You want fully native UI with shared logic
KMP lets you share data handling and business logic while keeping SwiftUI and Android UI fully native, which suits apps where platform fidelity matters. [1]
Kotlin Multiplatform vs Capacitor + Capgo
Kotlin Multiplatform alternative: Capacitor with Capgo
Kotlin Multiplatform, from JetBrains, shares Kotlin code across Android, iOS, desktop, web, and server, and Compose Multiplatform can share the UI too. Capacitor takes a different path: your web app becomes the iOS and Android app, and Capgo adds live updates and cloud builds.
Verdict Choose Capacitor with Capgo if your product is already a web app or your team writes TypeScript, and you want to fix bugs in production without waiting for store review. Choose Kotlin Multiplatform if you are an Android-first Kotlin team that wants shared logic with fully native UI, or Compose UI on iOS, and accepts store releases for every change.
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9,400+ teams. 90M+ devices. 3,143+ GitHub stars. Trusted in production by:
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Top picks
The 6 best Kotlin Multiplatform alternatives in 2026
Ranked for teams that want to ship mobile apps fast, fix production bugs without waiting on store review, and keep full control of their code.
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Capgo vs Kotlin Multiplatform →
Capgo Our pick
Capacitor plus Capgo: one web codebase for iOS, Android, and web, live updates that skip store review, and cloud native builds in 2–3 minutes. Open source, from $12/month.
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Learn more →
Flutter
Google-backed toolkit in Dart that draws its own UI across mobile, web, and desktop. Live updates only through third parties.
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Learn more →
React Native
Meta-backed framework that renders native views from React. Updates via Expo EAS Update or self-hosted CodePush.
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Learn more →
Native development
Separate Swift and Kotlin apps. Maximum control and platform fit, with two codebases to maintain.
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Learn more →
.NET MAUI
Microsoft cross-platform framework in C# and XAML for teams on .NET.
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Learn more →
NativeScript
JavaScript and TypeScript with direct access to native APIs and native UI.
Side by side
Capgo vs Kotlin Multiplatform at a glance
| Area | Capgo | Kotlin Multiplatform |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Capacitor is free and MIT-licensed. Capgo live updates and cloud builds from $12/month billed yearly or $14 monthly. 14-day free trial, no credit card. | Free. Kotlin is licensed under Apache 2.0 and Compose Multiplatform is Apache-2.0 on GitHub. No paid tier from JetBrains for KMP itself. [1] [3] |
| OTA live updates | Ships JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and asset changes without waiting for store review, with delta downloads and end-to-end encryption. 1B+ updates per month. | No live update mechanism. Kotlin code is compiled into the native Android and iOS apps, so every change, logic or UI, ships through the app stores. [1] [4] |
| Native builds | Capgo Builder builds and signs iOS and Android binaries in the cloud, typically in 2-3 minutes, with no Mac needed, and can upload them to the stores. | Local builds with Gradle in IntelliJ IDEA or Android Studio. iOS builds need a Mac with Xcode. No first-party cloud build service. [4] |
| Framework support | Capacitor runs any web app: React, Vue, Angular, Svelte, or plain JS. One codebase ships to web, iOS, and Android. Native Swift or Kotlin code can live in Capacitor plugins. | Kotlin. Share logic only with native SwiftUI or Android UI, or share up to 100% including UI with Compose Multiplatform, stable on iOS, Android, and desktop, Beta on web. [1] [2] |
| Open source and self-hosting | Updater plugin and Capgo plugins are free under MPL-2.0. Backend source is on GitHub under AGPL-3.0. Run your own update server, or use licensed self-hosting on Enterprise. | Kotlin is Apache 2.0 under the Kotlin Foundation. Compose Multiplatform is Apache-2.0. [1] [3] |
| Rollback and channels | Dynamic channels, device and channel overrides, progressive rollouts, automatic rollback when a bundle fails to start, and one-click revert to a previous bundle. | No update channel to roll back. Reverting a bad release means shipping a new store build or using store phased rollouts. [1] |
| Support | Discord and email with the engineers who build Capgo. Priority plugin fixes on any plan, and Premium Support for production deadlines. | Supported and developed by JetBrains, with official docs and IDE tooling. Community help through the Kotlin ecosystem. [1] [4] |
| Company status | Independent and bootstrapped, founded in 2021. 9,400+ teams, 4.7K+ apps, and 90M+ devices. SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 on the Enterprise plan. | Developed by JetBrains. Kotlin is protected under the Kotlin Foundation. [1] [2] |
Sources
Competitor details are as of September 2026 and were checked against the vendor pages below. Plans and prices change, so confirm on the vendor site before you decide.
Honest take
Where Kotlin Multiplatform is the better choice
No tool fits every team. These are the cases where we would point you to the other option.
Your team is Android and Kotlin first
Compose Multiplatform uses the same API as Jetpack Compose, so Android developers can bring their UI skills to iOS and desktop. [2] [3]
You want to share code gradually
KMP can start with one isolated piece, such as validation rules or authentication, inside an existing native app. [1]
Migration path
Move from Kotlin Multiplatform to Capacitor and Capgo
Your UI moves to web technology. Native Kotlin and Swift code you rely on can be kept as Capacitor plugins.
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Build or reuse a web app
Rebuild screens in React, Vue, Angular, or Svelte, or reuse your existing web app. Keep your backend and APIs as they are.
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Add Capacitor and keep native code in plugins
Run
bun add @capacitor/core @capacitor/cli @capacitor/ios @capacitor/android, thenbunx cap init,bunx cap add ios, andbunx cap add android. Wrap Kotlin or Swift modules you still need as Capacitor plugins. -
Install Capgo
Run
bunx @capgo/cli@latest initto add live updates, then ship changes withbunx @capgo/cli@latest bundle upload.
Customer proof
What Capgo customers say
Named reviews from teams that ship Capacitor apps with Capgo.
Since I started using Capgo everything is faster, and I can give my users the time they deserve without neglecting my daily life.
Being able to add Device ID's to certain groups and push the changes to only certain groups is a life saver.
Being able to push production OTA updates instantly without waiting for full App Store review cycles has been a massive operational advantage.
FAQ
Common questions
- Can Kotlin Multiplatform apps get live updates?
- Not through KMP itself. Kotlin is compiled into the native app binaries, so changes ship through the App Store and Google Play. Capacitor apps with Capgo can update their web layer without store review.
- Is Compose Multiplatform stable on iOS?
- Yes. JetBrains lists iOS, Android, and desktop as stable for Compose Multiplatform, while web support is in Beta.
- Can I keep my Kotlin code if I move to Capacitor?
- Yes, for native features. Capacitor plugins are written in Kotlin or Java on Android and Swift on iOS, so existing native modules can be wrapped as plugins and called from your web app.
- Do I need a Mac to build iOS apps?
- With Kotlin Multiplatform, iOS builds need a Mac with Xcode. With Capgo Builder, iOS binaries are built and signed in the cloud.
Try Capgo on your own app
Start a 14-day free trial with no credit card. After the trial, plans start at $12/month billed yearly or $14 billed monthly.
