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Head-to-head · Cross-Platform App Development Frameworks

React Native vs Capacitor

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 2 checks side by side
Higher score React Native #3 in Cross-Platform App Development Frameworks 9.2/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 1 features Visit React Native
Capacitor #7 in Cross-Platform App Development Frameworks 8.8/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 1 features Visit Capacitor

React Native leads on 0 checks, Capacitor on 1, and 1 is even. Who comes out ahead on the 2 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreReact Native · 9.2/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresCapacitor · 1 of 1

React Native scores higher on our rubric for cross-platform app development frameworks: 9.2 against 8.8 out of 10; our editors rank them #3 and #7.

Capacitor offers native api access; React Native doesn't publish it.

React Native is the better fit for react teams building native iOS and Android apps. Capacitor is the better fit for javaScript teams wrapping web apps as mobile apps.

  • React Native fits best

    React teams building native iOS and Android apps

  • Capacitor fits best

    JavaScript teams wrapping web apps as mobile apps

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. We may earn a commission when you click some links. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature React Native 9.2/10 Visit ↗ Capacitor 8.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.2 8.8
Ranking #3 in Cross-Platform App Development Frameworks #7 in Cross-Platform App Development Frameworks
Best for React teams building native iOS and Android apps JavaScript teams wrapping web apps as mobile apps
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Not published Not published
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Mobile Self-hosted
Platforms Android, iOS Web, iOS, Android
Support Docs Community, Docs
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features React Native 0/1 · Capacitor 1/1
Native API access Not published ✓ (best)
Specs
Target platforms Not published iOS, Android, Progressive Web Apps (web)
App types Not published Hybrid/web-native mobile apps; Progressive Web Apps
Languages Not published JavaScript, HTML, CSS
Shared code model Not published High
IDE support Not published Visual Studio Code (community-maintained extension)
Our review
Pros
  • Renders native UI components on Android and iOS
  • Supports JavaScript and TypeScript application code
  • Allows platform-specific code and native modules
  • Adds iOS and Android app targets to existing JavaScript projects
  • JavaScript APIs and official plugins expose native device capabilities
  • Supports Progressive Web Apps and custom native code
Cons
  • Focused on mobile apps rather than server rendering
  • Platform-specific code can limit how much code is shared
  • Support channels listed here are documentation
  • Native capabilities beyond the official plugins may require custom native code
  • Cordova compatibility is limited to its plugin compatibility layer
  • Support is through documentation and the community
Our verdict

React Native is an open-source framework for building native mobile applications with React. Developers create interfaces with React components and write application code in JavaScript or TypeScript; the framework renders native UI on…

Read the review →

Capacitor is an open-source native runtime for teams building with JavaScript, HTML, and CSS who want to package a web project as an iOS or Android app while also supporting Progressive Web Apps. It can be added to an existing project or…

Read the review →
  1. React NativeCross-Platform App Development Frameworks 9.2Free plan
  2. CapacitorCross-Platform App Development Frameworks 8.8Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • React Native — where it wins

    • Renders native UI components on Android and iOS
    • Supports JavaScript and TypeScript application code
    • Allows platform-specific code and native modules

    Where it doesn't

    • Focused on mobile apps rather than server rendering
    • Platform-specific code can limit how much code is shared
    • Support channels listed here are documentation

  • Capacitor — where it wins

    • Adds iOS and Android app targets to existing JavaScript projects
    • JavaScript APIs and official plugins expose native device capabilities
    • Supports Progressive Web Apps and custom native code

    Where it doesn't

    • Native capabilities beyond the official plugins may require custom native code
    • Cordova compatibility is limited to its plugin compatibility layer
    • Support is through documentation and the community

More comparisons

All Cross-Platform app development frameworks comparisons → · Full ranking →

Guides on Cross-Platform app development frameworks

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update