Xamarin end of support: what it means for your app

Xamarin support ended on May 1, 2024, and the stores have moved on. Since April 28, 2026 the App Store only accepts new uploads built with Xcode 26, and Xamarin stops at Xcode 15, so your app can no longer ship updates. It still works for the people who have it, but it is frozen. You have three ways out: .NET MAUI, Uno Platform or Flutter, and you can move without taking the app offline.

For companies7 min readPublished 21 Oct 2026

By Eryk Kruk, CEO

Fitatu: 10M+ users, moved from Cordova to Flutter while the app stayed live.

What does Xamarin end of support mean for my app?

Microsoft ended support for all Xamarin SDKs, including Xamarin.Forms, on May 1, 2024. Since then there are no fixes, no security updates and no new platform APIs.

The bigger problem is the stores. Xamarin stops at Xcode 15 and Android API 34. Apple and Google now ask for newer versions than that. So a Xamarin project can no longer ship a normal update.

Where Xamarin apps stand: support ended in 2024, and in 2026 both stores started asking for tools Xamarin cannot use.

On the App Store

Since April 28, 2026, every app uploaded to App Store Connect must be built with Xcode 26 and the iOS 26 SDK. Xamarin's last version is Xcode 15. The rule covers new uploads, so the version already in the store keeps running for people who have it. But you cannot send a fix, a new feature or a security patch.

On Google Play

Since August 31, 2026, new apps and updates must target Android 16 (API level 36). Teams could request an extension, but only to November 1, 2026. Existing apps must target at least API 35 to stay available to new users on newer Android versions. A Xamarin app targets API 34, so new users on Android 15 and newer can no longer find it.

The short answer: your app still works for the people who have it, but it is frozen. Every new iOS and Android release adds risk, and you cannot react.

How do I know if my app is affected?

Your developers open the project and see Xamarin.Forms, Xamarin.iOS or Xamarin.Android.
Your last iOS update could not be uploaded, or the store rejected it.
Google Play Console shows a target API level warning.
Crash reports grow after a new iOS or Android version.

Not sure? An App Audit answers it in writing: code, crashes and store status, plus what to keep and what to rewrite. It costs $5-8k and ends with a fixed plan.

MAUI vs Uno vs Flutter: which one should you pick?

There are three real options. None is right for every app. Here is how we see them, honestly.

MAUI, Uno Platform or Flutter, side by side

Criterion	.NET MAUI	Uno Platform	Flutter
Behind it	Microsoft, the official successor to Xamarin.Forms	Open source, Apache 2.0	Google, open source
Language	C#	C# and XAML	Dart
What carries over	C# and much of the business logic. The screens still need work	Your XAML knowledge. Every screen still needs real work	Your backend, data and accounts. The app itself is rewritten
Pick it when	You have a C# team in house, the app works well and the UI is fine as it is	A Windows or desktop app is part of the same product	The UI is dated anyway, you have no C# team, and you want weekly updates for years

.NET MAUI: Microsoft's own path

Microsoft says Xamarin.Forms has evolved into .NET MAUI, and Xamarin.Forms projects should move there. Apps built on Xamarin.iOS and Xamarin.Android move to .NET for iOS and .NET for Android. You keep C# and much of the business logic. The screens still need work. It is not a one-click upgrade.

Plan for upgrades. Each major MAUI version is supported until 6 months after the next one ships. MAUI 9 ended on May 12, 2026, and MAUI 10 ends on May 11, 2027. So you upgrade about once a year.

Uno Platform: C# and XAML on more platforms

Uno Platform is open source under Apache 2.0. You write C# and XAML, and it runs on iOS, Android, the web (WebAssembly), Windows, macOS and Linux. Your XAML knowledge carries over, but every screen still needs real work.

Flutter: a rewrite that lasts

Flutter is Google's open-source framework, written in Dart. One codebase gives you iOS and Android, plus web and desktop if you need them. Moving from Xamarin to Flutter means rewriting the app, not porting it. Your backend, data and accounts stay.

Not always Flutter. If your C# team is strong and the app only needs to keep shipping, MAUI can cost less. We say that in the audit when it is true.

How does a Xamarin to Flutter migration run while the app stays live?

Your users should not notice the move, except that the app gets better. This is how we run it.

The new app reaches users as a normal update, in phases, so a problem shows up at 1% and not at 100%.

The new Flutter app ships as an update to the same listing: the same bundle ID on iOS, the same package name and signing key on Android. Android only installs an update when the signing certificates match, so this part matters. Users update as usual, keep their accounts because the backend stays, and your ratings stay with the listing.

The rollout is gradual. On the App Store, a phased release reaches users with automatic updates in steps, from 1% to 100% over 7 days. On Google Play, a staged rollout reaches a percentage of users first, and you can halt it if something is wrong.

You pay a fixed price per milestone and get an invoice per accepted milestone. You can stop after any milestone. Codigee experts review every line. AI tests every build and writes tests up to 100% coverage.

Has this worked on a big live app?

Yes. Fitatu, a calorie counter with 10M+ users, ran on Cordova. We rewrote it in Flutter step by step while the app stayed live. Flutter ran inside the Cordova app first, then took over screen by screen. After the rewrite the app was 99.7% crash-free.

One honest note: Fitatu was Cordova, not Xamarin. Flutter officially runs inside Kotlin, Java, Swift and Objective-C apps, and Xamarin is not on that list. So with Xamarin we keep the same idea one level up: the same backend, the same store listing, a gradual rollout. The method stays. Only the seam moves.

How much does a Xamarin migration cost?

The App Audit costs $5-8k and ends with a fixed plan (what a mobile app audit checks). A rewrite to Flutter starts from $20k. The real price depends on the number of screens, the integrations and how much of the backend can stay. You get the exact price before anything is rebuilt. See all prices.

After launch you get a 6-month guarantee. You own the code and the store accounts from day one.

More on the move itself: migration from Xamarin. How we work with companies that already run an app: for companies.

Common questions

01Will my Xamarin app disappear from the App Store?

Not because of the Xcode rule alone. That rule covers new uploads, so the current version stays and keeps working for people who have it. You just cannot ship a fix or an update from the Xamarin project.

02Can I still update a Xamarin app on Google Play?

Not with a normal update. Since August 31, 2026, updates must target API level 36, and Xamarin stops at API 34. An extension could only push that to November 1, 2026.

03Is .NET MAUI or Flutter better for a Xamarin migration?

It depends on your team. MAUI keeps C# and suits a strong in-house .NET team. Flutter is a full rewrite and suits apps whose UI needs a refresh anyway and that should ship updates for years.

04Will users lose their data or accounts?

No, when the backend stays. The Flutter app ships as an update to the same listing and talks to the same backend, so accounts and data are where they were. Data kept only on the phone needs its own migration step, and the audit lists it.

05How long does a Xamarin to Flutter migration take?

It depends on the number of screens and integrations. The App Audit ends with a plan per milestone, with a price for each. During the build you get a new version on your phone every week.