Native to Flutter Migration

Migrate Native Apps to Flutter.
Plan around your existing users.

Bring your iOS and Android apps into a shared Flutter codebase with a clear plan for the people already using them. We assess your current apps, rebuild agreed workflows and test the path from the native release to Flutter.

Existing accounts, saved data and native integrations are part of the migration scope.

The service, in plain terms

What does native to Flutter migration include?

Nautilus Techlabs helps teams migrate native iOS and Android applications to Flutter. The service covers codebase assessment, migration planning, interface development, native integrations, user-data continuity and testing upgrades from the current app.

Screens and application logic that move to Flutter are implemented in Dart. Compatible APIs and native components can remain in use. We assess whether shared development will help your roadmap and what the transition would cost before recommending a phased migration or rebuild.

What We Deliver

A migration plan for the whole application.

The scope includes the visible experience, the services behind it and the transition for current installations.

Native app audit & roadmap

Review your Swift, Objective-C, Kotlin or Java apps before choosing a migration approach. Map the features users depend on, technical dependencies and the work that can be retained.

  • Repository, architecture and dependency review
  • Feature inventory and platform differences
  • Migration milestones and acceptance criteria

Flutter interface & application logic

Rebuild agreed screens and workflows in Flutter with a shared Dart codebase. Preserve familiar journeys or make deliberate design changes that your team can review.

  • Reusable widgets and responsive layouts
  • Navigation, state management and validation
  • Accessibility, localization and error states

Existing users & saved data

Plan how current users move to the new version. Review accounts, authentication, local storage and purchase entitlements before testing upgrades with representative app states.

  • Local database and preferences migration
  • Account, sign-in and subscription continuity
  • Upgrade tests for populated and offline installs

Native SDKs & device features

Assess plugins and native bridges for the features your app already uses. Keep platform-specific code where needed and test behavior on the devices you support.

  • Payments, notifications and deep links
  • BLE, location, camera and biometric access
  • Native SDK compatibility and custom bridges

Backend & API continuity

Reuse compatible backend services while adapting the client application. Coordinate changes so older installed versions and the new Flutter release can coexist during rollout.

  • API contracts and authentication integration
  • Data mapping, caching and sync behavior
  • Compatibility checks across old and new clients

Upgrade testing & store release

Test the transition from the published native app, alongside fresh installs. Prepare releases through your existing store records and monitor the agreed rollout.

  • App identifiers, signing and build setup
  • Feature parity and performance checks
  • Release monitoring, issue triage and handover
Choose the Right Transition

Migrate gradually or rebuild in Flutter?

Your release commitments, native dependencies and product roadmap determine the approach. We review both the implementation effort and the cost of maintaining the app through the transition.

Phased migration with add-to-app

Introduce Flutter into selected parts of an existing native app while retaining other screens. This can suit products that need to keep shipping during migration, provided navigation, plugins and shared state work across the boundary.

  • Prioritize a self-contained feature or workflow
  • Maintain native and Flutter code during the transition
  • Expand the Flutter scope after integration testing

A Flutter rebuild with a planned cutover

Build the agreed experience in Flutter, then release it as an update once feature parity and upgrade paths are ready. This can suit a defined feature set or a broader product redesign.

  • Agree the features and designs before implementation
  • Keep the current app supported until the new release is ready
  • Validate data migration and store-update requirements
Existing platforms, shared foundations
Swift / Objective-CKotlin / JavaFlutter & DartNative SDK bridgesExisting APIsLocal data migrationCI/CD

Migration is a product and engineering decision. If the native apps already meet your needs, or a critical integration makes the transition impractical, we can recommend targeted improvements to the current codebase.

How We Work

From the current release to a verified upgrade.

Resolve the migration risks early, review working builds and agree release criteria around the behavior your users rely on.

  1. Assess the current app

    Review the repositories, store setup, APIs, device features and data storage. Identify migration risks and confirm which user journeys must remain intact.

    You receiveFeature inventory, risks and approach
  2. Validate the difficult parts

    Prove important native integrations and data-access paths in a small technical spike. Agree the Flutter architecture, migration sequence and release criteria.

    You receiveValidated integrations and delivery plan
  3. Migrate & verify

    Build the agreed workflows, connect existing services and implement data migrations. Compare behavior with the native apps and test on the supported device set.

    You receiveReviewable Flutter builds and test results
  4. Release & hand over

    Submit through your store accounts, monitor the release and address migration issues. Document build, deployment and maintenance responsibilities for your team.

    You receiveRelease, repository and maintenance guide
Existing Users Come First

Can users continue with the same app?

Yes, a Flutter version can be delivered as an update to the existing app when store identity and signing requirements are met. Account and data continuity need their own implementation and upgrade tests.

App identity & distribution

Plan the release through existing listings

Verify the iOS bundle identifier, Android application ID, signing setup and developer-account access. Check versioning and device support so the new release can reach the intended existing installations.

  • Store records and release configuration review
  • Supported operating systems and device requirements
  • Beta testing and an agreed rollout plan
Accounts & local state

Test what happens after an actual update

Install the current native version, create representative data and then upgrade. Check authentication, stored records, preferences and purchase access instead of relying only on fresh-install tests.

  • Existing account and entitlement checks
  • Database, secure-storage and offline-data migration
  • Recovery paths for interrupted or incomplete transitions
Behavior & performance

Compare the journeys users already know

Check notifications, deep links, payments and hardware features across the agreed device set. Measure important performance targets and review intentional design changes with your team.

Rollout & response

Prepare for older and newer versions to coexist

Keep API compatibility in view while users update at different times. Monitor crashes and migration errors, define when to pause further rollout and prepare a corrective release if needed. An installed app update cannot be assumed to roll back automatically.

Assessment Before Estimates

What will your Flutter migration cost?

Scope and timing depend on the existing apps, feature parity, data formats and native integrations. We assess the difficult dependencies before recommending milestones and a budget.

Request a Migration Assessment

Start with the apps you have today.

  • Current product: store links, repositories, designs and the workflows users depend on.
  • Technical dependencies: APIs, native SDKs, local storage, sign-in and payment systems.
  • Migration goals: shared development, design changes, maintenance needs and the features to retain.
  • Release constraints: supported devices, current roadmap, team capacity and store-account access.

Choose an assessment, a scoped migration or ongoing engineering support based on your product needs. Compare engagement options. For a new product, explore our Flutter app development service.

Clear Answers

Native to Flutter migration FAQs

What does native to Flutter migration involve?

It means rebuilding agreed native iOS and Android screens and application logic in Flutter and Dart. We assess the existing apps, retain compatible backends and native integrations, migrate stored data where needed and test the new version. It is a planned engineering project, not an automatic code conversion.

Can we migrate to Flutter without losing current users?

Yes. We can plan the Flutter release as an update to the existing app, so users do not need a separate app or new account. We verify store identity, signing, account access and saved-data migration. Any required sign-in steps or changes to supported devices are identified before rollout.

Will existing accounts, subscriptions and saved data still work?

They can, with explicit migration work. We review backend identities, purchase validation, authentication and local storage, then test upgrades from representative native installations. Moving to Flutter does not automatically preserve access to every storage format, session or purchase entitlement.

Can we keep the existing App Store and Google Play listings?

We plan releases through the existing store records using the required app identifiers and signing setup. This keeps the migration associated with the current listings rather than launching a separate app. We verify developer-account access and submission requirements during the assessment.

Can we migrate gradually while the native apps remain live?

Yes, where the app architecture and dependencies support it. Flutter add-to-app lets us introduce Flutter screens inside a native application. We assess navigation, shared state and plugin compatibility, then agree which features to move first and how both codebases will be maintained.

Can Flutter retain our native SDKs and device integrations?

Often, yes. We assess existing Flutter plugins and the option to bridge to native code for required SDKs. Features such as Bluetooth, background tasks, payments and biometrics need platform-specific validation on your target devices before their behavior can be confirmed.

Do we need to rebuild the backend as well?

Usually not when the current backend and API contracts can support the Flutter client. We review authentication, payloads, permissions and synchronization. Any necessary server changes are planned to support older installed app versions during the transition.

How much does migration cost, and how long does it take?

The estimate depends on feature scope, code quality, native SDKs, stored data, design changes and release requirements. We audit the current apps and assess the highest-risk integrations before proposing milestones and a budget. A phased migration and a full rebuild have different delivery tradeoffs.

Will the Flutter app be faster than the native apps?

A migration does not automatically improve performance. We agree targets for important journeys, startup, scrolling and resource use, then measure on representative devices. The result depends on the implementation, integrations and workload as well as the framework.

Who owns the migrated code, and can you support future releases?

You own 100% of the custom project source code and intellectual property. We hand over the repository, build configuration and documentation. Ongoing Flutter upgrades, issue resolution and feature work can be agreed around your product roadmap.

Plan Your Next Version

Let’s assess your path to Flutter.

Share your existing apps and migration goals. We’ll help identify what can be retained, what needs rebuilding and how to plan the transition for your users.