Cross-Platform Migration: Why It Works

I’ve been thinking about how companies build apps today. Maintaining separate Kotlin and Swift codebases feels like a relic—expensive, slow, and, honestly, kind of exhausting. Back in 2016, as a mobile engineer, I was obsessed with Swift and Kotlin.

They were shiny and powerful, the best way to build. But times change. At Cheesecake Labs, we’ve been moving clients to cross-platform solutions like React Native and Flutter.

It’s not just a trend; it’s a better way to get things done. This isn’t about hype. It’s about results.

I want to walk you through why cross-platform makes sense, what we’ve learned from doing it, and one real story that shows how it plays out. If you’re a CTO or Head of Engineering, this is for you.

1. The Big Picture

Apps are everywhere, and users don’t care how hard it is to build them. But dual codebases? That’s a headache—two teams, two timelines, twice the cost. Forrester’s latest report (Cross-Platform Frameworks Scratch The Mobile Itch, January 2025) says it straight: modern cross-platform tools look as good as native and cut costs without breaking anything. That’s not a small deal.

At Cheesecake Labs, we’ve seen this shift up close. We take apps from Kotlin and Swift and move them to React Native or Flutter. It’s not magic—it’s engineering that works. And it’s changing how fast and smart we can build.

2. Why It’s Worth It

Here’s what I’ve noticed about cross-platform. It solves real problems.

💰 It Saves Money

One codebase means one team. Our experience building 20+ cross-platform apps shows we can cut development time by at least 30%. That’s not just a number; it’s less hiring, less overhead, less stress. Maintenance drops too. Fix it once, not twice.

⏩ It’s Fast

React Native and Flutter let you ship to both platforms at once. Hot reloading means you see changes instantly—none of that recompiling nonsense. Data I’ve seen suggests up to 50% faster launches. In a race to market, that’s huge.

🥇 One Stack, One Team

React Native runs on JavaScript—tons of web devs already know it. Flutter’s Dart is easy to pick up and works across mobile and web. You don’t need separate iOS and Android experts. Your team can flex, and hiring gets simpler.

📱 It Looks the Same Everywhere

Users hate when an app feels off between platforms. Cross-platform keeps it consistent. Brand stays tight, trust stays high. Native can drift—iOS one way, Android another. That’s a mess we don’t need.

3. The Doubts (And Why They Don’t Hold Up)

People hesitate. I get it—performance and native features are the big worries. But here’s what we’ve found.

• Performance: Old-school hybrid apps were sluggish. Not anymore. Flutter’s rendering engine and React Native’s new architecture hit 60 FPS for most UIs. Native wins in crazy edge cases—think 3D games—but for business apps? The gap’s tiny.
• Native Stuff: Sure, not every API is plug-and-play. We’ve got that covered. Drop in native modules when needed. It’s a small tweak, not a dealbreaker.

We’ve built enough to know: with the right approach, cross-platform delivers. No excuses.

4. What We’ve Done at Cheesecake Labs

We’ve been at this for a while. Here’s some of what we’ve pulled off:

• Finance & Crypto: Built a crypto wallet on React Native for cross-border payments—live in Brazil, Mexico, the Philippines, and the US. It’s scaling fast.
• Banking: For a big Latin American bank, we shipped an investment app in four months. React Native, tied to their back-end, 4.6 stars out of the gate.
• IoT & Health: Flutter apps for a smart toilet seat and a knee rehab wearable. Real-time data, slick UIs—one hit 5.0 on the App Store.
• Mobility: EV charging apps, fleet trackers—Flutter and React Native handling complex, real-time integrations.

These aren’t toy projects. They’re serious apps, and they work. That’s what we bring to the table.

5. A Real Story: From Native to Cross-Platform

The Setup

One client—an e-commerce platform—had a problem. Their white-label apps ran on Kotlin and Swift. Two codebases, big team, slow updates. It was killing their edge. They needed something leaner.

The Hurdles

• Cost: Too many people to keep it running.
• Speed: Features took forever—twice the work, twice the wait.
• Quality: They worried cross-platform wouldn’t feel native. Fair concern, but things have changed.

What We Did

We went with React Native—fast, solid, and it fit their JavaScript web stack. The plan? Careful architecture, start with low-stakes features, test like crazy for native parity. We teamed up with their mobile and web crews, sharing knowledge. Timezones lined up, so we could talk it out live.

A big move was over-the-air updates (OTA). Their B2B customers could tweak apps without new versions—no store waits, no user nudges. Our team embedded with theirs—full collaboration. We set contracts between front-end and mobile, ran validation loops, made sure it held up. Our cross-platform know-how guided the tough calls.

What Happened

• Felt Native: Smooth transitions, no lag—users couldn’t tell the difference.
• Instant Updates: Web views let them tweak things over-the-air. No waiting on Apple or Google.
• Leaner Operation: One codebase, smaller team, lower costs.

It wasn’t perfect overnight—we had to tune it. But the result? They’re faster, cheaper, and still growing. That’s the kind of win we care about.

6. The Takeaway

Cross-platform isn’t a gamble anymore. It’s a tool that works—React Native, Flutter, or whatever fits. You save money, ship faster, and keep things tight across platforms.

At Cheesecake Labs, we’ve done it enough times to know the playbook. We’ve seen clients go from being bogged down to thriving.

If you’re stuck with native and feeling the weight, let’s talk. Hit us up—we’ll figure out what’s possible. The future’s coming fast, and this is one way to stay ahead.