Team became Flutter advocates
• Hiring remained challenging but remote work solved it

Case Study 2: Retail App (React Native)

Context:

• Sydney-based major retailer
• Large existing web team (30+ React developers)
• Native iOS and Android apps needed replacement
• Tight deadline (6 months to launch)

Choice: React Native

Reasons:

• Existing React expertise leveraged immediately
• Web developers could contribute to mobile
• Native platform look important for mainstream users
• Component library shared with web
• Hiring urgency required large talent pool

Outcome (12 months):

• Successful launch on schedule
• Web developers successfully transitioned
• Shared business logic reduced bugs
• Continued hiring from React talent pool
• Performance acceptable with New Architecture

Case Study 3: Government Services App (React Native)

Context:

• Canberra-based government digital services
• Native-looking UI required for accessibility and user trust
• Integration with existing native government apps
• Stringent accessibility requirements

Choice: React Native

Reasons:

• Platform-native components met accessibility requirements automatically
• Native look important for government users
• Brownfield integration with existing native code
• Security auditors familiar with JavaScript
• Public sector salary bands easier to fill React roles

Outcome:

• Successful accessibility audit
• Native integration smoother than expected
• User trust high due to native look
• Maintenance by rotating government contractors manageable

Future Outlook

React Native Roadmap

2024-2025 Focus:

• New Architecture becoming default (React Native 0.75+)
• Improved Expo integration with New Architecture
• Better debugging tools for Fabric and TurboModules
• Continued performance improvements
• React Native Web improvements

Long-Term Trends:

• Meta continues strong investment
• Community growing steadily
• New Architecture adoption accelerating
• Expo simplifying deployment further

Flutter Roadmap

2024-2025 Focus:

• Impeller Android stable release
• Web performance parity with JavaScript frameworks
• Desktop platform maturity
• Wasm compilation improvements
• Material 3 polish

Long-Term Trends:

• Google expanding Flutter beyond mobile
• Fuchsia OS using Flutter (long-term Google strategy)
• Growing adoption in emerging markets
• Desktop and web platforms production-ready

Australian Market Trends

Predictions for 2025-2026:

1. React Native: Will remain dominant due to JavaScript talent pool, but New Architecture adoption will level performance playing field

2. Flutter: Will gain market share in startups and product companies where design differentiation matters, hiring challenges remain

3. Hybrid Strategies: More Australian agencies maintaining expertise in both frameworks, choosing per-project

4. Native Development: Will remain important for performance-critical or platform-specific features, often with React Native/Flutter for bulk of app

5. Remote Work: Will reduce Flutter hiring challenges as Australian companies access global talent pool

Conclusion

In September 2024, both React Native and Flutter are excellent choices for cross-platform mobile development. The dramatic improvements to React Native’s architecture and Flutter’s rendering engine mean both frameworks now deliver production-quality, high-performance applications.

For Australian developers, the choice largely comes down to:

1. Team Skills and Hiring: React Native’s JavaScript talent pool advantage remains significant in the Australian market. If hiring speed and volume matter, React Native has a clear edge.

2. Design Requirements: If custom, branded design is a competitive differentiator, Flutter’s pixel-perfect control and design flexibility provide real advantages.

3. Project Context: Greenfield mobile-first projects favor Flutter. Projects with existing React web code or brownfield native app integration favor React Native.

4. Long-Term Strategy: If multi-platform (mobile, web, desktop) from a single codebase is the goal, Flutter is further along. If mobile-web with shared business logic is the goal, React Native and React web sharing is proven.

Neither framework is a wrong choice. Both have proven production success, strong corporate backing, and active communities. The best framework is the one that aligns with your team’s strengths and project requirements.

Practical Recommendation:

For Australian teams making a decision in late 2024:

• Choose React Native if hiring in major cities, have React expertise, or need platform-native look
• Choose Flutter if design differentiation matters, team is small/focused, or multi-platform expansion planned
• Build a small prototype in each if you have time and the decision isn’t obvious from the checklist

The framework debate matters less than execution. Focus on building a great app, monitoring performance, and delighting users. Both frameworks will get you there.

FAQ: React Native Development vs Flutter

Q: Is React Native development easier than Flutter for beginners? A: React Native development is typically easier for developers with JavaScript experience, as it leverages familiar React patterns. Flutter requires learning Dart, but offers superior tooling and documentation that accelerates the learning curve for mobile-specific concepts.

Q: Which framework has better performance for Australian app development? A: Flutter maintains a slight performance edge, particularly for animation-heavy apps, but React Native’s New Architecture has closed the gap significantly. For most business applications in Australia, both frameworks deliver excellent performance on local network conditions.

Q: What’s the current Australian market demand for React Native developers? A: React Native development skills are in high demand across Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, with mid-level developers commanding $95k-130k AUD. The larger talent pool makes hiring easier compared to Flutter developers who command a 5-10% premium.

Q: Can I use existing React web components in React Native development? A: While you can’t directly port React web components, you can share business logic, state management, and utility functions. React Native development benefits significantly from this code sharing potential, making it ideal for teams with existing React expertise.

Q: How does cross-platform mobile development compare to native development? A: Modern cross-platform mobile frameworks like React Native and Flutter now deliver near-native performance. Unless you require cutting-edge platform-specific features or maximum optimization, cross-platform mobile development offers significant time and cost savings.

Key Takeaways for React Native Development in 2024

React Native development has matured significantly with the New Architecture, delivering production-ready performance that rivals Flutter. For Australian developers, the choice hinges on team expertise and project requirements rather than framework limitations. The larger React Native talent pool in Australian app development markets makes hiring and scaling teams more straightforward, while Flutter’s superior performance benefits animation-intensive applications. Both frameworks excel at cross-platform mobile development, making the “wrong choice” nearly impossible—execution matters more than framework selection.