Xamarin App Development Services: Xamarin to .NET MAUI Migration, Xamarin App Maintenance and Hire Xamarin Developers

Updated October 2026 · Written and maintained by the Progression Agency strategy team

Xamarin app development services today mean one of three jobs: keeping a live Xamarin app working, migrating it to .NET MAUI and modern .NET, or rebuilding it. Microsoft ended support for all Xamarin SDKs, including Xamarin.Forms, on May 1, 2024, and Xamarin’s final SDKs target Android API 34 and Xcode 15, versions both app stores have since moved past. We migrate Xamarin.Forms, Xamarin.iOS and Xamarin.Android apps to .NET MAUI and .NET for iOS and Android, maintain the current app while the migration runs, and build new .NET MAUI apps for teams on the Microsoft stack.

Xamarin app development services after end of support

Xamarin app development services now center on three choices for an app that already exists: maintain it, migrate it or rebuild it. Which one fits depends on the code, the users and the store rules, and the right first step is an assessment, not a quote for the biggest option.

Three jobs: maintain, migrate or rebuild

Maintaining means keeping the current app alive for existing users, usually while something else is prepared. Migrating means moving the same code onto .NET MAUI, or for native projects onto .NET for iOS and .NET for Android, reusing what is reusable. Rebuilding means starting again, often in another framework. Teams with a lot of shared C# usually migrate. Teams with little left to reuse or no C# skills often rebuild.

Who still runs Xamarin apps

Xamarin was widely used for field service, logistics, healthcare and line-of-business apps, many written while Xamarin was Microsoft’s mobile framework. These apps are often stable and quietly important, which is why they were left alone. We work with businesses only, and the typical owner has an internal tool or customer portal that nobody has touched for a while.

Desktop and web .NET work live elsewhere

This page is about mobile. Windows and Mac desktop apps are covered on our desktop application development page, and web and API work on our .NET development page.

Xamarin end of support: what happened and when

Microsoft’s support policy says Xamarin support ended on May 1, 2024 for all Xamarin SDKs including Xamarin.Forms, as read in October 2026 on the Xamarin support policy page. Buyers looking for xamarin app development services should start from that date.

Is Xamarin dead?

Xamarin as a product is out of support, so in the sense that matters for new work, yes. The technology lives on: Microsoft says Xamarin.Forms has evolved into MAUI, and Xamarin.iOS and Xamarin.Android projects can be upgraded to .NET. Is Xamarin discontinued? Support is, and that is the fact to plan around.

Is Xamarin.Forms still supported?

No. The same policy page says Xamarin.Forms has evolved into .NET Multi-platform App UI (MAUI) and existing Xamarin.Forms projects should be migrated to MAUI. It does not mention any extended or paid support option, and we do not assume one exists.

What end of support means in practice

Microsoft defines end of support as the date when it no longer provides fixes, updates or online technical assistance, and it warns that security updates stop too. No new SDK versions or platform APIs will arrive. Your own code can still be patched, and the app keeps running on phones, but nothing underneath it will be repaired.

Can a Xamarin app still ship updates to the App Store and Google Play?

In practice, no. Both stores now ask for newer build tools than the last Xamarin SDKs support, so a Xamarin app that has not been migrated cannot meet them. Does Xamarin support iOS 17, and can Xamarin apps still be updated? The answers are below.

Apple’s Xcode minimum for uploads

As read in October 2026 on Apple’s upcoming requirements page, apps uploaded to App Store Connect from April 28, 2026 must be built with Xcode 26 or later. Microsoft’s policy lists Xcode 15 SDKs, covering iOS and iPadOS 17, as the final versions Xamarin targets. So Xamarin does support iOS 17 as its last target, and no further.

Google Play target API deadlines

Google’s Play Console help page lists August 31, 2026 as the date by which new apps and app updates must target Android 16, API level 36. It also says existing apps must target Android 15, API level 35, or higher by that date to stay available to new users on newer Android versions. Xamarin’s last Android target is API level 34.

What happens to an app nobody migrates

Installed copies keep running until an operating system change breaks them. New versions cannot be uploaded under current store rules. On Google Play, as Google states it, apps below the required target stop reaching new users on newer Android versions. We give no dates beyond those read on the policy pages.

Xamarin vs MAUI: what changed

Xamarin vs MAUI is a story of continuity with a new architecture. The language, C#, and the markup, XAML, stay. The project system, the UI layer and the support model change.

Will .NET MAUI replace Xamarin, and is it the same thing?

It already has. Microsoft describes .NET MAUI as the evolution of Xamarin.Forms, extended from mobile to desktop, with UI controls rebuilt from the ground up. Is Xamarin the same as MAUI? Not exactly. If you know Xamarin.Forms you will see many similarities, and also differences. What is Xamarin being replaced with? MAUI for cross-platform interface work, and .NET for iOS and .NET for Android for native projects.

Single project, handlers and modern .NET

A .NET MAUI app can use a single project that targets Android, iOS, macOS and Windows, with shared resources and one app manifest. Migrated apps do not have to adopt it: Microsoft says a multi-project solution does not need to become a multi-targeted single project. Custom renderers give way to handlers, which Microsoft says reduce the size of the visual hierarchy.

What carries over: C#, XAML and most business logic

View models, services and data access usually move with edits. The pieces that need the most work are interface customizations, such as custom renderers and effects, and any library that has no MAUI version. That split is why the assessment in the next section comes before any price.

Xamarin to MAUI migration starts with an assessment

A Xamarin to MAUI migration is sized by what the app contains, not by how many screens it has. The assessment counts renderers and effects, lists the packages and checks each one against MAUI.

Inventory: projects, renderers, effects and packages

We list every project in the solution, every custom renderer and effect, every NuGet package and the tests that exist. The result is a table that says which parts move easily, which need rework and which have no replacement yet. It is the one document that makes a migration estimate honest.

Third-party library gaps and replacements

UI control suites, charting libraries and older SDK wrappers are the usual gaps. A package with no MAUI version needs a replacement, a wrapper around the native library, or a decision to drop the feature. Microsoft’s native-projects guide says to recompile a package you own, look for a version built for current .NET, or replace the dependency.

Choosing the target .NET version

As read in October 2026, .NET 8 and .NET 9 reach end of support on November 10, 2026 and .NET 10 is supported until November 14, 2028, per the .NET support policy. .NET MAUI 10 is supported until May 11, 2027 on the .NET MAUI support policy page. MAUI releases carry about eighteen months of support, so plan a yearly upgrade.

Xamarin.Forms to .NET MAUI migration, step by step

A Xamarin Forms to .NET MAUI migration follows Microsoft’s guide in order: convert projects, move renderers to handlers, update namespaces and packages, then test. The overview is on Microsoft Learn.

Convert projects to SDK-style

Microsoft’s migration overview is blunt on three points: all projects do need to become SDK-style, projects do not need to be rewritten, and multi-project solutions do not need to become a single project. SDK-style conversion comes first because everything after it depends on it.

Custom renderers to handlers

Microsoft’s renderer-to-handler guide describes the replacement: a cross-platform control, a handler with a property mapper, a handler for each platform and a registration step. Not every renderer needs rebuilding. Some only customize a built-in control and can be turned into a small handler customization.

Xamarin.Essentials and Xamarin.Forms APIs to MAUI equivalents

Namespaces change: the Upgrade Assistant removes references to Xamarin.Essentials and replaces the Xamarin.Forms namespace with Microsoft.Maui and Microsoft.Maui.Controls. Most device APIs have a MAUI equivalent, and the few that do not need a native call.

What the .NET Upgrade Assistant does and does not do

As read in October 2026, Microsoft says the Upgrade Assistant converts projects to SDK-style, performs common code updates and swaps some NuGet packages, and that additional effort is required afterward. People ask about a Xamarin MAUI migration tool, and this is it: a helper, not a finish line. Its page mentions net8.0 targets, which belong to a release that ends support on November 10, 2026, so retarget to a supported release.

Xamarin to MAUI migration for Xamarin.iOS and Xamarin.Android apps

A Xamarin to MAUI migration is not the only route. Native Xamarin.iOS and Xamarin.Android apps can be upgraded to .NET for iOS and .NET for Android, which keeps their native interface code.

Native Xamarin projects move to .NET for iOS and .NET for Android

Microsoft’s native projects guide says to update the project file to SDK-style, replace incompatible dependencies, then compile and test, and that most projects need no namespace changes or other rewrites. That is the answer to migrate Xamarin iOS to MAUI and migrate Xamarin Android to MAUI: you can, but a native app does not have to adopt MAUI.

Migrate Xamarin to .NET 8, or straight to a newer release?

Microsoft’s own migration guides show net8.0 in their examples. Do not stop there. Migrate to a release that is still in support on the day you ship, and treat the yearly upgrade as part of owning the app. Check the dates at the .NET policy page before you commit, because they move.

Signing, CI/CD and store release after migration

A migrated app still needs its certificates, provisioning profiles, keystores and build pipelines, and these may have expired or been lost during the years the app sat still. Our DevOps services and Azure app development pages cover pipelines and cloud hosting for the back end.

Xamarin app maintenance while you migrate

Xamarin app maintenance keeps the live app working for current users while the new one is built. It is a holding action, with a date on it.

Keeping the current app working for existing users

Most fixes can happen on the server side: API changes, data fixes and configuration. Add crash monitoring so problems show up before users report them, and keep the API backward compatible so the old app still talks to it.

Freeze, patch or run both apps for a while

Freezing features on the Xamarin app stops the target from moving. Patching covers security and critical bugs only. Running a beta of the new MAUI app beside the old one lets real users test before the old app is retired.

When maintenance stops making sense

Maintenance stops paying off when store rules block updates you need, when a platform change breaks a core feature, or when the cost of patching passes the cost of finishing the migration. Set that line in writing at the start.

Xamarin development services for apps that cannot move yet

Some apps cannot be migrated this quarter, and Xamarin development services still make sense for them. The aim is a documented plan with dates rather than drift. Our xamarin app development services include that exit plan.

Validated or regulated apps on a change freeze

Apps in validated or regulated settings often cannot change without paperwork. For them, we document the exit plan and the dates, and your quality team decides what is approved and when.

Enterprise apps distributed outside the public stores

Some company apps reach devices through a device management system rather than the public stores. The rules differ from the store rules covered above, so check with your device management and platform contacts before relying on an older build. Our enterprise app development page covers internal apps more broadly.

An exit plan with dates

Write down which release replaces the app, in which quarter, and who signs off. A plan with a date turns a vague risk into a project, and it gives everyone a reason to stop adding features to the old code.

Migrate, rewrite or retire the app?

Migrate when much of the C# and the team’s skills carry forward. Rewrite when little does. Retire the app or move it to the web when its job no longer needs a store app.

.NET MAUI vs Flutter vs React Native vs native

Xamarin vs Flutter and Xamarin vs React Native questions come down to what you can reuse. The table below compares the four routes on the points that usually decide it.

Read more on the alternatives at Flutter app development, React Native app development and native app development.

When a rewrite beats a migration

A rewrite wins when little shared code is left, when heavy custom renderers would each need a rebuild, or when the team has no C# skills and no wish to keep them. A rewrite also gives a chance to drop features nobody uses.

Retiring the app or moving it to the web

Some internal apps do not need a store presence. A web app or progressive web app reaches the same people with no store review. See progressive web app development and web app development for that route.

MAUI app development for new builds

MAUI app development suits teams that already work in C# and .NET and want one codebase for iOS and Android, and optionally Windows and Mac. Microsoft describes it as a framework for native mobile and desktop apps in C# and XAML, as read on What is .NET MAUI?.

Where .NET MAUI fits: Microsoft-stack teams and shared C# code

It fits when the back end is .NET, the team writes C# and logic can be shared between the app and the server. MAUI app development is a weaker choice for teams with no .NET experience, where Flutter or React Native may be quicker.

Blazor Hybrid inside MAUI

Blazor Hybrid lets Razor components render in an embedded web view inside a native app, and Microsoft says MAUI includes the BlazorWebView control for it. That lets a web team reuse components across mobile, desktop and web. Read the Blazor Hybrid overview.

Back ends, identity and Azure

A new app needs an API, sign-in and hosting. Our API development page covers the first, and Azure app development covers hosting and identity on Microsoft’s cloud. MAUI also targets Windows and Mac, and desktop needs go to the desktop page linked earlier.

Testing and performance after the move

A migrated app needs fresh testing, because the UI layer underneath it has changed.

Device testing on current iOS and Android versions

Test on current iPhones and Android phones, and on the oldest versions you still support. Check sign-in, offline behavior, push messages and anything that touches the camera, location or files.

Startup time, memory and app size

Measure these before and after the move, on the same devices. A migration can make an app faster or slower, and the only way to know is to compare. We publish no benchmark numbers because they depend on your app.

Accessibility checks on migrated screens

Rebuilt controls can lose labels or focus order. Check semantic properties on every migrated screen and try the app with a screen reader on both platforms.

Hire Xamarin developers or a .NET MAUI team?

Hire Xamarin developers only if they have migrated apps, not just maintained them. A MAUI team with migration experience is the better target, because the skill that matters now is moving code safely.

Hire .NET MAUI developer skills to check

When you hire .NET MAUI developer talent, test for handlers and the renderer model, SDK-style projects, platform-specific code, signing and store release. Ask for a story about a package that had no MAUI version and what they did.

Freelancer, in-house hire or development company

A freelancer suits a defined piece of work. An in-house hire suits a product you will keep for years. A company suits a migration with several moving parts. See hire app developers and dedicated developers for the staffing choices.

A Xamarin app development company or a generalist?

A Xamarin application development company that lists the word Xamarin proves little. A Xamarin app development company with migration experience, a supported .NET target and a device test plan proves more. Ask for details, not slogans.

How much does a Xamarin to MAUI migration cost?

Progression quotes migrations after a written scope, because the cost of a Xamarin to MAUI move depends on the inventory. Published US price bands for building an app give a sense of scale.

Published US price bands for app work

A migration reuses code, so it is scoped against your app, not against a fresh build. The bands below show what building an app from scratch is reported to cost, as market context only.

These are published US price bands (market figures, not a Progression rate card) for building an app, reported in 2026 by GoodFirms (via Zoho), Purrweb and Blackthorn Vision; a migration reuses code, so it is scoped against your app rather than these bands. For wider context, see app development cost.

What drives migration effort

The number of custom renderers, packages with no MAUI version, the platforms involved, test coverage and any back end changes all move the effort up or down.

How long does a Xamarin to .NET MAUI migration take?

It depends on the inventory in the assessment section. A small app with few renderers is a smaller job than a large app with many. We quote after a written scope and do not promise a timeline.

Choosing a Xamarin app development company for a migration

Choose a Xamarin app development company that starts with an assessment, targets a supported .NET release and has a plan for device testing. Ask for the answers in writing.

Questions to ask in writing

Six questions help sort out teams that have done a migration from teams that have read about one.

Warning signs

Be wary of a promise that a tool alone will do the migration, of a target on a .NET release that is near its end of support, and of any plan with no device testing.

Who owns the code, certificates and store accounts

You own the code, data and accounts. Signing certificates, keystores and the Apple and Google developer accounts belong in your name, so a change of vendor never traps the app.

How AI assistants answer “is Xamarin still supported?”

Buyers ask ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini and Copilot about Xamarin support, and the answers vary in age. Nobody can promise a mention.

Why answers about Xamarin go stale

Assistants learn from older training data and old blog posts, many written before May 1, 2024. Dated facts on a current page give them something better to repeat.

What an app owner’s or vendor’s site should state, dated

State the framework, the .NET version, the store targets and the last release date, with the month you checked them. Our answer engine optimization page covers how to publish facts so they are easy to cite.

More pages on the services around a migration:

• .NET development services
• Cross-platform app development
• Desktop application development
• Azure app development
• ASP.NET hosting
• Cloud app development
• React Native app development
• Flutter app development
• Native app development
• iOS app development
• Android app development
• App development company
• Hire app developers
• Hire dedicated developers
• App development cost
• App development tools
• Progressive web app development
• Web app development
• API development
• DevOps services
• Software development outsourcing
• Enterprise app development
• Software consulting
• Software development company

Frequently asked questions