When it comes to building web applications, developers often face a crucial decision between creating a native app or a progressive web app (PWA).
Native apps are designed specifically for mobile platforms, offering rich performance and seamless integration with device hardware. On the other hand, PWAs combine the best features of both web and mobile apps, offering users a fast, reliable, and engaging experience directly from their browsers.
As businesses aim to meet the growing demands of users who expect high-performance digital experiences, understanding the differences between these two options is essential.
This article delves into the key factors that set native apps apart from PWAs, exploring their advantages and limitations to help you determine the right choice for your next project.
Native Apps vs PWAs—What’s the Difference?
Native apps are applications developed specifically for a particular operating system, like Android or iOS. They are downloaded from app stores and installed directly onto the user’s device. Because they are built using platform-specific programming languages, such as Swift for iOS or Kotlin for Android, they have full access to the device’s hardware and deliver smooth performance.
Progressive web apps (PWAs), on the other hand, are web applications that behave like native apps. They are accessed through a browser but can be installed on a device's home screen and work offline. Built using standard web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, PWAs don’t require separate versions for different platforms.
The main difference lies in how they are built and accessed. Native apps live within app stores and require downloads, while PWAs live on the web and are accessible through URLs, offering a more flexible and cost-effective alternative to native development.
Native vs Progressive Web Apps: A Head-to-Head Comparison
Both native apps and PWAs offer distinct advantages. When deciding between native apps and progressive web apps, it's important to understand how each performs across key areas. Below is a head-to-head comparison to help you weigh the strengths and trade-offs of both approaches.
Performance
Native apps are known for their exceptional performance. Since they are built specifically for an operating system using platform-specific languages, they can fully utilize device hardware like GPS, camera, sensors, and Bluetooth. This makes them ideal for performance-intensive tasks such as gaming, augmented reality, and complex animations.
PWAs have come a long way in improving performance. They are built using web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and can now access many device features thanks to evolving browser capabilities. However, they still fall slightly short when it comes to accessing certain native APIs or delivering the same level of performance for resource-heavy applications.
That said, for most business and content-driven use cases, PWAs perform efficiently and meet user expectations.
Cost
Cost is one of the most significant advantages of PWAs. A single progressive web app works across all platforms and devices, eliminating the need to build separate apps for iOS and Android. This unified development model drastically reduces both initial development and ongoing maintenance costs.
Native apps require different codebases for each platform. This means hiring multiple developers or teams, managing separate updates, and navigating two different app store environments. These factors can quickly drive costs up, especially for startups or small businesses.
From a cost-efficiency perspective, PWAs are the more economical choice.
Reach
When it comes to reach, PWAs clearly have the upper hand. They are browser-based and can be accessed by simply sharing a link. Users do not need to download anything from an app store, which removes a common barrier to entry. This makes PWAs ideal for emerging markets or users with limited storage space or slower Internet connections.
Native apps rely on users actively searching for and downloading the app through app stores. This extra step often results in lower adoption rates unless the app is well-known or heavily promoted. While native apps can be optimized for app store visibility, they are still limited by platform-specific ecosystems.
User Experience
Native apps offer a more polished and consistent experience. They follow the design guidelines of their respective platforms and offer fluid navigation, faster animations, and tighter integration with device features. This leads to high engagement, particularly in apps that are used frequently.
PWAs have improved significantly in providing a near-native experience. They support push notifications, offline capabilities, and can be added to the home screen. However, there are still some limitations in accessing advanced features or performing background tasks. Despite this, the user experience gap is narrowing and continues to improve as browser standards evolve.
Choosing the Right Progressive Web App Framework
Choosing the right progressive web app (PWA) framework depends on your project’s specific needs, team expertise, and long-term goals. A good framework can streamline development, improve performance, and make it easier to maintain and scale your app over time.
React is a popular choice for PWAs due to its component-based architecture and strong community support. It works well with tools like Workbox for service worker integration, which is essential for offline functionality. Angular is another robust option, offering built-in support for service workers and a powerful CLI that simplifies building scalable PWAs.
Vue.js is known for its simplicity and ease of integration. It is ideal for teams that want flexibility without a steep learning curve. Svelte is gaining popularity for its fast performance and minimal overhead, making it great for lightweight PWAs.
For teams looking to build apps with enhanced mobile-like features, Ionic offers a complete toolkit with a native-style UI and support for Capacitor, which bridges access to native device APIs.
Ultimately, the best framework is one that aligns with your team’s skills, integrates well with your development workflow, and supports your app’s performance and feature requirements. Consider long-term maintainability, community support, and documentation when making your decision.
PWAs Making an Impact
Progressive web apps (PWAs) have been widely adopted by some of the world’s leading brands, thanks to their ability to offer fast, reliable, and engaging user experiences across devices. Below are three standout examples of successful PWAs, what they offer, and why they work effectively in this format.
1. Starbucks
Starbucks developed a PWA for its ordering system to improve accessibility and performance for customers in low-connectivity environments. The app allows users to browse the menu, customize their orders, and add items to the cart even while offline. Once reconnected, the order is synced, and users can complete the checkout process.
This PWA closely mirrors the experience of the native mobile app, but with faster load times and smaller file sizes. It has proven highly effective in reaching users in emerging markets and on lower-end devices, helping Starbucks double its number of web users for online ordering.
2. Alibaba
Alibaba, one of the world’s largest eCommerce platforms, adopted a PWA to improve user engagement and conversion on mobile devices. The company found that many users preferred browsing without downloading a separate app.
By launching a PWA, Alibaba was able to offer fast page loads, smooth transitions, and reliable offline functionality. Users receive push notifications and can continue browsing seamlessly even on poor networks. The results were impressive: a 76% increase in total conversions and a 30% increase in active user interactions across browsers.
The PWA helped Alibaba deliver an app-like experience to mobile web users who may not have been willing to install a native app.
(Source: https://www.pwastats.com/2017/03/alibaba/ )
3. Pinterest
Pinterest redesigned its mobile web experience as a PWA after identifying that users on its mobile site were less engaged than those on the native app. The result was a PWA that loads quickly, offers smooth navigation, and supports features like push notifications and offline caching.
Since launching the PWA, Pinterest reported a 60% increase in user engagement and a 44% increase in user-generated ad revenue. The decision to go with a PWA allowed Pinterest to bridge the gap between web and mobile app experiences, giving users an app-like interface with minimal data usage.
(Source: https://www.pwastats.com/2017/12/pinterest/ )
Are Progressive Web Apps the Future?
Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) are widely considered to be a strong contender for the future of web applications. As mobile usage continues to rise, users increasingly expect fast, reliable, and seamless digital experiences without the burden of downloading large native apps. PWAs offer the best of both web and mobile platforms, allowing users to access app-like features directly from their browsers.
One of the most compelling reasons for the rise of PWAs is their ability to function offline, send push notifications, and access device hardware. This functionality, combined with faster load times and cross-platform compatibility, makes PWAs highly attractive to both users and developers. Businesses also benefit from reduced development and maintenance costs by building a single application that works across all devices.
Tech giants such as Google, Microsoft, and Apple have all actively been supporting PWAs since 2018, suggesting growing industry recognition of their value. With improvements in browser technology and growing demand for efficient digital experiences, it is likely that PWAs will continue to shape the way we interact with web applications. They provide a scalable, flexible, and cost-effective solution for companies looking to meet user expectations in an increasingly mobile-first world.
Choosing a Progressive Web App Development Company
Choosing the right progressive web app (PWA) development company can make a significant difference in the success of your application. The company you partner with will shape the user experience, performance, and long-term scalability of your solution.
To ensure you get the best results, here are the key factors to consider when selecting a PWA development partner.
- Technical expertise in PWA development: look for a company with proven experience in building PWAs using modern technologies such as JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and frameworks like Angular, React, or Vue.js. A technically sound team will not only understand how to implement service workers and web app manifests but also how to optimize performance, security, and offline capabilities.
- Portfolio and past success stories: a reliable PWA development company should be able to showcase past work and successful PWA projects. Reviewing their portfolio will help you gauge their ability to deliver user-friendly, high-performing applications across different industries. If possible, ask for case studies or client testimonials to gain further insight.
- Understanding of user experience and interface design: PWAs blur the line between web and mobile applications. Therefore, your development partner must place a strong emphasis on UI and UX design. The app should feel intuitive, load quickly, and offer a seamless experience across devices. Choose a company that includes UX designers in the development process and conducts user testing regularly.
- Cross-platform compatibility and responsiveness: one of the biggest advantages of PWAs is their ability to run across different platforms. Your development partner should prioritize responsive design, ensuring the app functions flawlessly on all screen sizes, browsers, and operating systems.
- SEO and performance optimization: PWAs are still websites at their core. This means they need to be optimized for search engines. Choose a company that understands the balance between app-like experiences and web fundamentals. The app should be crawlable, fast, and compliant with web performance standards like Google’s Core Web Vitals.
- Security best practices: PWAs require HTTPS to ensure a secure connection between users and the app. The right development company will implement industry-standard security protocols and ensure that your app is protected from vulnerabilities such as cross-site scripting or data leaks.
- Ongoing support and scalability: your relationship with the development company should not end once the app is launched. Choose a partner who offers maintenance, bug fixes, and updates. Additionally, your app should be built with scalability in mind, so that it can evolve with your business and user demands.
At AppIt, we specialize in developing high-performance progressive web apps that are scalable, secure, and user-focused. With a strong track record of delivering custom applications across industries, we understand what it takes to create an engaging PWA that meets both business goals and user expectations.
If you are looking to build a cutting-edge web application that delivers real value, contact us today. Let’s bring your idea to life with the power of progressive web technology.
