React Native
React Native App Development in Australia
One code base for iPhone and Android, from an Australian team that also builds native, so our advice is honest.
React Native lets one team build a single app that runs on both iPhone and Android, with real native screens rather than a web page wrapped inside an app. Smarterapps Ai has been building mobile apps for Australian businesses since 2010, and most of our new builds today are either native Swift and Kotlin or React Native. We’ll tell you which one fits your app, and why, before you commit.
Why businesses choose React Native
- One codebase, two stores: a shared code base for iOS and Android, so features ship to both at the same time
- Native look and feel: React Native renders real platform components, so scrolling, gestures and keyboards behave the way users expect
- Faster to market: one build, one test cycle and one release plan. With AI-assisted development, a first version now takes weeks, not months
- Shares skills with your web app: React Native uses JavaScript/TypeScript and React, the same skills behind many web platforms and admin portals
- Native when you need it: Swift and Kotlin modules can be added for Bluetooth, payments, background location or anything that needs direct device access
What we build with React Native
Customer and consumer apps
Sign-up, payments, push notifications, bookings, loyalty and content apps that need to be on both stores from day one. → Business app development
Two-sided and on-demand platforms
Separate apps for customers and workers or drivers, sharing one backend and one admin console. → Rideshare and on-demand apps
Field and staff apps
Inspection, audit, job and checklist apps with photo capture, offline mode and sync, built for staff working away from a desk or a reliable signal.
AI-powered mobile apps
Smart search, photo and document capture, voice input and assistants grounded in your own content, with the AI running in a secure backend rather than on the phone. → AI app development · LLM & GPT integration
Connected-device and Bluetooth apps
Apps that talk to beacons, sensors and other hardware, with native modules where the device layer needs them. → IoT development · Beacon apps
MVPs
A focused first version on both platforms so you can test with real users before you spend on the full product. → MVP development
React Native, Flutter or native?
All three are sound choices. The right one depends on your app, not on fashion. This is how we decide:
- React Native: best when you need both stores quickly, your app is mostly screens, forms, lists, maps and payments, and you have (or plan) a React web platform alongside it
- Native Swift and Kotlin: best when the app depends heavily on device features, demanding performance, background work or platform-specific experiences such as Apple Watch. → iPhone & iPad apps · Android apps
- Flutter: a good fit when you already have a Flutter code base, your team knows Dart, or the design must look pixel-identical on every device. → Flutter app development
We put the recommendation and the reasons in writing during discovery, so the choice is made on evidence.
What’s in a React Native project
- The app: iOS and Android from one code base, with native modules only where they earn their place
- The backend: secure APIs, accounts and data in Node.js or Python, on AWS or another major cloud, with Australian hosting regions available
- The admin portal: a web console for your team to manage users, content, approvals and reports
- Integrations: payments, maps, push notifications, analytics, crash reporting and the systems you already run
- Release and support: store submission, version upgrades and ongoing maintenance. → Apple developer account setup
How we run a React Native build
1. Discovery
Users, must-have features, integrations, risks and the platform decision, agreed up front.
2. Prototype
A clickable prototype tested with real users before any build. → App prototyping
3. Build in short sprints
A working build on real phones at every demo.
4. Launch
Store submission, analytics and crash reporting.
5. Support and grow
React Native, iOS and Android change every year. We keep your app current, and we also take over and stabilise existing React Native apps. → Our full delivery process
Mobile apps our team has shipped
All projects were delivered by our team: Smarterapps Ai, part of the Combine TRS group. We choose the framework for each project on its merits, so these show the kind of apps we ship rather than one tool.
Rideshare platform for an Australian operator (name withheld by agreement)
Rider and driver apps for iOS and Android plus an operations console, all on one shared platform: matching, scheduled rides, live GPS tracking, automatic payment at trip end, two-way ratings, trip sharing, emergency tools and guided driver onboarding with document review. Both apps are live on the App Store and Google Play.
RideScore Active Schools, with We Ride Australia and Sunshine Coast Council
A pilot program that rewards kids for riding and scooting to school. We delivered iOS and Android apps for parents, an admin portal and the backend, connected Bluetooth beacons on bikes and scooters to readers at each school bike cage, and installed the hardware at every pilot school. Parents are notified when their child arrives at or leaves the bike cage, and children appear under nicknames. → ridescore.org.au
Octfolio: asbestos auditing iPad app
An in-house auditing app for field auditors, with structured capture, photos and on-site annotation, and offline use so audits continue without a signal.
Why work with Smarterapps Ai
- 15+ years building mobile apps in Australia, for startups and companies such as Treasury Wine Estates, NEXTDC and Octfolio
- We build native and cross-platform, so our advice on React Native isn’t biased towards one tool
- You own the source code, the store accounts and the cloud accounts
- Australian team in your time zone, working directly with you
- Privacy built in from the start, aligned to the Australian Privacy Principles, with Australian hosting available
React Native developers across Australia
Sunshine Coast-based, working nationally: Brisbane · Sydney · Melbourne · Adelaide · Perth · Canberra · Gold Coast
Frequently asked questions
What is React Native?
React Native is an open-source framework from Meta for building iOS and Android apps from one JavaScript/TypeScript code base. It renders real native components, so apps look and feel native on each platform.
Is React Native good enough for a serious business app?
Yes, for most business and consumer apps. Where an app leans heavily on device hardware or demanding graphics, we either add native modules or recommend fully native development instead.
Should I choose React Native or Flutter?
Both build iOS and Android from one code base. We usually recommend React Native for new builds, especially if you also have a React web platform, and Flutter when you already have Flutter code or Dart skills. We explain the trade-offs for your app in discovery.
How long does a React Native app take to build?
A focused first version usually takes weeks, not months. The timeline depends on features, integrations and approvals, and comes with your quote.
How much does a React Native app cost?
It depends on the features, integrations, admin tools and any AI the app needs. One shared code base usually costs less than two separate native apps. We quote after a short discovery. → What drives app cost
Can you add AI features to a React Native app?
Yes. We build features such as smart search, document capture and assistants, with the model running in a secure backend, guardrails in place and running costs monitored.
Do I own the code?
Yes. You own the source code and IP, and the apps are published under your own App Store and Google Play accounts.
Ready to build on iPhone and Android? Tell us about your app and we’ll recommend the right approach, in writing, before you commit.