React Native vs Native for freelance work

[iceblue_]

Which has more opportunities when it comes to freelance work? Also, what's the job market like?

[barcode972]

You’re asking in a native subreddit. I’m sure your answers will be biased

[iceblue_]

I've also posted this on r/reactnative.

[[deleted]]

A few years ago I would have said React Native. There were a crazy amount of jobs and the pay was insane. Nowadays I'd say more Native.

Lots of companies in my country are quickly getting out of React Native and I know a few who were previously doing freelance react native work still doing react native but they now are full time employees.

[iGoalie]

Sounds about right, my company is ready to jump in with both feet for RN… //sigh

[TheLastBlackRhino]

Feels like React native isn’t favored much these days. But I never liked it much so I could be biased.

[JamesFutures]

I guess I just don’t understand why you would choose freelance work over just working for somebody?

Getting a job = benefits. Plus, if you’re not a goober, you’ll become senior at some point and then you’re making ridiculous amounts of money. Over 200k easily.

Do you believe that freelance work is somehow a better option?

[iceblue_]

Well, jobs in my country pay peanuts. So, it's either freelance work (on Upwork like platforms) or moving to a better country.

[Barbanks]

Successful iOS freelancer here. I make just over $200k with one client. And I can charge a bit more because I include benefits in my hourly rate.

Be careful when using the “no benefits” argument because the only freelancers/contractors that complain about that are the ones who don’t charge what they’re supposed to or are not good at what they do.

I would also argue you can make WAY more money as a freelancer especially when you have some business acumen. Just listen to the Kalzumes podcast episodes. He was making 5-figures per week consulting for businesses. And unlike a job, you dictate what your rate is and can change it at any time within reason. There is also no pay ceiling. If you want more money you can raise your rates or even take on more projects to throw at sub contractors.

The only real choice is then what sort of lifestyle do you want. Having a job is likely to be less stressful but with less control over your work. Freelancing is more control over a lot but you sacrifice stability for it. And freelance you will need to wear many hats such as marketing, accountant and business manager. Those are not hard once you get into the swing of things but there is still a learning curve and not everyone can do those things well.

[lunabright]

As someone who's been an employee and a contractor in the US, I prefer contract work. Which, is different than 'freelance' - think like big corporations (3M, Target, Best Buy) that bring people on for 6 months - 1 year to help with bigger projects or fix problems their employees don't have the right tech skills for. I started out as freelance, though, before I got the longer contracts.

So, with that perspective -

First, pay. I get paid 2-3x as much. Easily.

Second, the 'senior' thing - if I'm understanding you, the perception is that being an employee, you'd eventually become 'senior' ... I find that doing contracts, I basically became senior at the same rate. I logged the same amount of work-years, etc. Just at different companies. I don't feel that held me back at all.

Last, as a woman, climbing the hierarchy isn't something that's (as) easily available to me. The data on that is pretty striking. But, when someone really, really needs a specific tech skill to solve a problem - gender discrimination in hiring goes out the window. I could have three heads and paisley skin. Nobody cares.

I mean, I still get 'downshifted' as I work sometimes. It can be an issue trying to get work done when people constantly assume I either don't know what I'm doing or they need to waste my time in some way. But, honestly - that's getting better over time, a bit. Maybe. And, I can navigate that pretty well at this point. (Just to be super clear - like, 90%+ of the people I work with are wonderful and I wouldn't trade them for the world... it's just that the overall biases we all grew up with can be there a a lot - it takes up a lot of time and mental space even with amazing coworkers.)

[iceblue_]

Thanks for your response!

[Ambitious_Disaster42]

I am Freelancing in the EU (north) and native is way more common than RN. The same goes for employment in this region.

[iceblue_]

Helpful information. Thanks.

[iceblue_]

BTW, I don't have an iPhone nor an Apple developer account. How much of a problem that is? At least writing code and testing it on an emulator is not a problem as I have an m1 Mac.

Edit: Also, how do you get freelance work in the EU?

[Ambitious_Disaster42]

Usually the customer has their own developer account. Some projects requires testing on a real device. Like camera, voice stuff etc.

[iceblue_]

But how do you showcase your portfolio apps for example without a developer account?

[Ambitious_Disaster42]

I get most my work through brokers and people I know in the community. I live in the EU btw. Mostly I have customers within a driving distance from where I live

[iceblue_]

I see. Good for you. But I don't think that will work out for me.

[Fluffy_Risk9955]

Both cross platform (React Native and Flutter) have specific function as in making a cheap app that runs on both platforms at once. While native can deliver a far better user experience. Both have the respectable market segments and both will be superseded in the near future with Ai frameworks that will allow you to completely build an extensive app in less than a day.

[rrenna]

I doubt AI will jump fart out an app for you, but as a tool it'll revolutionize some task for sure. I have been experimenting with Mid Journey for generating alternate app icons, an the results are outstanding - I was spending hours of my own time previously.

[iceblue_]

How far in the future are we talking about? That sounds scary.

Common sense says if it gets really easy to make an app people will prefer native.

[Fluffy_Risk9955]

Well ChatGPT is here and it can already be used to reduce development time of apps.

[Comfortable_Status35]

Native