Xamarin, while a powerful tool for cross-platform mobile app development, has several disadvantages when it comes to Android development. Here are the key drawbacks:
High Cost:
Although Xamarin is free for individuals and small companies, larger organizations need to purchase a license for Microsoft’s Visual Studio. The cost for a single-user license starts at $499 and can go up to $3,000 for an annual subscription to Visual Studio Enterprise, which can quickly add up depending on the size and needs of the development project[2][6][8].
Complex Nature:
Utilizing all open-source libraries in the Xamarin toolkit can be complicated. While Xamarin supports most .NET libraries, it does not support all available third-party libraries for Android without specific wrappers, which can add complexity to the development process[2][8].
Low Functionalities for Heavy Graphics:
Xamarin is not suitable for mobile applications with heavy graphics. Each operating system has a different methodology for visually laying out screens, and if the mobile app has rich and heavy UX/UI, it should be developed natively to ensure optimal performance[2][8].
Larger App Size:
Xamarin applications tend to be larger in size compared to their native counterparts. Even a basic Xamarin application can weigh more than 15MB before adding debug builds or associated libraries. This can be a significant drawback for users with limited storage space on their devices[2][6][8][9].
Delayed Support for Latest Platform Updates:
When Android releases updates, Xamarin apps may experience a delayed reaction. This is because the Xamarin team needs to integrate these updates into their ecosystem before developers can implement them. This delay can affect the timeliness of app updates and new feature rollouts[1][6][8].
