What Are the Challenges of Converting an Existing Android App to Flutter?

By Atit Purani

September 24, 2025

Converting an existing Android app to Flutter is a smart business move.

Many businesses are exploring Android to Flutter migration services to save costs, speed up development, and future-proof their apps.

But here’s the catch: While Flutter offers faster updates, a single codebase for iOS and Android, and modern UI flexibility, the process isn’t simple.

Businesses face real challenges of migrating Android app to Flutter, from handling large legacy codebases to dealing with native SDKs, & complex UI/UX.

If you want to migrate an Android app with heavy native libraries to Flutter, or ensure your enterprise Android app migration to Flutter timeline, you need to plan carefully.

In this blog, we’ll explain the hidden roadblocks, Flutter migration best practices, and a step-by-step Android to Flutter migration guide for businesses.

Is Converting Android Apps to Flutter Always Worth It?

Most of the time, every app needs a complete rewrite. For some, a full migration makes sense. For others, it’s smarter to add Flutter to an existing Android app first.

This approach, known as Flutter add-to-app integration, allows you to modernize part of your app step by step.

It’s faster, less risky, and a great way to test Flutter before committing to a complete rebuild.

We recommend a phased migration & sometimes a hybrid model. The goal is simple: help you get maximum business value without extra costs.

Explore Top Flutter App Performance Optimization Tips.

What Are the Biggest Challenges of Android to Flutter Migration?

biggest-challenges-of-android-to-flutter-migration

We’ve helped many businesses through the challenges of migrating Android app to Flutter.

Migration may look simple: Take your Android code and rebuild it in Flutter. But in reality, it’s much more complex.

1. Native SDKs & Custom Libraries: The Hardest Thing to Crack

  • One of the toughest challenges is when you try to migrate Android app with heavy native libraries to Flutter.
  • Many enterprise apps depend upon third-party SDKs for payments, maps, or security.
  • Others have custom Java/Kotlin code deeply tied to the Android ecosystem. Without a clear strategy, these parts can break during migration.
  • We handle this by writing Flutter plugins, reusing stable native modules where possible, & creating bridges to keep everything working smoothly.

2. Large Codebases & Legacy Dependencies

  • If your Android app has been around for years, chances are it has a lot of outdated libraries, old frameworks, & even pre-AndroidX dependencies.
  • This makes migration messy. We provide AndroidX and Flutter migration help to ensure smooth compatibility.
  • For businesses with older apps, we often recommend Flutter for legacy Android apps as a modernization path.
  • Instead of carrying old problems into the future, we clean and simplify the codebase during migration.

3. UI/UX Consistency Across Platforms

  • When businesses rewrite Android app in Flutter, a big concern is preserving the brand’s identity.
  • Your customers are used to your app’s flow, and sudden UI changes can confuse them.
  • We follow Flutter migration best practices to balance consistency with improvement.
  • We maintain your brand look while taking advantage of Flutter’s modern widgets and cross-platform UI capabilities.
  • This ensures your app feels familiar yet upgraded across Android and iOS.

4. Performance Issues in Complex Apps

  • Apps that rely on Bluetooth, GPS, background sync, or heavy APIs often face issues during migration.
  • Without careful optimization, these features can slow down or behave differently in Flutter.
  • For large-scale businesses, we plan an enterprise Android app migration to Flutter timeline that accounts for these challenges.
  • By running performance tests at every stage, we ensure the new Flutter app is as reliable and fast as your users expect.

Our takeaway? Migration is not just about switching frameworks.

It’s about solving hidden problems in your existing app while building a modern, scalable foundation in Flutter.

Learn to Choose the Right Database For Your Flutter App.

What Are the Smart Strategies to Overcome Migration Challenges?

We’ve seen the challenges of migration projects that weren’t planned well. That’s why we’ve built a proven strategy:

  • Phased Migration Approach: Instead of jumping into a rewrite, we help you start with Add-to-App. Once stable, we move toward a full Flutter rebuild.
  • Code Audits & Planning: Before writing a single line of Flutter code, our team analyzes your Android app, dependencies, and third-party SDKs.
  • Dedicated Flutter Migration Team: Our Flutter migration services are handled by specialists who work on your migration project.

This approach ensures smooth migration & less downtime.

Is Migration Really Cheaper Long-Term?

One of the first questions we hear is: “What’s the Android app migration to Flutter cost?”

The answer depends on:

  • Team size: A larger team can deliver faster, but costs more.
  • App complexity: Simple apps cost less; enterprise apps with native SDKs cost more.
  • Integrations: Payment gateways, GPS, Bluetooth, and third-party services add to the timeline.

But here’s the big picture: In the long run, you save.

Instead of paying for separate Android and iOS teams, Flutter lets you maintain one codebase for Android, iOS, and Web.

We answer that it’s an investment with measurable ROI. Many of our clients cut maintenance costs by 30 to 40% within the first year after migration.

Who Should Convert & Who Should Wait?

Here’s what we’ve seen across different businesses:

  • Startups: If you need cross-platform speed to launch faster, Flutter is a perfect choice. One codebase means faster releases and less burn rate.
  • Enterprises: For companies managing large apps with security needs, Flutter for legacy Android apps makes long-term sense. It improves maintainability and simplifies scaling.
  • Niche Apps: If your Android app relies heavily on hardware integrations or rare SDKs, full migration may not always be the right move. In these cases, mobile app modernization with Flutter can be done step by step.

We always customize our approach according to your business goals.

Your Roadmap to a Smooth Migration

roadmap-to-a-smooth-migration

Every migration project is unique, but at Seven Square, we follow a proven step-by-step Android to Flutter migration guide for businesses:

  1. Code Audit: We analyze your Android app’s architecture, dependencies, and SDKs to spot risks before migration begins.
  2. Pick Migration Model: We help you decide between Flutter add-to-app integration (phased approach) or a full rewrite.
  3. Timeline & Cost Estimation: Clear budgets and realistic timelines ensure no surprises.
  4. Development + Testing: Our dedicated team executes the migration while maintaining app stability and performance.
  5. Deployment & Maintenance: We launch the new Flutter app and continue support for future updates.

This roadmap ensures your Android to Flutter migration services project runs smoothly, on time, and delivers maximum ROI.

Want to Migrate Your App? Contact Us Now!

Smarter Migration, Better Apps

Migration lowers costs and future-proofs your app for Android, iOS, and beyond.

If you’re ready to modernize your mobile app, we’re here to help. Our Android to Flutter migration services are designed for startups and enterprises alike.

Whether you need a Flutter migration consultant or want to hire Flutter developer to migrate Android app, we’re here.

FAQs

  • We follow phased migration: Audit → Add-to-app → Full rebuild. This ensures stability and faster delivery.

  • Yes. Flutter for legacy Android apps simplifies modernization, reduces long-term costs, and improves maintainability.

  • Android app migration to Flutter cost depends on integrations and team size.
  • Most businesses recover investment through reduced maintenance.

  • Yes, even apps with heavy native SDKs can be migrated. We use Flutter add-to-app integration and a phased strategy to handle complexity.

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