In the world of app development, a few topics are more hotly debated than whether your app should be native or cross-platform. The consensus seems to be that cross-platform app development may be good for you and if you take a look at all the benefits of cross-platform app development, you might change your mind! In this article, we’ll discuss 10 major advantages of cross-platform app development and why they’re worth exploring further.

1) Cross-Platform Development Is Faster

Cross-platform app development is faster than building an app for one operating system or platform. For example, if you want to create an Android and iOS app, you would only need to create it once for two operating systems instead of twice. Cross-platform applications are based on web technologies; thus, they enable developers to code in HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript (for example). This means that developers can build apps using web standards instead of having to learn new coding languages for each platform. The same application can be used across all major platforms including iOS, Android, Windows Phone 8, and Blackberry 10.

2) Develop Apps for Multiple Platforms at Once

With cross-platform development, you can build apps for multiple platforms at once, saving you time and allowing you to reach more users. You also don’t have to worry about one platform’s restrictions and requirements conflicting with another—your app will run on its own individual structure, which allows it to work more efficiently. For example, if your app relies on location data or connection status info, these features will be consistent across each platform. As a result, it won’t matter whether your app is running on iOS or Android—it will run as expected. Moreover, cross-platform development allows you to create apps more quickly than with native programming languages because there isn’t as much code that needs to be written.

3) Add Updates on All Platforms at Once

Unless you’re developing for a single platform, it’s unlikely that your development team will be able to push updates at exactly the same time. This has advantages and disadvantages. For example, if you’re working on a single Mac and want to add new features or fix bugs, you could work on them without having to run any tests. But when you finally do upload your app, Android users will have to wait longer than others before getting access to new features. With cross-platform apps, however, updates can be pushed out immediately because all versions are updated at once. Plus, by developing for multiple platforms at once, you’ll need fewer developers in total–and saving money is always nice!

4) Advertise Easily on Many Platforms

While building your app, you should consider making it cross-platform. This can give you access to more users, plus it allows your business to advertise on many different platforms. When you’re trying to get traction for your app or brand, having these options can make a big difference. Not only that, but cross-platform development has other benefits too. Many customers might be using multiple devices, and if yours is available on all of them then they are more likely to use yours over others that aren’t. For example, if someone likes your iPhone app they are more likely to try out its Android version too.

5) Use One Code Base Across Mobile Apps

If you’re interested in creating apps for multiple mobile platforms, you need to find a developer with cross-platform skills. This means they have knowledge of how to build mobile apps that can run on iOS, Android, and any other mobile operating system, using just one code base across all platforms. This is great news for businesses that want to create both native apps and web apps—if you go with a company with strong cross-platform development skills, they will be able to handle both types of projects efficiently. Using one code base also offers significant advantages over creating separate codes bases for each platform.

6) Set Up Marketing Channels Efficiently

Now that you have an app, you’ll need to figure out how to market it. With so many options available, here are some tips for setting up marketing channels efficiently. Start by picking one or two social networks based on what your customers are using. Don’t set up profiles on each site unless your budget allows for it. Most marketers find they get enough business from Facebook and Twitter, especially if they use platforms like Hootsuite to manage their social media accounts easily. Choose an email marketing service with analytics tools so you can learn more about who’s opening your emails and click rates, which will help guide your next campaign.

7) Track Data Easily Across Multiple Platforms

If you use any sort of analytics to track and monitor your app’s activity, you’ll need to ensure that your data can be transferred seamlessly between multiple operating systems. Any developer worth their salt should offer an analytics dashboard that lets you quickly and efficiently transfer data between apps. If they can’t do that, don’t work with them. It may seem like a small detail now, but it could become a big headache for you later on down the line if your provider isn’t aware of potential cross-platform issues early on in development.

8) Test Effectively Across Multiple Platforms

When you’re developing a new app, it’s important to test it quickly. Time is of the essence and every day you spend gathering data and honing your app’s design can save months down the road. This is where cross-platform development tools come in handy. Creating an app for multiple platforms—iOS, Android, etc.—with a single codebase will save you valuable time later on in development and testing cycles. Not only that, but it can also help prevent costly mistakes such as bugs that result from code changes on one platform not working on another or missing features that users expect because you never developed them for other platforms.

9) Meet Audience Demands For Each Device Type

A single, cross-platform app can be sold on multiple platforms with virtually no effort. Using one API for all versions makes it easier to connect with customers on multiple devices, using less development time and resources than creating an app for each device separately. For example, if you have an iPhone app that requires in-app purchases to function properly, then marketing that same iPhone app on an Android platform would not be as valuable if it doesn’t come with access to those same purchases. When you use a cross-platform API rather than developing two separate apps separately, one version of your app can communicate easily with all other versions so long as they’re using the same API integration.

10) Easier Cross-Marketing Across Devices

Even if you don’t create a cross-platform app, there are significant advantages to having an app presence across multiple devices. You’ll be able to expand your reach and make it easier for your existing customers to find you. Plus, by making it possible for people who own different types of mobile devices to interact with your company, you make it easier for them to use your product, which helps broaden its appeal and bolsters its value. The more people that can use your product or service, even in a limited capacity, the better off you’ll be.

Conclusion

Building an app for more than one platform can be time-consuming, but has many advantages to choose cross-platform development. The benefits of cross-platform development include: You get your app into people’s hands faster. With fewer platforms to develop for, you save time and money while increasing your speed to market. It also means that you won’t have delays due to bugs or compatibility issues between operating systems.

Some of these problems would crop up regardless, but doing offshore cross-platform app developing services minimizes them. Cross-platform users are more valuable in terms of user lifetime value (LTV). These types of users are likely to stay with your app longer because they see it as a core part of their experience rather than an add-on or secondary offering.