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Mobile Development · head to head

.NET MAUI vs Sencha

.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
Sencha logo

Sencha

Mobile Development

Idera-owned, commercially licensed JavaScript framework for enterprise web and hybrid mobile apps

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only .NET MAUI has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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.; Sencha it is the only commercially licensed framework in this category; a per-developer fee applies where Ionic, Capacitor, NativeScript, MAUI and Kotlin Multiplatform all cost nothing.
  • They diverge on capability: .NET MAUI covers Single C# and XAML codebase, Sencha covers Enterprise grid components.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which .NET MAUI and Sencha actually diverge.

Attributes where .NET MAUI and Sencha differ
Attribute.NET MAUISencha
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeOne-time purchase, per developer
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, macOS, iOS, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android

Identical on both: 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 Sencha

  • Enterprise grid components
  • Component library breadth
  • Cross-browser legacy support
  • Sencha Architect
  • Cmd build tooling
  • Mobile packaging

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

Sencha

  • An enterprise building a data-grid-heavy internal application where pre-built pivot tables and complex grids save real development timenot .NET MAUI
  • A team maintaining a long-lived legacy Ext JS codebase that predates the free-framework eranot .NET MAUI
  • An organisation needing guaranteed vendor support and licensed indemnity rather than community-supported open sourcenot .NET MAUI
  • A regulated industry buyer whose procurement process requires a commercially licensed vendor relationshipnot .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.

Sencha

  • It is the only commercially licensed framework in this category; a per-developer fee applies where Ionic, Capacitor, NativeScript, MAUI and Kotlin Multiplatform all cost nothing.
  • Its mobile story is secondary to its web-grid heritage, so teams primarily building consumer mobile apps get less mobile-specific benefit than from a purpose-built mobile framework.
  • Idera has acquired numerous developer tool brands, and product investment across a large portfolio company is not guaranteed to prioritise any single acquired product indefinitely.
  • The developer hiring pool for Ext JS specifically has shrunk as React and Angular dominate new development, making it harder to staff new projects.
  • Community plugins, tutorials and Stack Overflow activity are far thinner than for any free, widely adopted framework in this category, so troubleshooting relies more on paid support than public resources.

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

Sencha

On request
  • Ext JS$1895/year
    • Per-developer licence, with maintenance and support renewal
    • 30-day free evaluation trial available
    • OEM licensing available separately for redistribution

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 Sencha if

  • You need enterprise grid components.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want component library breadth.
Sencha review

Questions people ask

Is .NET MAUI or Sencha better?
Neither clearly leads. .NET MAUI starts at Free and Sencha at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, .NET MAUI or Sencha?
.NET MAUI has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for .NET MAUI and On request for Sencha.
Does .NET MAUI or Sencha run on more platforms?
.NET MAUI runs on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android. Sencha runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use .NET MAUI for free?
Yes. .NET MAUI has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Sencha starts at On request.
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 Sencha is typically brought in for.
What can .NET MAUI do that Sencha cannot?
.NET MAUI covers Single C# and XAML codebase, Native UI rendering, Xamarin migration path, Hot Reload. Sencha covers Enterprise grid components, Component library breadth, Cross-browser legacy support, Sencha Architect.

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.

Sencha: Is any part of Sencha free?

A 30-day evaluation trial is available; production use requires a purchased per-developer licence.

.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.

Sencha: Who owns Sencha?

Idera, Inc., a private software holding company that also owns Xray and Xporter, two other Atlassian ecosystem products.

.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.

Sencha: Is Sencha mainly a mobile framework?

No. Its core strength is data-heavy enterprise web UI, particularly grids; mobile packaging is a secondary capability.

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