Technically speaking, Xamarin.Forms is loaded with the Starter edition of Xamarin Studio. Unfortunately, the compiled applications are roughly 512 KB (iOS) and 768 KB (Android) at a minimum, which exceeds the compiled application size limit of 64 KB imposed on the Starter edition of Xamarin Studio. As a result, you will need to obtain an Indie license or higher for either Xamarin.iOS or Xamarin.Android to build apps using Xamarin.Forms.

If you would like to try out Xamarin.Forms but you don't want to make that financial commitment yet, you can get a fully functional trial subscription for both Xamarin.iOS and Xamarin.Android. Although this trial only lasts for 30 days, it will provide you with more than enough time to follow the walkthroughs later in this chapter.