Choosing the right cross-platform development tool for a project involves considering the unique features and limitations of popular options like React Native, Flutter, and Ionic. React Native, developed by Meta, allows for building applications across various platforms using the React framework and native capabilities, with Expo providing additional utilities. Flutter, by Google, leverages the Dart runtime to render UI through an OpenGL graphics layer, offering extensive widget-based customization and native API access via Dart packages. Ionic, utilizing web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, integrates with frameworks such as Angular, React, and Vue, offering native-style navigation and access to npm's rich library ecosystem. Each framework has distinct approaches to native API access, debugging, and deployment, with considerations for native libraries and web compatibility playing a significant role. The decision should be guided by project requirements, with resources like Mike Hartington's webinar providing further insights into these frameworks.