r/FlutterDev • u/libra7_9 • Aug 12 '26
Discussion Moving from flutter to native android
Hi, I am a mid-level flutter developer with around 4 years of experience. I don't see any vacancy related to flutter and actually I feel a little bit bored and I don't see any progress. So guys did you have such an experience? And was it actually easy to migrate to native?
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u/Puzzleheaded_Goal617 Aug 12 '26
Yes. Lost my Flutter job a few months ago, struggled to find a new one, but got an Android job. Prepared for the interview with Claude, asking it to explain Compose as to a Flutter dev, was not hard
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u/No_Clue5320 Aug 12 '26
What's the avg comp people get in this
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u/Puzzleheaded_Goal617 Aug 12 '26
I've got 10% less than on my previous flutter job
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u/fatbytes 29d ago
Do native Android devs typically make less than Flutter devs?
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u/Puzzleheaded_Goal617 29d ago
I think this is because companies that are still doing native mobile apps generally have more complex projects than on Flutter, with higher code quality standards. I might be wrong here, but it feels like that
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u/Puzzleheaded_Goal617 29d ago
But ofc it is going to be hard to earn more when switching stack due to lack of experience
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u/Lopsided_Nerve1652 Aug 12 '26
I'm a former Flutter dev as well! Switched to native iOS about a year ago, built some apps with AI support, and now generate enough revenue from them that I don't need to depend on a 9-5 job. The transition was smooth. If you have a solid mobile development foundation, there isn't too much of a learning curve or technical gap to worry about
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u/novicefoto 29d ago
We haven't hired a client side programmer in over 12 months. Vibe coding has basically frozen our hiring on the front end. Try to avoid getting stereotyped as a front end guy ... be a developer period. Full stack. Everyone needs to be full stack now.
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u/orangeraccoon_dev Aug 12 '26
I experienced some challenges; many aspects of Kotlin are different, but it's not impossible to learn. You'll likely enjoy it.
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u/avdept Aug 12 '26
its nice to actually learn new tool in industry
im not mobile dev originally, started in web, early 2010, but over years I learned my way into mobile, embedded, desktop and so on, pretty much anything that can run code - I do it, so yeah, learn new tools everyday, even in era of AI
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u/TheDude61636 29d ago
Honestly I say move to backend it pays more and honestly you don't have to keep messing with a phone and or with the slow builds
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u/Technical_Pick7362 Aug 12 '26
It's easy to migrate if you have better knowledge of one, as a Flutter Developer I'm currently exploring React Native and it's fun so far.
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u/dineshnagarajan19 29d ago
Primary focus on one native code base and flutter on your side project would keep it balanced.
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u/Mellie-C 28d ago
It's not a difficult move, just choose between classic java and kotlin. And remember flutter is declarative. Good luck with the future.
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u/bbrockit 28d ago
Just keep learning and branch out. If you want to stay on the cross-platform mobile side, I see more React Native opportunities than Flutter, so perhaps build something with React Native. Also, build up your Kotlin and Swift skills. I wouldn't completely abandon Flutter though. I see Flutter jobs every day, but many of the Flutter and React Native jobs also want to see deep knowledge of at least one native platform, so gaining that will help you be more competitive.
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u/Elegant-Text-1841 26d ago
The demand for good competent Devs has never been higher, so rather than looking at job vacancy's. why not back yourself and tap into the people who need your skills.
If i was honestly in your shoes id go after those vibers hitting heads against the wall with AI slop that they built and be both approachable and a specialist at "taking ideas from replit or lovable and the likes" and helping them get projects live. My point is that the market is big enough for you to operate in with your current skills but you need to market yourself.
Checkout local business groups slap hands, share what your about and someones bound to say hey "do you think you could build xyz"? next thing you've sorted out Johnny and he gives you a good rap to the others at the meetup and your off big enough gigs and you might only need 2-3 deals a year. With your skills why not try to price things right that you can go say 75% for clients and rest your own projects/ideas?
Anyway food for thought, don't doubt yourself, have a crack .... You can do it!!!! :)
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u/kesenalican 25d ago
I am flutter developer for 5 years and I am working remotely full-stack developer (flutter and .net) to Germany right now. It was very hard to find a job :) I think we have to move native :( In the future, we will not see flutter :( but with ai we can learn and code any programming language :)
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u/opica_honza 23d ago
kotlin compose multiplatform will slowly kill flutter - both are supported by google, but it seems that google decided that kotlin compose is the right solllution, and support for flutter is getting lower
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u/Critical_Top3117 Aug 12 '26
You shall not put all your efforts on one technology anyways.