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Mobile Development · head to head

.NET MAUI vs Janus Gateway

.NET MAUI logo

.NET MAUI

Mobile Development

Microsoft-maintained, free framework for native iOS, Android, Windows and macOS apps from one C# codebase

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Janus Gateway logo

Janus Gateway

APIs

WebRTC gateway and media server for real-time communication

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: .NET MAUI its release and support lifecycle is tied to the underlying .NET version, so a team on an odd-numbered .NET release faces a support cutoff roughly every eighteen months and must budget upgrade work accordingly.; Janus Gateway no commercial pricing published; open-source project without official commercial offerings
  • They diverge on capability: .NET MAUI covers Single C# and XAML codebase, Janus Gateway covers WebRTC Gateway.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which .NET MAUI and Janus Gateway actually diverge.

Attributes where .NET MAUI and Janus Gateway differ
Attribute.NET MAUIJanus Gateway
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeopen-source
PlatformsWindows, macOS, iOS, AndroidLinux, MacOS, BSD
CategoryMobile DevelopmentAPIs
FoundedUnknown2010

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in .NET MAUI

  • Single C# and XAML codebase
  • Native UI rendering
  • Xamarin migration path
  • Hot Reload
  • Blazor Hybrid support
  • MVU and data binding

Only in Janus Gateway

  • WebRTC Gateway
  • Media Routing
  • Video Conferencing
  • RTP
  • SRTP
  • REST API
  • Linux support
  • MacOS support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

.NET MAUI

  • A .NET shop extending an existing C# codebase or business logic layer into iOS and Androidnot Janus Gateway
  • A team migrating a retired Xamarin.Forms app, since Microsoft provides an official upgrade pathnot Janus Gateway
  • An organisation that wants one codebase spanning mobile and Windows desktop without a second languagenot Janus Gateway
  • A company standardised on Visual Studio and Azure DevOps wanting mobile builds in the same pipelinenot Janus Gateway

Janus Gateway

  • API Developmentnot .NET MAUI
  • API Gatewaynot .NET MAUI
  • API Testingnot .NET MAUI
  • API Documentationnot .NET MAUI
  • Microservicesnot .NET MAUI

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

.NET MAUI

  • Its release and support lifecycle is tied to the underlying .NET version, so a team on an odd-numbered .NET release faces a support cutoff roughly every eighteen months and must budget upgrade work accordingly.
  • Platform-specific control styling and native look-and-feel have historically needed more manual work and workaround packages than Flutter delivers out of the box.
  • macOS and desktop support are less mature than the iOS and Android targets, so teams wanting a strong Mac app experience often still reach for native AppKit or a dedicated tool.
  • The talent pool of mobile developers fluent in MAUI specifically is smaller than for Flutter or React Native, even though C# itself is common.
  • Third-party control libraries such as Syncfusion and Telerik fill real gaps in the built-in component set, meaning a serious app often carries an additional commercial licence cost despite the framework itself being free.

Janus Gateway

  • No commercial pricing published; open-source project without official commercial offerings
  • Community-supported only; no vendor commercial support or SLA available

Pricing, plan by plan

.NET MAUI

Free
  • .NET MAUIFree
    • MIT licensed, unlimited apps
    • Bundled with the free .NET SDK
    • Visual Studio Community edition available at no cost for individuals and small teams

Janus Gateway

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Core WebRTC gateway
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose .NET MAUI if

  • You need single c# and xaml codebase.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
  • You also want native ui rendering.
.NET MAUI review

Choose Janus Gateway if

  • You need webrtc gateway.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, MacOS, BSD.
  • You also want media routing.
Janus Gateway review

Questions people ask

Is .NET MAUI or Janus Gateway better?
Neither clearly leads. .NET MAUI starts at Free and Janus Gateway at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, .NET MAUI or Janus Gateway?
.NET MAUI starts at Free and Janus Gateway at Free.
Does .NET MAUI or Janus Gateway run on more platforms?
.NET MAUI runs on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android. Janus Gateway runs on Linux, MacOS, BSD.
Can I use .NET MAUI for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is .NET MAUI best used for?
.NET MAUI is most often used for a .net shop extending an existing c# codebase or business logic layer into ios and android, a team migrating a retired xamarin.forms app, since microsoft provides an official upgrade path, an organisation that wants one codebase spanning mobile and windows desktop without a second language, a company standardised on visual studio and azure devops wanting mobile builds in the same pipeline. Of those, a .net shop extending an existing c# codebase or business logic layer into ios and android and a team migrating a retired xamarin.forms app, since microsoft provides an official upgrade path are not what Janus Gateway is typically brought in for.
What can .NET MAUI do that Janus Gateway cannot?
.NET MAUI covers Single C# and XAML codebase, Native UI rendering, Xamarin migration path, Hot Reload. Janus Gateway covers WebRTC Gateway, Media Routing, Video Conferencing, RTP.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

.NET MAUI: Is .NET MAUI really free for commercial apps?

Yes. It ships under the MIT licence as part of the free .NET SDK, with no separate mobile licence fee from Microsoft.

Janus Gateway: How much does Janus Gateway cost?

Janus Gateway has no pricing model; it is a free open-source WebRTC server developed by Meetecho. The general-purpose server is available for download at no cost. There are no subscription tiers or commercial licensing fees.

Source
.NET MAUI: Is this the same as Xamarin?

It is the successor. Xamarin.Forms was retired in 2024 and Microsoft provides migration tooling from it to MAUI.

Janus Gateway: Is Janus Gateway supported commercially?

Janus Gateway is community-supported open-source software with no official commercial support or SLA from the vendors. While Meetecho developed the project, users must rely on community documentation and forums for assistance.

Source
.NET MAUI: How long is each .NET version supported?

Even-numbered releases get Long Term Support (around three years); odd-numbered releases get roughly eighteen months, and MAUI follows that same .NET release cadence.

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