React Native does not have the best reputation when it comes to quality of user interfaces. People associate it with cheap, low-quality apps which is a misconception. Just look how many popular apps have been built with Expo and React Native.
Who’s using Expo in 2025A list of popular iOS apps using Expo open source libraries in 2025evanbacon.dev/blog/expo-apps
As a mobile engineer, you need to stay on top of gestures, animations, haptics, navigation, and render performance. Especially when you are competing with some of the best teams in the world using UIKit, like Family.
It all comes down to craft.
You don't want to be porting vibe coded shadcn slop from web to mobile because it goes against the grain of the platform.
Putting in extra effort will pay off. Make your users feel like the app is an extension of their phone and not a foreign object.
Luckily, there are a lot of resources out there that can help you speed up the process of making a great app or teach you how to do it properly.
I've compiled a list of things that I keep coming back to.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you purchase something using my referral code, I will get a small commission. I only recommend products that I have personally purchased and/or found useful.
Animate React Native
AnimateReactNative.com - Premium and Custom React Native animations.AnimateReactNative.com - Premium and Custom React Native animations.animatereactnative.lemonsqueezy.comOver 100 animated components for your app using Reanimated, Gesture Handler, and Moti. Many patterns from popular apps that will make your interactions feel more native.
Make It Animated
Make It Animated | The Best React Native Animations ResourceModern React Native animations built with Reanimated, Gesture Handler, Animated API, and Skia. Access complete code repository and build your next app.www.makeitanimated.dev
Incredibly detailed recreations of patterns from popular iOS apps like ChatGPT, Slack, Discord, Raycast, Instagram, GitHub, Twitter, Pinterest, and Linear.
You get full access to the source code and even a mobile app to try out the animations on your own devices.
Landing Components
Landing Components | Web and React NativeA collection of well crafted components for web and react nativelandingcomponents.com/react-native/all
Don't let the name fool you, these are not just landing page components. There is a whole library of popular apps and their parts recreated in React Native with code that you can copy and paste into your own app.
Reactiive
DemosExplore the beauty of React Native animations with Reanimated, Skia and Gesture Handlerreactiive.io/demos
Lots of components and patterns you might need for a modern mobile app. More granular than Landing Components, but also very high quality. 110+ React Native animations with Skia, Reanimated and Gesture Handler.
They just went open source on September 23, 2025 and everything is free and available on GitHub.
GitHub - enzomanuelmangano/demos: An ongoing collection of React Native animations crafted with Reanimated, Gesture Handler, and Skia.An ongoing collection of React Native animations crafted with Reanimated, Gesture Handler, and Skia. - enzomanuelmangano/demosgithub.com/enzomanuelmangano/demos
React Native Glow
When someone tells you to "make it pop", you can start by adding animated gradient glows around your buttons and elements.
Zeego
Welcome to Zeego | ZeegoAbout Zeegozeego.dev
The easiest way to get native context menus working on iOS and Android. Radix-style component API makes it straightforward to use. You have a lot of options to customize the menu to your liking.
Plus, on iOS you can always reach into react-native-ios-context-menu directly if you need.
Galeria
GitHub - nandorojo/galeria: The React (Native) Image Viewer. 📷The React (Native) Image Viewer. 📷. Contribute to nandorojo/galeria development by creating an account on GitHub.github.com/nandorojo/galeria
Beautiful image gallery library for adding photo grids and zoomable images with natural gestures.
react-native-fast-squircle
GitHub - fbeccaceci/react-native-fast-squircle: A performant component that renders Squircles in React NativeA performant component that renders Squircles in React Native - fbeccaceci/react-native-fast-squirclegithub.com/fbeccaceci/react-native-fast-squircle
Do you want to make your app feel even more native? Smooth out those buttons and elements with a squircle shape.
Spotted in Prod
Spotted in ProdDiscover great appswww.spottedinprod.com
Collection of best iOS apps shipped to production. You can find a lot of great patterns and animations here that can get you unstuck. Absorb and learn.
Tiny humblebrag but my app, Pixeldrop, is also featured in SIP 😇
Hope some of these resources end up being useful.
More to come.
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