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Mobile Development · head to head

.NET MAUI vs Kotlin Multiplatform

.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
Kotlin Multiplatform logo

Kotlin Multiplatform

Mobile Development

JetBrains-funded technology for sharing Kotlin business logic across iOS, Android, web, desktop and server

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.; Kotlin Multiplatform it shares logic, not UI, by default, so a team expecting a Flutter-style single UI codebase has to also adopt Compose Multiplatform, which is newer and less proven on iOS than on Android.
  • They diverge on capability: .NET MAUI covers Single C# and XAML codebase, Kotlin Multiplatform covers Shared Kotlin logic.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which .NET MAUI and Kotlin Multiplatform actually diverge.

Attributes where .NET MAUI and Kotlin Multiplatform differ
Attribute.NET MAUIKotlin Multiplatform
PlatformsWindows, macOS, iOS, AndroidiOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, Web

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Open source, no licence fee), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Mobile Development).

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 Kotlin Multiplatform

  • Shared Kotlin logic
  • Native UI retained
  • Compose Multiplatform (optional)
  • IDE tooling
  • Gradle-based builds
  • Incremental adoption

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 Kotlin Multiplatform
  • A team migrating a retired Xamarin.Forms app, since Microsoft provides an official upgrade pathnot Kotlin Multiplatform
  • An organisation that wants one codebase spanning mobile and Windows desktop without a second languagenot Kotlin Multiplatform
  • A company standardised on Visual Studio and Azure DevOps wanting mobile builds in the same pipelinenot Kotlin Multiplatform

Kotlin Multiplatform

  • A company with existing separate native iOS and Android codebases wanting to stop duplicating business logic and networking codenot .NET MAUI
  • A team that wants shared logic but is not willing to compromise on fully native UI per platformnot .NET MAUI
  • An organisation already using Kotlin on the backend that wants to reuse the same models and validation on mobile clientsnot .NET MAUI
  • A team evaluating Compose Multiplatform for UI sharing but wanting the option to fall back to native UI per screennot .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.

Kotlin Multiplatform

  • It shares logic, not UI, by default, so a team expecting a Flutter-style single UI codebase has to also adopt Compose Multiplatform, which is newer and less proven on iOS than on Android.
  • iOS interop relies on Kotlin/Native compiling to a framework consumed from Swift, and debugging across that boundary is more friction than debugging pure Swift or pure Kotlin.
  • Because logic-sharing is the whole premise, teams still need genuine iOS and Android UI expertise on staff; it does not reduce the native skills bar the way a full cross-platform UI framework aims to.
  • Build times and tooling maturity for multiplatform Gradle projects lag behind single-platform Kotlin or Swift projects, and multiplatform-specific build errors are less well documented.
  • JetBrains funds it as part of the broader Kotlin investment, so its roadmap priority competes internally with IntelliJ, Android Studio and other JetBrains commitments rather than having dedicated headcount the way Flutter has at Google.

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

Kotlin Multiplatform

Free
  • Kotlin MultiplatformFree
    • Apache 2.0 licensed, unlimited apps
    • IDE tooling in the free Android Studio and free-tier IntelliJ IDEA Community
    • No paid Kotlin Multiplatform edition exists

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 Kotlin Multiplatform if

  • You need shared kotlin logic.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, Web.
  • You also want native ui retained.
Kotlin Multiplatform review

Questions people ask

Is .NET MAUI or Kotlin Multiplatform better?
Neither clearly leads. .NET MAUI starts at Free and Kotlin Multiplatform at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, .NET MAUI or Kotlin Multiplatform?
.NET MAUI starts at Free and Kotlin Multiplatform at Free.
Does .NET MAUI or Kotlin Multiplatform run on more platforms?
.NET MAUI runs on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android. Kotlin Multiplatform runs on iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, Web.
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 Kotlin Multiplatform is typically brought in for.
What can .NET MAUI do that Kotlin Multiplatform cannot?
.NET MAUI covers Single C# and XAML codebase, Native UI rendering, Xamarin migration path, Hot Reload. Kotlin Multiplatform covers Shared Kotlin logic, Native UI retained, Compose Multiplatform (optional), IDE tooling.

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.

Kotlin Multiplatform: Does Kotlin Multiplatform replace my native UI code?

Not by default. It shares business logic and data layers; UI stays native per platform unless you separately adopt Compose Multiplatform.

.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.

Kotlin Multiplatform: Is there a paid version?

No. It is Apache 2.0 licensed and free, funded by JetBrains as part of the Kotlin project.

.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.

Kotlin Multiplatform: Do I need Compose Multiplatform to use it?

No, they are separate. You can share only logic and keep fully native UI on each platform indefinitely.

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