| Flutter | React Native | |
|---|---|---|
| Maintainer | Meta | |
| First release | 2018 | 2015 |
| License | BSD-3-Clause | MIT |
| Learning curve | Moderate, dart is easy to pick up from any C-style language, but the widget tree and state management approaches take time to internalize. | Easy for React developers; the real curve is native tooling (Xcode, Gradle) and writing native modules when you hit the edges. |
| Performance | Compiled to native ARM code with its own Impeller renderer. Consistently smooth animations at 60/120 fps on both platforms. | Near-native for most business apps since the New Architecture (Fabric and JSI); graphics-heavy screens still need careful optimization. |
Both deliver excellent iOS and Android apps from one codebase. Choose React Native if your team knows React or you share code with a web app; choose Flutter for pixel-perfect branded UIs, heavy animation or when you also target desktop. Team skills should decide this one more often than benchmark charts.