In September 2026, Shopify announced it was dropping React Native to rebuild its mobile apps in Swift and Kotlin, with the help of AI agents. The decision reopens a question many projects thought settled, the choice between a native app and a cross-platform one. This article breaks down what a mobile app costs, what AI changes in that cost, and the criteria for deciding on your own project.
A founder who is not a developer can build their SaaS alone with AI and no-code tools, partner with a CTO, or hand development to an outside provider. Each of these approaches commits the founder's time, money and decisions differently, and each suits a specific stage of the project, from the prototype to the growing product.