I've shipped four React Native apps to the App Store and Google Play — InkMatching, RewardingHub, Canada Citizenship Test, and BestCompanion. I've lived through the pain points and the victories. Here's my unfiltered take on React Native in 2025.
The State of React Native in 2025
React Native has changed dramatically in the past two years. The New Architecture (Fabric renderer + TurboModules) is now the default. Expo SDK 52 has made the developer experience remarkably smooth. And the ecosystem has matured significantly.
But "better than before" doesn't automatically mean "best choice for you." Let's break it down honestly.
React Native vs Flutter: A Real Comparison
I've built small projects in Flutter too. Here's my honest comparison as a solo developer:
Developer Experience
React Native wins if you already know React. The mental model transfers directly — components, hooks, state management, even many npm packages work or have RN equivalents.
Flutter wins if you're starting fresh. Dart is simple to learn, the widget system is consistent, and hot reload is slightly more reliable.
My take: As a React/Next.js developer, React Native lets me share mental models and sometimes actual code between web and mobile. That's a massive productivity multiplier for a solo developer.
Performance
The New Architecture closed the performance gap significantly. With Fabric, React Native renders directly on the UI thread without the old bridge bottleneck. For 95% of apps — lists, forms, navigation, animations — performance is indistinguishable from native.
Flutter still has an edge for complex custom animations and games. But if you're building business apps (which is most freelance work), React Native is fast enough.
Ecosystem
React Native has a larger ecosystem of third-party libraries. But many are poorly maintained. Flutter's ecosystem is smaller but more consistent in quality.
The game-changer: Expo. Expo's managed workflow handles 90% of native module needs without writing a line of Swift or Kotlin. Camera, notifications, maps, biometrics, file system — all available as Expo packages that just work.
What's Gotten Better
Expo Router
File-based routing for React Native. If you've used Next.js, you'll feel right at home:
app/
(tabs)/
index.tsx → Home tab
profile.tsx → Profile tab
settings.tsx → Settings screen
[id].tsx → Dynamic route
This replaced React Navigation for me and I haven't looked back. Deep linking, TypeScript route params, and layouts work exactly like Next.js.
EAS Build
Expo Application Services handles builds in the cloud. No more wrestling with Xcode or Android Studio for release builds. Push one command, get an IPA and APK.
eas build --platform all --profile production
Bridgeless Mode
The old architecture required a "bridge" between JavaScript and native code — a serialization bottleneck. Bridgeless mode eliminates this entirely. The result: faster startup, smoother animations, and better memory management.
What's Still Painful
Native Modules
When you need functionality that no Expo or community package covers, you're writing native code. This means Swift for iOS, Kotlin for Android, and a bridging layer to connect them to JavaScript.
It's doable, but it's slow and error-prone. Every native module update risks breaking something on one platform.
Debugging
React Native debugging has improved, but it's still not as smooth as web debugging. The Chrome DevTools integration works, but:
- Breakpoints sometimes don't hit
- Network inspection requires a proxy (Flipper or Reactotron)
- Crash logs from native code are cryptic
Platform Differences
"Write once, run anywhere" is aspirational. In practice, you'll spend 15-20% of your time on platform-specific code — handling notches, keyboard behavior, permissions, and OS-specific UI patterns.
My Verdict for Freelancers
If you're a freelance developer considering React Native in 2025, here's my decision framework:
Choose React Native if:
- You already know React (biggest factor)
- Your clients need iOS + Android (the whole point)
- The app is business-focused (CRUD, forms, lists, maps)
- You want to share code with a web app (React Native Web)
- Budget is tight (one codebase is cheaper than two)
Consider alternatives if:
- The app needs complex custom animations or games (Flutter or native)
- You have platform-specific requirements (native SDKs)
- You're building for one platform only (just go native)
For solo developers and small teams, React Native with Expo is the best productivity-to-quality ratio in mobile development right now. I can ship a production app in 2-4 weeks that would take 6-8 weeks with separate native codebases.
The Bottom Line
React Native in 2025 is the best it's ever been. The New Architecture, Expo's tooling, and the mature ecosystem make it a legitimate choice for production apps. It's not perfect — debugging is still frustrating and native modules are still painful. But for the vast majority of mobile apps, it delivers.
If you know React, learning React Native is a 2-week investment that opens an entire platform. That's one of the highest-ROI skills you can add to your toolkit.
Want to see what's possible with React Native? Check out my mobile projects: InkMatching, RewardingHub, and Canada Citizenship Test. Working on a mobile project? Let's talk.