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Mobile Development · head to head

Flutter vs Sencha

Flutter logo

Flutter

Mobile Development

Google’s open-source framework for building apps from one 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 Flutter has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Flutter dart is used almost nowhere else, so the language itself is a hiring and learning cost; 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: Flutter covers Single codebase, many targets, Sencha covers Enterprise grid components.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Flutter and Sencha actually diverge.

Attributes where Flutter and Sencha differ
AttributeFlutterSencha
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeOne-time purchase, per developer
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, Android, Web, Windows, macOS, LinuxWeb, 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 Flutter

  • Single codebase, many targets
  • Own rendering engine
  • Hot reload
  • Widget library
  • Ahead-of-time compilation
  • DevTools

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.

Flutter

  • Shipping one app to iOS and Android with a small teamnot Sencha
  • Interfaces with heavy custom design that need to look identical on both platformsnot Sencha
  • Adding web or desktop builds to an existing mobile codebasenot Sencha
  • Prototyping quickly where hot reload shortens the design loopnot Sencha

Sencha

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

Where each one falls short

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

Flutter

  • Dart is used almost nowhere else, so the language itself is a hiring and learning cost
  • Because Flutter draws its own widgets, apps can feel subtly unlike the platform unless deliberately styled per-platform
  • Binary sizes are larger than equivalent native apps because the engine ships with the app
  • Access to a brand-new platform API waits on a plugin, or on writing platform channel code yourself

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

Flutter

Free
  • FlutterFree
    • Full framework
    • All platform targets
    • Dart toolchain

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 Flutter if

  • You need single codebase, many targets.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web, Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want own rendering engine.
Flutter 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 Flutter or Sencha better?
Neither clearly leads. Flutter 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, Flutter or Sencha?
Flutter has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Flutter and On request for Sencha.
Does Flutter or Sencha run on more platforms?
Flutter runs on iOS, Android, Web, Windows, macOS, Linux. Sencha runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Flutter for free?
Yes. Flutter has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Sencha starts at On request.
What is Flutter best used for?
Flutter is most often used for shipping one app to ios and android with a small team, interfaces with heavy custom design that need to look identical on both platforms, adding web or desktop builds to an existing mobile codebase, prototyping quickly where hot reload shortens the design loop. Of those, shipping one app to ios and android with a small team and interfaces with heavy custom design that need to look identical on both platforms are not what Sencha is typically brought in for.
What can Flutter do that Sencha cannot?
Flutter covers Single codebase, many targets, Own rendering engine, Hot reload, Widget library. Sencha covers Enterprise grid components, Component library breadth, Cross-browser legacy support, Sencha Architect.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Flutter: Is Flutter free?

Yes. Flutter is open source with no licence fee. The framework is under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence and its code samples under the 3-Clause BSD licence.

Sencha: Is any part of Sencha free?

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

Flutter: What language does Flutter use?

Dart, a language Google designed for fast startup and ahead-of-time compilation to native code.

Sencha: Who owns Sencha?

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

Flutter: Can Flutter build for more than mobile?

Yes. The same codebase targets iOS, Android, web, Windows, macOS, Linux and embedded devices, though mobile remains the most mature target.

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.

Flutter: How is Flutter different from React Native?

Flutter draws its own widgets with its own engine, so the result is pixel-identical across platforms. React Native renders to the real native components of each platform. Flutter uses Dart; React Native uses JavaScript and React.

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