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As someone who’s worked with cross-platform mobile development for quite a while, I’ve seen how quickly things can change. When I first started using Xamarin, it felt like a game-changer — one codebase for both iOS and Android? Incredible. But now, with .NET MAUI in the spotlight, the question is hard to ignore: is Xamarin still the best choice, or is it time to move on?
At first glance, Xamarin and .NET MAUI seem similar, especially in syntax and structure. Both streamline cross-platform development. But the similarities end there. .NET MAUI isn’t just an update — it’s the evolution of Xamarin that brings better performance, a unified framework, and a smoother experience across platforms.
And here’s the big shift: Microsoft is phasing out Xamarin. After May 2024, it no longer receives active support. Instead, Microsoft is focusing entirely on .NET MAUI and its broader cross-platform ecosystem. Xamarin.Android and Xamarin.iOS are becoming .NET for Android and .NET for iOS. That makes migration essential for ongoing support and updates.
In this article, I’ll walk you through the Xamarin vs MAUI debate, compare their features, and offer insights based on my own experience with both. You’ll learn what to expect from each framework, where they shine, and where .NET MAUI is taking cross-platform development to the next level.
Xamarin is a Microsoft-backed framework that gives you the power to share code between platforms. This dramatically speeds up development time and reduces costs. By using C# and .NET, developers can write applications that work natively on both Android and iOS, while still taking advantage of platform-specific APIs. It was a game-changer when it first launched, as if offered a unified approach for mobile development.
However, as great as Xamarin was, it faced challenges with UI consistency across platforms, complex project structures, and occasional platform-specific quirks. That’s where .NET MAUI steps in. It offers a more modern, unified solution with fewer hurdles to jump through.
Even though Xamarin is now being phased out, it still has a legacy in the development world, and many apps are built on it today. While .NET MAUI offers an upgraded experience, Xamarin still serves as the foundation for many existing mobile applications.
Xamarin’s biggest draw was its ability to allow developers to write code once and deploy it across multiple platforms — Android, iOS, and later even macOS. Several key features defined its approach to cross-platform development:
First up is the shared codebase. Xamarin allowed developers to write in C# and deploy on both Android and iOS. However, Xamarin still required separate platform-specific projects for certain features. This added some complexity, particularly when it came to managing platform-specific resources and handling different device types.
Another core feature was the use of renderers. Xamarin relied on platform-specific renderers to map UI elements to native controls, which helped achieve native performance. While this worked well, it could become cumbersome when dealing with complex UIs, as each platform had its own quirks that needed to be addressed individually.
Then there was the distinction between Xamarin vs Xamarin Forms. While Xamarin provided a broader development framework, Xamarin Forms was introduced to address the challenges of using platform-specific UI elements. It allowed developers to share UI code across platforms and reduced the need for separate designs for each one. This approach simplified development but came with limitations in flexibility and performance, as it didn’t always allow full access to native control. This led to less-than-ideal UI performance, especially for more resource-intensive apps.
Xamarin also provided strong integration with the entire Microsoft ecosystem, meaning it was a natural choice for developers already working with .NET and Visual Studio. Its built-in libraries and robust support for accessing platform-specific APIs meant you could create powerful mobile apps, even if some parts of the process were more complex than they needed to be.
While Xamarin was groundbreaking in its day, as the demands for cross-platform development grew, it became clear that a more unified and flexible solution was necessary — which is .NET MAUI.
Xamarin has been a strong player in the cross-platform development world, particularly for mobile applications and enterprise solutions (just like .NET MAUI today).
So, where else did Xamarin shine?
.NET MAUI, or .NET Multi-platform App UI, is Microsoft’s answer to unified, cross-platform development. It’s a major step up from Xamarin, designed to simplify the way developers create apps that run across Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows using a single codebase.
But what does that really mean for you as a developer?
In simple terms, MAUI takes the best aspects of Xamarin and wraps them into a more cohesive, flexible package. The architecture is more modern, it’s built on top of .NET Core, and it offers a simplified way to manage resources and user interfaces across platforms.
“Xamarin was great for its time, but let’s be honest — managing separate platform projects could be a headache. MAUI fixes that with a single project structure and better performance. If you’re building for the future, the choice is pretty clear.”
Head of Mobile
One of the standout features of .NET MAUI is its single project structure. Unlike Xamarin, which requires separate projects for different platforms, MAUI uses a shared codebase, meaning you can handle all your platform-specific needs in one place. This reduces complexity and helps keep things organized.
Then there’s the handler architecture. This is a new way of managing cross-platform controls that offers more flexibility and better performance. Instead of using the old renderer-based system (hello, Xamarin Forms), handlers offer a more lightweight approach that makes your app feel snappier.
Also worth mentioning is hot reload. For me, this has been a major improvement. Being able to tweak the UI or logic in real time without restarting the app can shave hours off your development time. It’s one of those little things that make a big difference in daily productivity.
When it comes to real-world applications, .NET MAUI is making waves. So, where can you use it? Let’s dive into some key areas:
In short, no matter the use-case, .NET MAUI helps businesses deliver powerful apps that work everywhere.
Since .NET Multi-platform App UI is the evolution and improved version of Xamarin.Forms, it shares a lot of similarities and common features. One can find almost all capacities that Xamarin provides in .NET MAUI, including layouts, gestures, controls, templates, Shell, and cross-platform APIs. All these features are available in .NET MAUI only with a different namespace.
However, even though .NET MAUI and Xamarin share a lot in common, differences exist as well. So here, let’s move on and break down the features of both application development platforms to see how .NET MAUI performance overpowers Xamarin.
Here’s a quick cheat sheet:
| Feature | .NET MAUI | Xamarin |
| Development environment | Built on .NET Core and later, modernized tooling | Based on .NET Framework/Mono, older tooling |
| Integration with Blazor | Supports Blazor Hybrid apps for web and mobile | No direct Blazor integration |
| Platform architecture | Unified API for all platforms | Platform-specific dependencies |
| Renderer vs. handlers | Uses Handlers for better performance and flexibility | Uses Renderers, which are heavier and less efficient |
| Lifecycle management | Simplified and more unified across platforms | Platform-specific lifecycle implementations |
| Graphics API support | Built-in support for drawing and vector graphics | Requires third-party libraries or custom implementations |
| Performance | Faster, more optimized with modern architecture | Slower due to legacy architecture |
| Community support | Growing, backed by Microsoft and .NET ecosystem | Diminishing due to end-of-support |
| Project structure | Single project for all platforms | Separate projects for each platform |
.NET MAUI integrates more seamlessly with Visual Studio and the broader .NET ecosystem, removing the need for Xamarin-specific extensions. This makes setup easier and keeps everything in one place. Instead of juggling multiple tools, developers can focus on building apps with a more intuitive, consistent workflow.
| Feature | Xamarin | .NET MAUI |
| IDE support | Visual Studio (with Xamarin-specific extensions) | Visual Studio Code and Rider (with .NET MAUI-specific extensions) |
Blazor support in .NET MAUI significantly expands its capabilities. Unlike Xamarin, which required workarounds, .NET MAUI lets you mix web and native elements effortlessly. With Blazor Hybrid Apps, you can build cross-platform applications while reusing existing web components, cutting down development time and effort.
| Feature | Xamarin | .NET MAUI |
| Blazor integration | Limited or no support | Native support for integrating Blazor for web-based UI development |
.NET MAUI is built on .NET Core with a unified API layer, which makes cross-platform development more cohesive. Xamarin, in contrast, relies on platform-specific configurations, which leads to inconsistencies. With .NET MAUI, you get a cleaner, more predictable development experience across Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows.
| Feature | Xamarin | .NET MAUI |
| Architecture | Xamarin-specific architecture | Modernized, unified architecture based on .NET Core |
Remember Xamarin’s renderers? They worked, but they could be slow and clunky. .NET MAUI replaces them with handlers — lighter, faster, and easier to customize. This means better performance and more flexibility when designing app interfaces.
| Feature | Xamarin | .NET MAUI |
| Architecture | Renderer-based architecture | Handler-based architecture |
Managing app states in Xamarin often meant dealing with separate lifecycle events for each platform. .NET MAUI simplifies this with a unified lifecycle model, so you don’t have to write platform-specific code just to handle app startup and shutdown.
| Feature | Xamarin | .NET MAUI |
| Lifecycle control | Handles platform-specific lifecycle events separately | Unified lifecycle management across all platforms |
Xamarin made you rely on different graphics APIs for each platform. .NET MAUI fixes that with a single graphics API that works everywhere. Whether it’s drawing, animations, or effects, you can now handle everything consistently across devices.
| Feature | Xamarin | .NET MAUI |
| Graphics API support | Uses platform-specific APIs (e.g., Android Canvas, iOS CoreGraphics) | Unified graphics APIs across all platforms, leveraging .NET Core’s capabilities |
.NET MAUI isn’t just an upgrade — it’s a speed boost. Thanks to optimizations in memory management, startup times, and UI rendering, apps run smoother and use fewer resources. That means better responsiveness and improved battery life on mobile devices.
| Feature | Xamarin | .NET MAUI |
| Performance | Dependent on the platform-specific implementation | Optimized for faster performance across all platforms |
With Microsoft shifting its focus, most developers — and their libraries — have already moved to .NET MAUI. With Microsoft backing it and developers steadily moving over, MAUI is getting more updates, better documentation, and stronger community support. If you’re thinking long-term, MAUI is where you’ll find the most help.
| Feature | Xamarin | .NET MAUI |
| Community engagement | Legacy resources remain, but little new activity | Active and growing community around .NET MAUI, backed by Microsoft |
In Xamarin, you had to juggle separate projects for each platform. .NET MAUI ditches that mess in favor of a single-project structure. Now, all your platform-specific code is in one place. This makes development cleaner and more efficient.
| Feature | Xamarin | .NET MAUI |
| Project setup | Separate projects for different platforms | Single project for all platforms |
.NET MAUI and Xamarin share quite a few core principles. If you’ve worked with Xamarin before, transitioning to .NET MAUI will feel familiar in many ways.
So, in general, .NET MAUI keeps the best parts of Xamarin while making the development process smoother, faster, and more unified. If you’re thinking about making the switch from Xamarin, don’t worry — the learning curve isn’t too steep. .NET MAUI gives you a more modern, smoother experience, so it’s pretty easy to get up to speed while still building on what you already know.
No framework is perfect, and both .NET MAUI and Xamarin have their strengths and trade-offs. If you’re deciding whether to stick with Xamarin or move to MAUI, here’s a clear breakdown of what each brings to the table.
First, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of .NET MAUI to see what it brings to modern cross-platform development.
Modernized architecture: built on .NET Core and beyond, MAUI offers a cleaner, more efficient development experience with better performance.
Single project structure: no need for multiple platform-specific projects; everything is managed within one streamlined solution.
Better performance: the new handler-based architecture replaces renderers, reducing overhead and improving app responsiveness.
Seamless integration with Blazor: you can now mix web and native components more easily, making it a strong choice for hybrid applications.
Future-proof: as the successor to Xamarin, MAUI gets full Microsoft support, regular updates, and long-term stability.
Steeper learning curve: while it improves on Xamarin, developers still need to adapt to new project structures and APIs.
Migration challenges: moving an existing Xamarin project to MAUI isn’t always straightforward, requiring significant refactoring in some cases.
Not yet as mature: as a newer framework, MAUI is still evolving, which means some third-party libraries and plugins might not be fully optimized yet.
Now, let’s examine where Xamarin still holds value and where its limitations become apparent.
Well-established ecosystem: years of community support, documentation, and third-party libraries make Xamarin a familiar choice.
Native-like experience: with Xamarin.Native (Xamarin.Android and Xamarin.iOS), developers can achieve near-native performance.
MVVM support: works seamlessly with MVVM patterns, making it easier to maintain clean code structures.
End of support: Xamarin is no longer supported after May 2024, which makes long-term adoption risky.
More complex project structure: unlike MAUI’s single-project approach, Xamarin requires managing separate platform-specific projects.
Performance limitations: the older renderer system can cause additional overhead compared to MAUI’s new handlers.
Limited future updates: since Microsoft is focusing on MAUI, Xamarin will no longer receive major improvements or optimizations.
If you’re starting a new project, .NET MAUI is the clear winner — it’s faster, more efficient, and built for the future. But if you’re maintaining an existing Xamarin app, the decision depends on how soon you plan to migrate. Either way, the shift to MAUI is inevitable, and the sooner you get familiar with it, the smoother your transition will be.
So, what’s next? .NET MAUI has taken its place, offering a more modern, efficient, and scalable solution. It streamlines development with a unified project structure, better performance, and deeper integration with the latest .NET ecosystem. This transition reflects a broader industry trend: cross-platform development is moving towards more flexible, cloud-friendly architectures.
The rise of Blazor Hybrid Apps is another key development. By combining web and native functionality, developers can now leverage existing web skills while still delivering high-performance mobile and desktop experiences. This shift hints at a future where the lines between web and native applications are blurred even further.
For businesses and developers still relying on Xamarin, the takeaway is clear: migration isn’t just an option — it’s a necessity. With official support gone, sticking with Xamarin means dealing with increasing compatibility issues and security risks. The sooner you transition, the smoother the process will be.
Xamarin had a solid run, but .NET MAUI is the future of cross-platform development — and for good reason. While both frameworks allow developers to build apps for multiple platforms using C# and .NET, their underlying architectures and long-term viability couldn’t be more different.
At its core, .NET MAUI simplifies development by introducing a single project structure, eliminating the need for separate platform-specific projects. This alone makes managing resources, dependencies, and UI elements significantly more efficient than in Xamarin. The shift from renderers to handlers also provides a lighter, more performant architecture, improving responsiveness and reducing complexity.
Performance-wise, MAUI benefits from being built on .NET Core, with better memory management, faster execution, and support for the latest graphics APIs. On the other hand, Xamarin — tied to an aging architecture — lacks these modern optimizations. If you need hot reloads, Blazor integration, and a unified library ecosystem, MAUI is the clear winner.
That said, there are still scenarios where the transition isn’t immediate. If you’re maintaining a stable, business-critical Xamarin app with no pressing need for new features, a cautious migration strategy may be preferable rather than an immediate switch. However, with Microsoft pulling the plug on Xamarin support, sticking with it long-term isn’t an option.
The verdict? For new projects, there’s no debate — .NET MAUI is the way forward. If you’re still using Xamarin, the clock is ticking, and migration should be a priority sooner rather than later.
No. Microsoft officially ended support for Xamarin on May 1, 2024. This means no further updates, security patches, or technical support will be provided. If you're still using Xamarin, it's time to plan your migration to .NET MAUI.
Yes. With Xamarin now out of support, staying on it is not a viable long-term option. .NET MAUI provides better performance, a more modern architecture, and ongoing Microsoft support. If your app is still in active development, migrating sooner rather than later will save you from compatibility issues down the line.
.NET MAUI simplifies development with a single project structure, introduces better performance through a modernized architecture, and offers native API access with handlers instead of the older renderer system. It also supports hot reloads, Blazor integration, and improved graphics APIs.
The migration process varies depending on your app’s complexity. While some projects can transition smoothly, others may require code refactoring due to architectural differences between Xamarin and MAUI. Microsoft provides migration guides, and expert services can help streamline the process.
Yes, and more. .NET MAUI supports Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS — just like Xamarin — but offers a more streamlined development experience and better long-term support.
If you're looking for non-Microsoft alternatives, frameworks like Flutter, React Native, and Uno Platform also offer cross-platform development. However, if you're already working within the .NET ecosystem, .NET MAUI is the most natural and feature-rich upgrade from Xamarin.
The main difference between Xamarin Forms vs MAUI lies in the architecture and flexibility of the frameworks. While Xamarin Forms allowed developers to share UI code across multiple platforms, it was still limited in some areas, especially when it came to native control access and performance optimization. Overall, .NET MAUI takes the best of Xamarin Forms and extends it with a more streamlined, powerful, and scalable solution for building cross-platform apps.
Delivery manager at Innowise
Date: Apr 25, 2025
