React Native is Meta's open-source framework for building mobile apps with JavaScript and React, shipping a single codebase to both iOS and Android (plus Windows, macOS and the web through extra targets). Apps that "use React Native" run real native UI components driven from JavaScript, not a webview, which is why so many well-known products ship it in production.
Teams choose it for three reasons: one codebase across platforms, fast iteration (hot reload and over-the-air updates), and the ability to reuse existing React and web skills. In 2026 the framework is more mature than ever — the New Architecture (JSI, the Fabric renderer and TurboModules) has been the default since React Native 0.76, the latest releases sit on the 0.8x line, the Hermes engine is the default, and recent versions support React 19.
Below is an up-to-date look at famous apps built with React Native, what the framework actually powers inside each one, and an honest take on whether you should use it for your next product.
Famous apps built with React Native
A quick reference of well-known products associated with React Native. Note that large apps are rarely 100% React Native — most adopt it incrementally, so "what it powers" describes the parts that use it rather than the whole app.
| App | Company | What React Native powers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Facebook & Messenger | Meta | Parts of both apps | React Native was created at Facebook and is still used in sections of its own apps |
| Meta | Several features added with RN | Adopted incrementally inside the existing native app to share code with web | |
| Discord | Discord | Large parts of the mobile app | A long-time, vocal React Native adopter |
| Shopify | Shopify | Its mobile apps (Shop, Point of Sale and more) | Made a company-wide commitment to React Native for mobile |
| Coinbase | Coinbase | The main consumer app | Migrated from fully native to React Native around 2021 for shared velocity |
| Microsoft | Microsoft | React Native for Windows & macOS, plus parts of Office, Teams and Xbox companion apps | Maintains the official RN for Windows + macOS projects |
| Walmart | Walmart | Parts of the Walmart shopping app | An early large-enterprise adopter |
| Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Its consumer mobile app | Publicly described rebuilding the consumer app with React Native |
| Tesla | Tesla | The vehicle companion app (community-reported) | Widely cited, though Tesla has not published a detailed stack write-up |
| PlayStation / Sony | Sony | Companion and content app surfaces | React Native appears across several Sony apps |
Stacks change over time, so treat any single entry as "has used React Native" rather than a permanent guarantee — always verify the current state if it is load-bearing for a decision.
Why these companies chose React Native
The pattern across these adopters is consistent:
- One codebase, two (or more) platforms. Shipping iOS and Android from shared JavaScript cuts duplicated work and keeps features in sync.
- Speed of iteration. Fast Refresh and over-the-air update tooling let teams ship fixes and experiments without waiting on every app-store review cycle.
- Reuse of React talent. Companies with strong web/React teams can move people onto mobile without retraining on Swift and Kotlin from scratch.
- Incremental adoption. React Native drops into an existing native app screen-by-screen, so giants like Meta, Microsoft and Walmart added it without a risky full rewrite.
- A native feel. Because it renders real native views (not HTML in a webview), the result looks and performs like a native app for most product UIs.
React Native in 2026: the New Architecture and Expo
Two changes matter most if your knowledge of React Native is a few years old:
The New Architecture is now the default. Since React Native 0.76, the New Architecture — built on the JSI (JavaScript Interface), the Fabric renderer and TurboModules, with bridgeless mode — replaces the old asynchronous bridge. The legacy bridge was fully removed in 0.82. In practice this means faster startup, lower memory use, synchronous native calls where needed, and smoother UI. Hermes is the default JavaScript engine, and recent releases support React 19.
Expo is the recommended way to start a new app. The official React Native documentation now recommends beginning new projects with a framework, and Expo is the primary one. It provides file-based routing, a curated set of native modules, and managed build/submit pipelines (EAS), while still letting you drop down to fully custom native code when you need it.
A minimal way to spin up a new app today:
# Create a new React Native app using the recommended Expo framework
npx create-expo-app@latest my-app
cd my-app
npx expo start # opens the dev server; scan the QR code with Expo Go or a dev buildDid any big apps leave React Native?
Yes — being honest about this matters when you evaluate the framework.
- Airbnb is the famous case. After a high-profile investment in React Native, Airbnb sunset it in 2018 and moved back to fully native development, citing organisational and technical reasons specific to their scale. So despite older listicles, Airbnb is not a current React Native app.
- Other products have shifted parts of their stack over the years, and some early adopters use React Native only in specific surfaces rather than app-wide.
The takeaway is not "React Native failed" — it clearly powers production apps at Meta, Microsoft, Shopify, Discord and Coinbase today. The takeaway is that the right choice depends on your team, performance needs and how much deeply platform-specific work you do.
Should you use React Native in 2026?
React Native is a strong default for most product apps, but it is not the only option. A quick comparison:
| Approach | Best for | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|
| React Native | Cross-platform apps with shared logic, fast iteration, teams that already know React | Heavy native/graphics work needs native modules; some platform features lag |
| Flutter | Highly custom, pixel-perfect UI and animation across platforms | Dart instead of JS/React; larger app size; different talent pool |
| Fully native (Swift/Kotlin) | Games, AR/VR, heavy graphics, deep OS integration, maximum performance | Two codebases, higher cost and slower cross-platform iteration |
Choose React Native when you want one team shipping to iOS and Android quickly, you value reusing React skills, and your app is mostly standard product UI (feeds, forms, dashboards, commerce, chat, fintech flows). Lean native or Flutter when you are building a game, AR/VR, or something dominated by custom rendering and platform-specific hardware.
At MicroPyramid we have spent 12+ years and 50+ delivered projects building web and mobile products, and we have shipped React and React Native apps since 2016. If you are weighing options, our notes on the best cross-platform framework for mobile apps and React vs Flutter go deeper. When you are ready to build, see our mobile app development, React Native development, React development and product engineering services — and we can take an idea from MVP to a production cross-platform app.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is React Native still used in 2026?
Yes. React Native is actively maintained by Meta and the community, with releases on the 0.8x line and the New Architecture enabled by default since 0.76. It powers production apps at Meta, Microsoft, Shopify, Discord and Coinbase, among others, so it remains a mainstream choice for cross-platform mobile development.
Is React Native good for a startup MVP?
For most MVPs, yes. One JavaScript codebase ships to both iOS and Android, Fast Refresh and over-the-air updates speed up iteration, and you can reuse React talent. That lets a small team validate an idea on both platforms quickly. Consider native or Flutter only if your MVP centres on heavy graphics, games or deep hardware integration.
React Native vs Flutter — which should I choose?
Pick React Native if your team knows React/JavaScript and your app is mostly standard product UI; you get a huge npm ecosystem and shared web skills. Pick Flutter if you want highly custom, pixel-perfect UI and animations and do not mind learning Dart. Both can build excellent apps — the decision usually comes down to your team's existing skills and how custom your UI is.
Should I use Expo to start a React Native app?
For new projects, yes. The official React Native docs now recommend starting with a framework, and Expo is the primary one. It gives you file-based routing, a curated library of native modules, and managed build and submission pipelines, while still allowing fully custom native code when you need it. Most teams start with Expo and only eject to bare workflows for unusual native requirements.
What is the React Native New Architecture?
It is the modern foundation of React Native, default since version 0.76. It replaces the old asynchronous bridge with the JSI, the Fabric renderer and TurboModules (plus bridgeless mode), enabling synchronous JavaScript-to-native calls, faster startup and lower memory use. The legacy bridge was removed entirely in 0.82, so new apps use the New Architecture by default.
Did any famous apps leave React Native?
The best-known example is Airbnb, which sunset React Native in 2018 and returned to fully native development at its scale. A few other products have moved parts of their stack over time. This does not mean React Native is unreliable — it still runs production apps at major companies — but it is a reminder to match the framework to your team and performance needs.