React Native for most new apps, .NET MAUI if you are a C# shop
React Native has the larger community, more libraries, a far bigger hiring pool in the UAE, and clear momentum. For a greenfield cross-platform app with no strong existing constraint, it is the lower-risk choice.
Choose .NET MAUI when: your organisation is built on C# and .NET, you have .NET developers you want to keep working on mobile, or you are sharing meaningful business logic with .NET backend services. If you have an existing classic Xamarin app, plan a migration either way.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Criterion | React Native | Xamarin / .NET MAUI |
|---|---|---|
| Current status | Actively developed, strong momentum | Xamarin ended 2024; now .NET MAUI |
| Language | JavaScript / TypeScript | C# |
| Community & libraries | Very large (npm) | Smaller, .NET-focused |
| UAE hiring pool | Large | Small, enterprise .NET |
| Performance (business apps) | Strong | Strong |
| Code sharing with backend | With Node.js | Excellent with .NET services |
| Code sharing with web | With React web | With Blazor (less common) |
| Corporate backing | Meta + huge community | Microsoft |
| Hot reload / iteration speed | Fast | Improving |
| Best for | Most new cross-platform apps | C# / .NET-invested organisations |
The Xamarin Situation in 2026
Microsoft ended support for classic Xamarin in 2024 and folded its cross-platform story into .NET MAUI, part of the modern .NET SDK. MAUI is the legitimate continuation — same C#, similar XAML-based UI, better tooling — but it is a younger framework rebuilding community momentum.
If you already run a Xamarin app, you have a migration ahead regardless of which framework you land on. That is a good moment to reassess React Native too.
Ecosystem and Hiring Decide It for Most Teams
React Native draws from the enormous JavaScript and React talent pool. In the UAE that means faster hiring, more competitive rates, a larger library ecosystem, and easier handover between vendors.
.NET MAUI developers come from enterprise .NET backgrounds and are scarcer locally. The framework is capable, but you are recruiting from a smaller pool.
When .NET MAUI Is the Right Call
If your backend is ASP.NET, your team writes C# every day, and you want to share validation, models, and business rules between server and mobile, .NET MAUI keeps everything in one language and toolchain. That consistency has real value for a .NET-centric organisation and can outweigh React Native's larger ecosystem.
Choose React Native When
- You are starting a new cross-platform app with no strong existing constraint
- You want the largest library ecosystem and community
- Hiring speed and cost in the UAE matter
- You share logic with a React web product
- You want easy vendor portability
Choose .NET MAUI When
- Your organisation is built on C# and .NET
- You have .NET developers you want on the mobile project
- You share significant business logic with .NET backend services
- You are migrating an existing Xamarin app and want continuity
- Enterprise tooling and long-term Microsoft support are priorities
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Xamarin still supported in 2026?
Classic Xamarin reached end of support in 2024. Microsoft's cross-platform framework is now .NET MAUI, its direct successor. If you are evaluating 'Xamarin' for a new project today, you are really choosing between React Native and .NET MAUI. Existing Xamarin apps should plan a migration to MAUI or another framework.
Is React Native or .NET MAUI better for a new app?
For most teams, React Native. It has a far larger community, more third-party libraries, a bigger hiring pool, and strong momentum. .NET MAUI makes sense when your organisation is deeply invested in C# and the .NET ecosystem, you have .NET developers you want to keep on mobile, or you are sharing significant business logic with .NET backend services.
Which has better performance?
Both compile to native and perform well for typical business apps. .NET MAUI can have an edge in raw compute-heavy scenarios thanks to ahead-of-time compilation. React Native's New Architecture has strong UI performance. For most apps the user cannot tell the difference; ecosystem and hiring matter more.
How hard is it to find developers in the UAE for each?
React Native developers are widely available in the UAE and the markets agencies recruit from, because they come from the large JavaScript and React talent pool. .NET MAUI developers are scarcer and usually come from enterprise .NET backgrounds, which makes hiring slower and more expensive.
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