Around a decade back, no one even knew what mobile app is going to hold for any of us. Consumers were just excited about the new technology and businesses were using it to grow. Now in 2023, the number of smartphones has increased and is now around 6.7 million as per Statista. The companies are […]
Updated 15 February 2024
Director at Appventurez
Around a decade back, no one even knew what mobile app is going to hold for any of us. Consumers were just excited about the new technology and businesses were using it to grow.
Now in 2023, the number of smartphones has increased and is now around 6.7 million as per Statista. The companies are taking leverage of the mobile app trend due to seamless experience and increased visibility.
Due to this, it is easy to get confused with PWA vs native apps when it is mainly about mobile apps. Where do the Native apps and PWA come into play?
The fact is that both of the options work great for the developers. So, how are you going to decide which one will suit your business?
The fact is that websites are not much used in the present time and consumers are switching to mobile apps. Here are the reasons why mobile apps are preferred to websites.
With this said, let us give you an insight into the world to help you choose the best one out of both options.
In 2015, the concept of progressive web apps, or abbreviated PWA amazingly crafted mobile apps for users. It hosts web features giving an app-like experience to the users using the service workers and APIs that deal with the requests.
In layman’s terms, it is easy to say that PWA is an ultra-optimized website in the form of mobile apps. The users can easily use the content from the browser including Safari, Firefox, and Chrome then browse it in a mobile app.
It is midway between mobile apps and mobile websites that are built using the framework – JavaScript. This adds the icon of the website on the mobile device screen to help the users to engage easily.
Here are the PWA benefits, drawbacks, and apps that are using the PWA to grow their business.
The Native apps are the ones that are developed specifically for the platforms, be they iOS or Android that offer some device functionality. These apps are available on the Apple or Google Play Store from where users can download and install them to use.
Nevertheless, the Native Apps are coded differently for both platforms and are optimized as per the device. In simple words, it is a self-contained app that runs over a specific platform utilizing its capability and resources to the fullest potential.
For the past decade, Native-like apps have become a major part of the mobile app industry that is now introduced with other aspects such as Cross-platform app development.
Here is the list of Native apps’ benefits, cons, and the apps that are ruling the market with them.
Since the basics of both types of apps are clear, let us move toward the more pressing issues that are – PWA vs native apps. The fact is that in the present world, every business depends upon the mobile app to increase its visibility.
It is bringing in the paradigm shift in the market in terms of mobile users and hence companies are rushing to develop compelling mobile apps. The motive is to boost business revenue and increase productivity.
With this said, let us answer the many questions that you might have “Why are progressive web apps better than native”, ” What is the future of PWA”, and “What about Native Apps”. To answer it all, let us get a better idea about the difference between PWA and native apps.
The major PWA vs native apps is the use of the technologies used to develop mobile apps. The Android app developers use Kotlin and Java for Android app development with toolkits such as Android Developer Tools and Android Studio. There are websites for Android developers that can help the developers to grasp the languages.
Whereas iOS app developers use Objective C and Swift with toolkits such as AppCode and XCode for the Native apps.
PWA works differently since there is no need to develop two separate versions for the operating systems due to the browser use. Hence, the tech stack uses React Native, CSS, HTML5, Angular, and AMP. The developers can choose the right technology stack for your mobile app as per the requirements.
Another aspect of the PWA vs native apps is its timeline which plays a huge role in the development cycle. The Native apps are developed differently for each platform which is a time taking process and double effort. To get a better understanding of it, make sure to follow the mobile app development timeline guide. Whereas PWA app development works on a single code only which will take less time as compared to the native apps. The low-code and no-code platforms will cut out the delivery time as well.
Your budget is another factor that helps in considering the best out of both platforms. Native apps are costlier as compared to the PWA apps since there is only one-time coding done. In addition to this, the native apps are not only developed for different platforms but their updates and maintenance will be done separately which affects the cost of mobile app development.
Whereas PWA apps are developed once for tablets, desktops, and mobile in form factors that can work across all operating systems – web, Android, and iOS. The PWA vs native apps in terms of price is in the PWA pocket. The fact is that PWA is less expensive and much easier to develop instead of the native apps that build on separate platforms doubling the cost.
Now you need to understand that the cost of app development for both platforms will depend upon several factors. The cost of each app, be it for PWA or Native, will be different due to its different requirements. Here is the basic cost of both platforms for different types of apps.
Due to the separate timing, the development of the Native apps and PWA is different. The development is easier and faster in PWA which is seamless and works on the devices easily. Whereas when it comes to Native apps the development is separately done as mentioned above (many times).
The fact is that development and PWA Design Tips Guidelines are followed to build a browser app that can run easily on any platform. However, when it comes to Native apps, the developers built the apps for Apple and Android devices using a different tech stack and process.
You might never have considered the app distribution but it is an essential part of the PWA vs native apps. As mentioned above, PWA is not something that you will find on the app store so how will the users know about its existence?
Simply, they will search for it and use the PWA site which will help them discover all about the PWA app. But do you think it’s ideal? We all know that users use Play Store to search for the app that is in the market. But to make the app visible, it must be valuable, unique, and noticeable.
Let it explain it in simple language. The app distribution must be done in a manner that can target the users and make them search for it on Google. But if they are a fan of play stores then native apps are at the top of the list.
You can consider it as the PWA vs native pros and cons since it is pro for one and con for another. The native app installation is a bit easy as the users just need to go to the Apple or Google Play Store before downloading and installing it. However, it takes a while since it depends upon the internet speed and app size.
PWA is a bit different in this case since it is not available on any App Store. The installation is easy for progressive web apps since it is developed using one code for the platforms. The users can easily find the app via Google search which will navigate to the main page where an install prompt will pop up. If the users want they can accept the installation and get the shortcut of the app on their home screen.
PWA takes a minimum of the phone storage space whereas this can’t be said for the Native Apps. As a result, the PWA vs native app performance can give a better idea about the whole process. Let us go to the basics of mobile apps.
The most essential thing for users in the smartphone is their memory storage since it directly affects the app’s performance. The fact is that native apps downloaded and installed on the mobile phone require some space in the memory. As a result, the device can hang or lag in some aspects when memory is minimum which disrupts the performance of users.
Whereas PWA is not installed on the phone and hence needs negligible space on the phone. It is a great way to save some space and work efficiently even with minimum memory left. As a result, the customer retention of PWA is better as compared to Native apps.
No one knows the importance of user engagement better than a mobile app development company and hence it is an essential progressive web apps vs native apps aspect. The fact is that business owners know that user experience is directly related to their engagement since it will keep the users hooked to the app and increase the profit.
But they also need to know that device feature integration with apps enhances the user experience. For instance, the push notification, geofencing, payment transaction, camera, call, etc. features must be accessible for users from the app. The Native apps can be built into the features and easily integrate the device with a third party.
As a result, the users will be able to access the features easily without any hitches. This can be done in PWA apps as well since the users can also get the notifications and can access a few device features (but not all).
The device feature access is one of the major marketing tools that any business can avail of. It directly affects user engagement as explained above allowing users to pick on specific features.
PWA is restricted but not limited to the device features that are used by the Native apps. This includes a layer, accelerometer, GLP, NFC, camera, and so on. The primary features are accessible for PWA.
One of the most important PWA vs native apps aspects is its launch in the market. The Native apps need to avail the guidelines of Apple and Google Play stores since the users can download the app via stores.
The mobile app developers need to submit the proper applications and their details to the store to get approval and validation. This makes the developers wait sometime before rolling the app into the market. The worst thing is that the whole process is repeated during the time of new updates in the app.
This is not something that PWA goes through since it is not available on the App Stores. Hence, there is no need to get the validation or submission required. The developers can work on the development and directly launch it in the market – simple, quick, and easy. It is all set to use and enjoyed by the users.
The offline mode is another factor that makes users choose between PWA vs native apps. The fact is that PWA is the ideal app when it comes to offline work since it can easily connect web pages even with a weak network connection. PWA uses JavaScript components or Service Workers that help in transactions and managing requests between servers and users.
Whereas Native apps can also work offline but require functionalities and content in the form of cache memory. Through this cloud data synchronization and local data storage is possible but not ideal.
Regular updates are another major factor that mobile app developers must be aware of since it has the potential to attract and reach more customers. When it comes to PWA, there is no need to update and regular support since it can be done easily without following a long process of changes.
But with Native Apps, it is a bit different. The users and businesses need an explicit app and as a result different updates. Hence, the maintenance of native apps can increase the cost and require more time. And let’s not forget about the app for each platform. In addition to this, not all users update the app together, and hence different app versions are used in the market for the same app. This means more work to do.
If we see the considerations listed above, there are a lot of questions that might pop into your head. One of them can be “Are Native apps dying?”
The answer is No, Native apps are not dying but evolving with time. Cross-platform app development is one such addition to the app world that offers a Native-like look and feel to the customers. It is enhancing the value of the applications in the market with just a single code for all the platforms.
Another can be about the future of native apps. The fact is that native apps are secure for now. There is so must that is to be developed in the first Native apps that will leave us spellbound.
Will PWA replace native apps?
Partially yes. But it is going to be a long way down the road. The PWA is not the ideal form of mobile app development due to its limitations and hence, it will take a lot of time to replace Native in the market. Be it user experience, offline functionality, UI, and the utilization of resources, PWA needs to pick up the game to give tough competition to Native Apps as of now.
Till then, PWA is just going to be part of the mobile app development world and help in ruling the industry. But don’t confuse the replacement with its future.
Is PWA the future?
Yes, Progressive Web Apps Future is extremely bright due to its easy implementation and low cost of development. It might not be the replacement for Native apps but it does have a great future due to several features in terms of augmenting web experience.
This is the major aspect of the PWA vs native apps that you must be aware of. But now what? Which is ideal? What are you gonna choose?
The fact is that the Native apps and PWA can cover all the requirements of the businesses. Hence, there is no right or wrong that you can consider but it can depend upon the money and time. Without further ado, here is the best explanation of PWA vs native apps.
There are so many deciding factors that claim that PWA is better than Native Apps but the fact is that Native has its importance in the market. The choice completely depends on the tasks and businesses that are included in the app.
Native Apps and PWA, both are extremely important for the business world and have their own sets of opportunities for the future. The major focus of both app types is customer experience and engagement. So, be aware of choosing one of them since it is all about customers.
If you find yourself at a crossroads, grappling with the decision between PWA and native apps, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. As a reputable React Native app development company, we offer consulting services to help you make the right choice for your next mobile app endeavor. Your success is our priority, and we’re here to guide you every step of the way.
Elevate your journey and empower your choices with our insightful guidance.
Director at Appventurez
Director and one of the Co-founders at Appventurez, Chandrapal Singh has 10+ years of experience in iOS app development. He captains client coordination and product delivery management. He also prepares preemptive requisites and guides the team for any possible issues on a given project.
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