Creating cross-platform mobile applications can be complex and daunting. Developers must navigate various programming languages and frameworks while managing distinct codebases for each operating system. In 2026, the landscape is shifting dramatically with Microsoft's strategic shift toward unification under .NET MAUI. Understanding this transition is vital, especially if your business is invested in long-term custom software development services.
Xamarin emerged as a revolutionary framework for cross-platform development in the early 2010s, allowing developers to write mobile applications using C# and share up to 90% of their codebase between iOS and Android. Built on the Mono runtime and later acquired by Microsoft, Xamarin quickly became a favorite for mobile app development among enterprises and startups alike.
Xamarin's key advantages included its single language (C#), access to native APIs, Xamarin.Forms UI abstraction layer, strong IDE support through Visual Studio, and enterprise-grade performance trusted by major corporations. According to Statista, Xamarin remained one of the top mobile SDKs in 2017, favored for its code-sharing capabilities and native performance.
Despite its initial success, Xamarin's architecture began showing its age. The need to maintain separate toolchains, limitations in UI flexibility, and growing competition from frameworks like Flutter and React Native pushed Microsoft toward change. Microsoft's goal was to streamline its development ecosystem under one unified platform — .NET MAUI (Multi-platform App UI) — which eliminates Xamarin's fragmentation while enhancing capabilities.
.NET MAUI is the next evolution of Xamarin, built on the .NET 6/7+ ecosystem. It enables developers to create apps for iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows with a single codebase and project structure, using C# and XAML. Top advantages of .NET MAUI over Xamarin include its unified project structure, modern UI toolkit, deeper .NET integration, hot reload support, and improved DevOps.
While .NET MAUI is the future, there are valid reasons some businesses continue to maintain Xamarin apps in 2026: large-scale enterprise systems, mission-critical applications, and long maintenance cycles. However, there are risks associated with sticking with Xamarin: security vulnerabilities, tooling compatibility, and talent availability.
Migrating from Xamarin to .NET MAUI can be complex but manageable with the right strategy. To ensure a smooth transition, developers should assess codebase compatibility, prepare for new architecture, leverage Microsoft's upgrade assistants, rebuild UI with MAUI toolkit, validate third-party libraries, and plan for performance testing.
For businesses already invested in Xamarin apps, it's essential to start planning your migration. The longer you delay, the higher the risks related to security, support, and future scalability. For new projects or existing Xamarin users looking to extend their app lifecycle, adopting .NET MAUI delivers better performance, broader platform coverage, and tighter integration with the evolving .NET ecosystem.
In 2026, .NET MAUI is no longer just the successor to Xamarin — it's the standard for modern .NET-based cross-platform development. Whether you're a startup or an enterprise, investing in this transition will future-proof your custom software development stack for years to come.
FAQ:
What is the main difference between Xamarin and .NET MAUI in 2026? Xamarin is an older cross-platform framework using separate UI layers for each platform, while .NET MAUI is its modern successor that enables a single, unified codebase for building native apps across iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS.