The Android vs iOS debate has long dominated the mobile app development space, but in 2025, it extends to devices beyond the smartphone. As more and more businesses leverage the potential of the Internet of Things (IoT), smart, interconnected devices that seamlessly blend with users’ lifestyles are becoming the norm. This testifies the comprehensive and holistic role of apps in users’ lives. As such, whether you should hire iOS developers or hire Android developers is a bigger question shaped by several factors, all of which entrepreneurs must understand to align their businesses with technology to meet desired results.
Read this blog to find out how Android differs from the Apple operating system and make an informed decision for app development in 2025.
Android vs iOS Comparison
To decide the best platform for app development, knowing the pros and cons of developing Android apps vs iOS apps and vice versa is crucial, comparing key criteria:
1. Market Share
The Android market share of 71.42% in 2025 outnumbers the iPhone global market share of 27.93%, with a total of 3.5 billion active Android users worldwide. Major reasons for Android’s global dominance include its affordability for developing countries like India and extensive device ecosystem, giving users of all income groups access to smartphones within their means. iOS, on the other hand, is limited to the Apple ecosystem only and is accessible to users who can afford expensive Apple devices. As such, the best platform to launch your mobile app in 2025 is Android if you want to maximize your reach to a bigger user base, and iOS if your product caters to a high-income group that dominates developed countries like the USA, Japan, and the UK.
2. Developer Availability
The popularity of programming languages for each OS constitutes the major difference in Android development vs iOS development. Android development requires Java and Kotlin expertise, while iOS development requires Swift or Objective-C expertise. Java enjoys universal developer popularity and is taught in the early stages of all developers’ careers, and Kotlin is widely preferred for its ease of use, ensuring an extensive talent pool worldwide. Compared to this, Swift and Objective-C have smaller talent pools with niche-specific expertise.
3. Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
Android Studio provides a Gradle-based build system for creating device-system app versions, perfectly aligning with Android’s extensive device ecosystem, and maximizes developer productivity with a robust code editor. Apple’s Xcode simplifies initial setup and offers in-code guidance with its code editor and assistant editor tools. While some developers favour Android Studio’s flexibility and customization, others find it complex because of Android’s extensive device range. Xcode is preferred by some for its user-friendly setup, while others find it lacking in customization options.
4. Features
Any Android and iOS comparison is incomplete without understanding the features of each OS, shaped by the nature of user experience they provide. Android features give users more flexibility to customize widgets on their home screens, and developers more openness to design how the app looks and feels. iOS features focus on giving users a consistent and easy-to-navigate interface through its strict design guidelines, which developers cannot oversee. This is one of the limitations of iPhone vs Android, for users who want greater customization and flexibility. As such, knowing who your user is and what preferences they have is crucial for selecting the right OS.
5. Integrations
You can hire Android developers if your app requires enhanced and extensive functionality through popular third-party integrations like Google Suite, Amazon, and Meta. Android’s open-source nature supports these integrations to cater to diverse user needs. iOS lacks these third-party integrations and is limited to Apple devices and services like the Apple Watch and iCloud. As such, if your user segment prefers these niche integrations, it is better to hire iOS developers.
6. App Publishing
While considering Android and iOS, which is better, your time to market is important. The Google Play Store has a quick and simple app review process, while the App Store has a stringent review process that is slightly more time-consuming. What is worth considering is also the testing required for Android’s extensive device range which is simplified with iOS, with fewer devices and screen sizes. As such, you can hire dedicated Android developers skilled in testing to get to market faster, while iOS is better if you have a user segment loyal to Apple devices only.
7. App Monetization
The app monetization iOS vs Android shows two major strategies businesses need to master. Android users are more likely to convert from ads and pay more heed to push notifications, necessitating targeted user engagement and personalised ads implementation expertise. However, one of the major advantages of iOS over Android is that iOS apps earn greater app revenue with users’ preferences for in-app purchases ($13.5 billion App Store revenue in 2021 compared $4.8 billion Google Play app revenue).
8. Development Cost
The app development cost comparison Android vs iOS does not vary significantly, though developing an Android app costs comparatively less with Android’s open-source nature, one-time Play Store fee, and extensive developer availability. An Android app can cost anywhere between $10k to $300k, depending on your app customization, features, and complexity. iOS app development cost can be anywhere between $20k to $300k because of expensive hardware, a premium App Store per annum fee, and varying project needs.
Apple vs Android App Development: Which Is Better in 2025?
The best mobile app platform in 2025 is the one that aligns with your user needs, development capability, and business requirements. What is important for business success is understanding how your user needs are shaped and what nuances each OS needs to cater to. By delivering consistent user experiences in alignment with the user needs of Android and iOS platforms, you can establish a credible digital presence and win loyal users who value your app for aligning well with their budget needs, usage patterns, and OS requirements. However, factors like user location, demography, and age will continue to influence OS selection, but what remains certain is creating value through personalised experiences, leveraging cutting-edge technology for continued growth and scale.
