TL;DR - What Startups Should Know About Kotlin Multiplatform
Kotlin Multiplatform (KMP) lets developers share a single codebase across iOS and Android while keeping native UIs. It helps startups build faster, cut costs, and scale efficiently without losing native quality.
- Cost-Effective: One shared codebase means less duplication, fewer bugs, and lower long-term maintenance costs.
- Faster Time to Market: Launch your MVP simultaneously on iOS and Android to validate your idea faster.
- Code Reusability: Shared business logic keeps features consistent and reduces update effort.
- Near-Native Performance: Full access to native APIs ensures responsive, high-quality apps.
- Scalable Growth: Easily add new features or expand platforms without rewriting the whole app.
Compared to Flutter or React Native: KMP offers better native performance and long-term maintainability, though it requires native UI work and Kotlin expertise.
Production Ready in 2025: Used by major companies like Netflix, Philips, and Cash App, KMP is stable, well-supported, and growing fast within the developer community.
Ideal for startups aiming to build reliable, scalable apps quickly while keeping budgets under control. It combines the best of native and cross-platform development.
What is Kotlin Multiplatform and Why It Matters for Startups?
1. The Basics of Kotlin Multiplatform (KMP)
Kotlin Multiplatform (KMP) is an open-source technology created by JetBrains that allows developers to share a single codebase across multiple mobile platforms.
Instead of writing the same code twice, teams can focus on building applications that combine shared functionality with native UI. This approach keeps the flexibility of native development while reducing unnecessary duplication.
2. Why Startups Struggle With Mobile App Development?
Launching a mobile product on different platforms usually requires separate teams, longer development time, and higher costs. Maintaining two projects in parallel also doubles the effort for updates, libraries, and integrations. These challenges delay releases and make it harder to test an MVP or attract early users.
3. How KMP Addresses Startup Challenges?
With Kotlin Multiplatform app development, a large portion of the code can be shared, which makes it easier to build faster while keeping high quality. Business logic, data handling, and core features are written once and reused, while UI components remain fully native to ensure a smooth experience. This balance gives companies the speed to launch quickly, the cost savings to stay lean, and the scalability to grow their product as the market evolves.
Key Benefits of KMP
1. Cost-Effectiveness - Reduce Development Time and Expenses
Launching apps on separate platforms forces young companies to double budgets and timelines. With Kotlin Multiplatform app development, a single codebase keeps development lean.
Less duplicated code means fewer resources spent on validation and updates, which in turn lowers costs.
For a deeper look at how this approach reduces expenses and accelerates delivery, explore our guide on how KMP saves time and money in mobile app development.
2. Faster Time to Market - Launch Your MVP Quickly
Kotlin Multiplatform shortens the path from idea to release. Instead of waiting to finish two separate applications, an MVP can go live on multiple platforms almost simultaneously. This earlier release allows teams to collect user feedback, test assumptions, and adjust priorities before committing to full-scale development.
3. Code Reusability and Shared Business Logic
Beyond cutting costs and accelerating delivery, Kotlin Multiplatform app development brings long-term consistency. When the same business logic powers both iOS and Android apps, data flows, authentication, and core calculations behave the same way everywhere. Developers spend less time fixing discrepancies between platforms and more time designing the UI and unique features that matter to users. This reliability not only reduces errors but also makes future updates easier to plan and execute.
4. Near-Native Performance With Access to Native Features
A common concern with cross-platform app development is losing the smoothness of a fully native build. With KMP, that trade-off doesn’t exist. Developers can connect to native APIs, allowing applications to maintain responsiveness, security, and full access to device capabilities. Users get the performance they expect from native applications, while teams benefit from shorter timelines and lighter maintenance.5. Scalability for Long-Term Growth
An MVP is only the first step. As products evolve, new features, integrations, and user demands quickly appear. Projects built with Kotlin Multiplatform adapt well to this growth because the shared foundation can expand without forcing a complete rewrite. Teams can roll out updates in sync across platforms, keeping the product stable while adding functionality. This makes KMP a strong choice for companies that want to launch quickly and scale confidently over time.
Kotlin Multiplatform vs. Other Cross-Platform Solution
1. KMP vs Flutter
Flutter is often attractive because it offers a “write once, run everywhere” approach with ready-made UI toolkits. While it enables fast prototyping, it also brings trade-offs: app size can be larger, and integrating with native APIs sometimes requires extra work.
Kotlin Multiplatform (KMP) takes a different path by sharing business logic while keeping the UI fully native. This approach delivers applications that feel closer to true native experiences and prepares products to scale, even if design requires more effort upfront. For a detailed comparison of the two frameworks, check out our guide on Flutter vs Kotlin Multiplatform.
2. Kotlin Multiplatform vs React Native - Pros and Cons
React Native has been a popular choice for cross-platform application development thanks to the large JavaScript community and quick prototyping.
It’s a good option when teams need to move fast and tap into widely available developers. However, maintaining complex apps can get harder, especially when advanced native features are required.
With KMP, companies benefit from Kotlin’s strong ecosystem, seamless integration with Android, and a foundation that remains stable and maintainable over time.
3. KMP vs Native - When Native Still Wins?
| Criteria | Kotlin Multiplatform (KMP) | Native Development |
| Performance | Near-native performance | Maximum performance, ideal for gaming or AR/VR apps |
| Access to Features | Full access to native APIs through KMP integrations | Direct access to all device features without abstraction |
| Development Time | Faster delivery with shared business logic across platforms | Longer timelines since Android and iOS are built separately |
| Cost | Lower cost by maintaining one shared codebase | Higher cost due to two separate projects and teams |
| Scalability | Adapts well as products grow and new features are added | Scales but at higher maintenance cost |
| Best Use Cases | Business apps, MVPs, and products needing quick market entry | High-end games, AR/VR, apps requiring heavy processing |
💡Read our article about Native vs Hybrid iOS Apps: Which Approach is Best for You ?
Common Questions About KMP
1. Is KMP Production-Ready in 2025?
Yes. Kotlin Multiplatform (KMP) is already used in production by well-known companies such as Netflix, Philips, and Cash App. JetBrains, the creator of Kotlin, uses it at scale internally and invests heavily in its roadmap. The framework is stable, actively maintained, and supported by a growing developer community.
2. Do I Need iOS Expertise for KMP?
KMP allows teams to share business logic, but the iOS interface is still built using Swift or SwiftUI. You will still need at least one iOS developer to handle the UI layer and ensure the app follows Apple’s design guidelines. The difference is that this developer no longer has to duplicate the core logic, since it is written once in Kotlin and shared across platforms. This reduces workload and makes collaboration between Android and iOS teams more efficient.
3. Can KMP Be Integrated Into Existing Apps?
Yes. One of KMP’s strengths is that it can be introduced gradually into existing projects. Companies with native apps don’t need to rebuild everything from scratch. Instead, KMP modules can be added step by step, for example by starting with networking or data management, while the rest of the app continues to run natively. This incremental approach lowers risk and allows teams to benefit from shared code without disrupting current users.
Is Kotlin Multiplatform Right for Your Startup?
| Aspect | Pros | Cons |
| Development Time | Shared business logic reduces duplicate work and accelerates delivery | Some additional effort needed for iOS UI in Swift/SwiftUI |
| Cost | Lower cost compared to two separate native projects | Requires Kotlin expertise, which can be harder to find than JS |
| User Experience | Native UI on Android and iOS ensures apps feel natural | UI work must be duplicated per platform, unlike Flutter’s single UI |
| Scalability | Codebase evolves easily as features and users grow | Larger projects may still need more specialized native developers |
| Integration | Can be added gradually into existing apps without full rebuild | Migration takes planning and coordination |
Getting Started With Your KMP Project
Our Kotlin Multiplatform services are designed to help turn ideas into working apps faster. Whether you need support with programming or guidance on defining your business priorities, our team can adapt to your specific needs.
Explore our services to see how we can help you launch and scale with KMP.