pros, cons, and How to Use Flutter
Flutter has been one of the most popular platforms for cross-platform mobile app development for several years now — with support from Google, a rapidly growing community as well as an impressive set of tools.
However, 2025 brings new challenges and opportunities: increased competition, technological changes, and shifting business priorities are forcing developers and companies to question whether Flutter is still the platform of choice for new projects.
In this article, we’ll break down the key advantages and disadvantages of Flutter in 2025, review the latest updates to the ecosystem, and tell you when Flutter is the best choice and when you should look at alternatives.
Flutter Technology Overview
Flutter is an open-source cross-platform UI SDK developed by Google. It allows you to create natively compiled applications for mobile, web, desktop, and even embedded systems using a single codebase. Flutter enables developers to get products to market faster by providing robust visual and logical consistency across any platform.
According to Statista, Flutter remains the most popular cross-platform framework, with about 46% of app developers using it in 2023.
Cross-platform mobile frameworks used in software development process worldwide from 2019 to 2023, Statista
Flutter Technology: What Makes It Worth Considering in 2025
Flutter is based on the Dart programming language — also developed by Google. Dart supports both JIT compilation for rapid prototyping and AOT compilation for high performance in production.
With the release of Dart 3 and subsequent updates, the platform has gained mandatory support for sound null safety, pattern-matching, and the ability to compile to WebAssembly, making it even more competitive.
An important feature of Flutter is its own engine, written in C++, which uses a graphical renderer (formerly Skia, now Impeller) and does not rely on standard native UI components. This allows Flutter to create a completely native UI without the need to “bridge” between platforms — unlike, for example, React Native.
What’s New in 2024-2025
Flutter has matured considerably over the past year. The main update is the switch to Impeller, a new graphics engine that is now used by default on iOS and Android (starting with API 29).
It replaced Skia and finally solved one of the major developer pain points: performance sags and lags when rendering complex animations. With Impeller, the interface became noticeably smoother and more responsive — especially on less powerful devices.
An equally important change is the full support for WebAssembly in Flutter Web. This is a big step forward: applications are now faster to load and more stable even in the browser, especially in poor internet conditions. For users, it’s just “everything works faster”, but for developers, there’s less of a trade-off between usability and speed.
Plus, in 2025, Flutter is noticeably closer to the platform. Thanks to Direct Native Interop and FFI improvements, it’s easier to use native APIs without writing bridges or wrappers.
That is, if you suddenly need access to some native Android or iOS feature, it is now easier and faster to implement it. On top of that — updated DevTools, improved accessibility support, and stable hot reload right in the browser, which makes development even more convenient.
Flutter feels more and more confident as a full-fledged platform — and it looks like it’s not going to stop.
Key Pros of Apps Built With Flutter in 2025
Flutter remains one of the most attractive tools for cross-platform development in 2025. Below are the key benefits of Flutter that make it a relevant choice for developers and businesses.
Cross-platform efficiency
One of the main advantages of Flutter is its ability to create iOS, Android, Web, Windows, macOS, and Linux applications from a single code. This significantly reduces development, support, and testing costs.
In 2025, Google continues to actively develop support for Web and Desktop — performance, stability, and compatibility have visibly improved. Flutter Web now loads faster (especially with WebAssembly), and desktop apps look and behave as natively as possible.
High performance
With the introduction of Impeller, the new rendering engine that replaced Skia, the performance of Flutter applications has improved dramatically. Impeller provides more predictable rendering, eliminates delays when shaders are first rendered, and makes animations smoother.
It works directly with Metal on iOS and Vulkan on Android, delivering high frame rates even on weak devices.
Faster development with Hot Reload
Hot Reload remains one of the most convenient tools for quick development and testing of the interface. Code changes can be seen instantly, without completely rebuilding the application, which greatly speeds up the prototyping and debugging process. Even in 2025, despite the availability of alternatives, Flutter remains the leader in terms of speed and ease of development.
Large and growing ecosystem
Flutter’s effectiveness is enhanced by a well-developed and constantly expanding ecosystem. Tens of thousands of packages are available on the pub.dev platform, ready to use — from UI components to integrations with Firebase, Stripe, GraphQL, and other popular services. Google actively supports the development of this ecosystem by regularly updating official packages and improving the infrastructure.
Consistent UI and business logic across platforms
One of the most notable advantages of Flutter over other frameworks (e.g. React Native) is the complete absence of UI bridges between code and platform.
Flutter manages UI rendering itself, which allows for complete consistency of visual presentation and business logic across all devices. This reduces the likelihood of bugs and simplifies testing, especially when working with custom interfaces.
Want to consider an alternative to mobile development? Learn more about the capabilities and limitations of Progressive Web Applications (PWAs). If you decide to implement PWAs, contact us, and SCAND experts will help you implement a solution tailored to your needs.
Cons of Flutter App Development in 2025
Despite its many merits, Flutter is not a one-size-fits-all solution, and in 2025 it still has limitations to consider when choosing a technology.
Large cross-platform mobile app size
One of the most discussed drawbacks of Flutter is the size of the final application. Even with extensive optimization efforts, the minimum APK or IPA file size is still larger than native apps. This can be a critical factor for emerging markets and devices with limited storage, especially if download speed and minimum size are important.
Limited support for platform-specific features
Although Flutter allows access to native APIs through platform channels, this still requires additional effort and knowledge of the relevant native technologies (Kotlin, Swift, Objective-C). For some specific features — like Bluetooth LE, AR, biometrics, or native notifications — you either have to use third-party packages or write a custom implementation, which reduces the efficiency of the “single code”.
Dart is not mainstream
While Dart continues to evolve and gain new features, it remains a niche language. This limits the number of available developers on the market and makes team selection difficult. Unlike JavaScript, Python, or even Kotlin, knowledge of Dart is the exception rather than the rule, especially among junior developers.
Web and desktop maturity
Flutter is actively developing Web and Desktop support, but in 2025 they are still inferior to native solutions in terms of stability and performance. In practice, bugs, browser incompatibilities, input and rendering delays can occur. This is especially critical for complex interfaces and interactive applications. Flutter is not always suitable for production-level Web applications.
Fragmentation risk
As the ecosystem grows and becomes more complex, so does the risk of fragmentation. Some popular packages, especially those created by the community, become obsolete or unsupported. In addition, updates to the Flutter SDK itself can sometimes break backward compatibility, requiring code rework or alternatives. This can slow down development and cause technical debt when scaling a project.
When to Choose Flutter for Your App in 2025
Despite its versatility and powerful capabilities, Flutter is not suitable for every project. To make an informed decision, it’s important to understand in which scenarios it brings out its strengths and in which scenarios it may limit functionality or efficiency. Below is a quick guide to help you determine whether Flutter is worth using in your specific case:
Use Flutter when…
Avoid Flutter when…
Need cross-platform with unified UI and business logic
The minimum APK/IPA size is important
Need to quickly launch an MVP or test an idea (Proof of Concept)
The app includes heavy graphics, AR/VR, or advanced native effects
Requires quick UI updates and rapid iteration
Need to maximize native performance, especially on iOS
The application does not require complex native integration
Specific platform APIs or chips are actively used
The team already has experience with the Dart/ Flutter framework
No resources to learn Dart or support unstable packages
Flutter pros and cons
In Detail: When Flutter Is Your Choice
Flutter performs particularly well in projects where fast time-to-market, multi-platform coverage with minimal effort, and flexible visuals are important. It is suitable for companies looking for a way to speed up development without sacrificing quality, as well as those working with limited budgets or resources.
You build a product where development time is critical
Whether you need to quickly launch an application, test an idea in the market, or demonstrate an interface to investors, Flutter is the perfect solution. With a short development cycle, ready-made widgets, and hot reload support, you can realize a working prototype in a short time without losing quality.
This approach is especially useful for startups that need to convince investors or quickly test a hypothesis on real users.
You work on a tight budget
With Flutter, you can have one team for all platforms — instead of having separate teams for Web, Android, and iOS. This seriously saves resources not only in the development phase but also later on for support and updates. For smaller projects, it can be the critical difference between launching a product or delaying it indefinitely. And with a large community and many ready-made solutions in the ecosystem, you spend less time on routine — many typical tasks have already been solved before you.
Your team already has experience with Flutter
If you have developers who are familiar with Dart and Flutter or already have some experience, using this technology becomes a natural choice. It allows you to maintain technical continuity and speed up the launch. If you don’t have experience yet, you will need training, but the entry threshold for those with OOP experience is relatively low.
You don’t have requirements for deep native integration
Flutter works best in scenarios where you can rely on a cross-platform layer and not get into the subtle features of Android or iOS. Simple UI interfaces, forms, news feeds, and catalogs are ideal use cases. If you need to interact with the system at a low level (for example, with sensors or a streaming camera), you should think twice.
UI is the key part of a product
When UI appearance and responsiveness are not just a nice-to-have perk but a business-critical part of the interface, Flutter shines through. Applications that are tied to engaging UX, whether in education, media, or e-commerce, benefit from flexible UI customization, animations, and quick adaptation to different platforms and resolutions.
You plan to scale the product
Flutter integrates seamlessly with CI/CD, DevOps, and analytics tools. This is especially important if you’re not just looking at MVPs, but also at application development in the long term. Stable updates from Google and extensive support for cloud solutions (e.g. Firebase) make it a solid foundation.
Need to minimize technical debt
The Flutter codebase is often easier to maintain than a set of native solutions. This reduces the risks of accumulating technical debt as the product grows and reduces dependence on specialized experts in each individual platform.
Where Flutter May Not Fit
However, Flutter is not a magic solution. There are scenarios where it is better to favor native development or other frameworks.
Applications with strict size limits
Flutter apps, especially with plugins attached, can have a higher initial weight compared to their native counterparts. If every megabyte counts — for example, in countries with limited mobile internet — this is worth considering.
Complex native integration
If your project requires deep work with Bluetooth, camera, AR/VR, real-time geolocation, or complex native graphics, Flutter may not be the best choice. While FFI and Interop are actively developing, they are still inferior to native capabilities in terms of usability and flexibility.
Maximize performance and response
GPU-intensive projects that require minimal latency and maximum control over device resources are better served in a native environment. This applies, for example, to games, navigation systems, video editors, or applications with heavy UI.
Ecosystem limitations and dependency on third-party packages
Although there are thousands of libraries in pub.dev, not all of them are equally reliable and supported. Sometimes there is no stable package for critical tasks, and writing your own solution from scratch can be too time-consuming. Also, Flutter SDK updates can suddenly break existing dependencies.
Lack of experience in the development company
If your team has no experience with Dart or Flutter, implementation can take time to learn and get up to speed with new approaches. For projects with tight deadlines, this can be a problem.
Requires maximum nativeness under one platform
If your app is designed exclusively for Android or iOS and needs to integrate deeply into the platform’s ecosystem, it is easier and more logical to choose native development. Flutter gives you more versatility here, but not always maximum depth.
Hiring a Flutter Development Team: What to Look For
Flutter can be a great technical choice, but the quality of the end result always depends on the team. A quality implementation is not only about having the right stack but also experience, processes, support approach, and understanding of the challenges. Here’s what to look out for if you’re looking for a contractor or building an internal Flutter team.
Experience and Portfolio: Not Just Mobile App Development
The first thing to consider is that not every mobile developer automatically works well with Flutter. This is a separate ecosystem that requires an understanding of the specifics of the framework, the Dart language, architectural approaches (e.g., BLoC or Provider), and the peculiarities of working with graphics and animations. Therefore, it is important to specify not general experience in mobile app development, but specifically experience with Flutter projects.
A good sign is the presence of successful cases with real users, especially if they fit your niche — be it e-commerce, fintech, media, or SaaS. Pay attention to projects with multi-platform solutions (e.g. Android + iOS + Web), custom animations, or integration with native APIs. If the case solved a business problem similar to yours, it’s a plus in the team’s favor.
Who Should Be On the Team: Not Only Developers
A successful Flutter project requires more than just developers. It is important to realize that the minimum team composition includes the following:
- Flutter developer (or several if the project is large);
- UI/UX designer who understands the specifics of cross-platform layout and creates Android and iOS-specific interfaces;
- QA engineer who tests the app on all target platforms (ideally with real devices);
- The project manager or team leader who organizes the process, works with deadlines, and most importantly — can translate your business objectives into technical requirements.
More serious solutions may require a DevOps specialist (e.g. for CI/CD), an analyst, or a product manager. But even with a small budget, you should not skimp on basic roles: the absence of a designer or tester often leads to rework and lost time for revisions.
Code Quality and Maintenance
Since Flutter is still relatively young, you may encounter contractors on the market who write that it is untrustworthy. Therefore, it is important to evaluate not only the external result but also how clean and structured the code is. Check whether the team follows architectural patterns, and uses unit tests, code coverage, CI/CD, and version control.
It is a good practice to ask for a code review or technical description of an already completed project. Even if you are not a technical expert, your CTO or external consultant will be able to help you assess the quality of the implementation.
The post-release maintenance of the project is not least important. Find out if there are SLAs, how often updates are released, how the team reacts to bugs, and suggestions for improvement. A competent Flutter team offers not just “handing over the application”, but a long-term partnership: from support and analytics to scaling functionality.
Flutter for App Development: Why Do You Need Flutter Expertise?
Many companies position themselves as generalist mobile teams, but Flutter requires a specific approach. Moving from native thinking to Flutter development involves understanding rendering, state management, layout nuances, and adapting to different platforms.
A team without proper expertise can “drag and drop” approaches from native development, resulting in inefficient architectures, duplicate code, and bugs in cross-platform logic.
Therefore, it is important that the selected developer is not just familiar with Flutter but actively uses it in their work. This can be verified by open source activity (GitHub, packages in pub.dev), regular releases of applications on Flutter, and internal practices on architecture and testing.
Having strong internal expertise and experience in solving business problems on Flutter is a guarantee that the project will not just be “written” but will be reliably implemented and scalable in the future.
SCAND has been actively developing Flutter development for several years, implementing projects for clients from different industries. Our team is able to launch cross-platform products quickly and efficiently, and support and scale them in the long term, relying on accumulated expertise and well-established processes.
Apps Built Using Flutter: Real-World Cross-platform App Use Cases
Flutter is actively used by both startups and large multinational corporations. These are just a few examples of successful apps with Flutter that prove its scalability and flexibility. Among the most famous examples is Google Ads, an official mobile app for managing advertising campaigns built entirely on Flutter.
Alibaba uses Flutter in several e-commerce solutions, which has helped accelerate time-to-market for new features and reduce development costs.
BMW uses Flutter to create interfaces in its infotainment systems, emphasizing its reliability even in automotive applications.
Interest in Flutter is growing in key industries as well:
- In the banking sector, companies such as Nubank and ING use Flutter because of its ability to quickly launch robust multi-platform interfaces with high levels of security.
- In e-commerce, it is chosen for its rapid development and UX consistency across mobile platforms.
- In media and streaming, Flutter helps you realize smooth UIs and complex animations with minimal effort — for example, in Google’s Stadia and Reflectly apps.
These cases show how Flutter provides the flexibility to serve very different industries with consistent performance and UI quality.
Cross-platform App Development: Get Started With Flutter
In 2025, Flutter is still one of the best solutions for cross-platform app development. Flutter offers high performance, a fast development cycle, and a consistent user interface across all Flutter mobile and desktop platforms.
With strong support from Google, the rapid development of technologies such as Impeller and WebAssembly, and a strong Flutter community it remains strong even in the face of growing competition.
Nevertheless, the choice of this technology should be a conscious one. If you’re aiming for fast delivery, consistent UI across platforms, and cost efficiency, Flutter is good for app development in 2025 and beyond. But if minimal application size, access to deep native functionality, or peak performance are critical, you should consider alternatives.
The decision ultimately depends on the project objectives, technical requirements, and strategic goals of your company.
FAQ
Is Flutter suitable for enterprise development and how can it be used to improve productivity?
Yes, in 2025, Flutter is a mature solution for cross-platform development that is well suited for the enterprise level. We at SCAND actively use Flutter to build scalable solutions with high app performance. Modern Flutter widgets allow you to create complex interfaces, and the Impeller engine makes animations smooth even in business applications. If you want to make Flutter part of your digital strategy — we can help you get it right.
What can I do with Flutter and why consider it for web development?
Flutter is a modern software development kit that can be used to create not only mobile but also web apps. With WebAssembly support and the growing number of Flutter widgets, it’s now easier and faster to run visually rich interfaces directly in the browser. At SCAND, we recommend considering Flutter for those looking for a quick way to create a cross-platform solution without sacrificing UX.
Is Flutter still relevant in 2025?
Yes, Flutter remains highly relevant in 2025. It continues to be one of the most popular cross-platform development frameworks, with strong community support and active development by Google. New features like the Impeller rendering engine and WebAssembly support keep it competitive.
Will Flutter replace native development?
Not entirely. While Flutter covers many use cases effectively, native development is still preferred for projects that require maximum performance, tight integration with platform-specific APIs, or very small app sizes. Flutter is best seen as a complementary option rather than a full replacement.
What are the main Flutter alternatives in 2025?
The main alternatives to Flutter in 2025 include React Native, Kotlin Multiplatform, and .NET MAUI. Each has its strengths: React Native benefits from a large JavaScript ecosystem, Kotlin Multiplatform offers excellent native integration, and MAUI suits teams already working with Microsoft technologies.
Is Dart still necessary to learn Flutter?
Yes, Dart is the core language used in the Flutter development process. While it’s not as mainstream as JavaScript or Kotlin, Dart is relatively easy to learn, especially for developers familiar with object-oriented languages. Learning Dart is essential to unlock the full potential of Flutter.
