Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) vs. Native Apps: Which One Is Best For Your Business?

What Are Progressive Web Applications (PWAs)?

PWAs are basically mobile-friendly websites that give users an app-like UX. This means they can be accessed using browsers (no need to download an app) and still provide the same functionality of a native mobile app. To achieve this, PWAs are designed to be adaptable and responsive to different screen sizes and operating systems while providing features like:

• Push notifications
• Seamless updates
• Offline functionality
• User-friendly UI

Pros of Using Progressive Web Apps

PWAs bring the following benefits to the table.

• Cross-Platform Compatibility: PWAs are built using tools, languages, and frameworks like Javascript, CSS, and HTML, which form the client front-end that can be displayed using web browsers. Since there are browsers for practically all operating systems and platforms, this means PWAs can run on any device with a browser, whether it's a desktop, mobile device, or tablet.
• Easy Discoverability and Accessibility: Since they operate on the web, PWAs can be indexed by search engines to allow users to find them by simply searching on the internet. Native apps must be listed on the various stores to be discoverable.
• Offline Functionality: PWAs can cache essential content and resources on the browser to allow users to access and interact with certain functions even with limited or zero internet connectivity to ensure uninterrupted usage. This local browser storage space can also save PWA elements, such as scripts, HTML, and images, to hasten the load times during future visits, which enhances the UX.
• Cost Effective to Develop: With a PWA, you only need a single code base, which will run across all platforms via the browser. This cuts the development, testing, and maintenance costs associated with developing the same application several times for native deployment.
• Quick and Seamless Updates: PWAs don’t depend on app stores, so developers don’t need approvals to deploy updates. They simply push them to the servers and users get to use these latest versions immediately, resulting in quicker bug fixes and feature enhancements that enhance the UX. Users also don’t have to update the app manually, which means they get updates and bug fixes immediately after they are released.

Cons of Using Progressive Web Apps

PWAs are not without their downsides, which include:

• Limited Functionality: PWAs lack deeper integrations with operating systems, so they might not be able to leverage specific hardware features and components, such as the camera and geolocation.
• Limited Performance: Since PWAs are more of general multi-platform applications, their speed and responsiveness might not match native apps. Browser environments introduce some performance overhead as compared to direct integration with the OS.
• Limited Support on Old Browsers: Old browsers might not support advanced web technologies, so some users might not be able to access the latest features and updates if they still run such browsers.
• Limited Discoverability: App stores provide seamless distribution, prominent appearances, and marketing/promotional opportunities that enhance native app discovery. PWAs don’t have access to this level of discoverability, which can limit reach, especially if the app or product/service is not well known.

What Are Native Applications?

Native means belonging to a specific place or locale. The perfect synonym would be indigenous. In this case, native means the application is built specifically for a specific platform or OS, such as iOS or Android. These applications use platform-specific programming languages to access and fully utilize the device’s hardware and software, resulting in superior performance and a high level of interactivity.

Pros of Using Native Mobile Applications

Native apps provide the following advantages.

• Better Performance and Speed: Since they are built using platform-specific programming languages, such as Swift, Objective-C, or Kotlin, native apps leverage the full power and capabilities of the underlying software and hardware to provide better performance, smoother operations, and quick response times.
• Enhanced UX: Part of being optimized for a specific platform involves adhering to its UI and UX guidelines and principles. This makes the application have seamless navigation and an intuitive UI, which makes the UX more satisfying and engaging.
• Access to Device Hardware and Software: Native apps can access a wide variety of hardware and software features in the device to provide an immersive UX. These include the camera, GPS, contacts, sensors, etc.
• Enhanced Discoverability: Centralized distribution platforms like Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store provide access to a large user base, where tools like user ratings, reviews, featured placements, and marketing opportunities are available to boost visibility and downloads.
• Multiple Monetization Options: Native apps give developers and organizations access to many monetization options that can increase their revenues with minimal disruption to the UX. These include in-app purchases, ads, and subscriptions.

Cons of Using Native Mobile Applications

The cons of implementing native mobile apps include:

• High Development and Maintenance Costs: Since operating systems are different, developing native platforms requires different teams with the expertise to develop and maintain separate codebases using different languages. Bug fixes, feature additions, and other maintenance tasks are also more expensive because separate teams are needed to accomplish these tasks. If you decide to focus on one platform to cut costs, the application will have a limited reach.
• App Store Restrictions: Native apps are subject to approvals and guidelines from the different centralized marketplaces, so initial deployment, bug fixes, and updates can be delayed.
• Fragmentation and Incompatibility: Since they are deployed in different operating systems and device capabilities, native apps can be fragmented and have compatibility issues across different screen sizes, OS versions, and devices. This can complicate the development process by requiring more testing and optimization steps.
• Tough User Acquisition and Retention: There is a lot of competition in app stores, so it is challenging for new native apps with minimal popularity to acquire new users organically. Retaining users and regular engagement is also challenging because the chances are similar app options are widely available in each store.

Conclusion: Which Application Type is Better for Your Business

From a developer’s point of view, PWAs are easier to develop and manage due to the aspect of having a single codebase. The development team has to develop the solution using web technologies only, which makes maintenance easier as well, with the ability to push updates instantly and no restrictions from app stores.

Same case applies to businesses because cost is a big factor. So from their standpoint, PWAs make more sense. Additionally, they provide a faster time-to-market and once popular, SEOs can drive traffic easily to them organically, making marketing cheaper.

But from a performance and functionality point of view, native is the way to go. Of course it will be costly, but native mobile applications provide the most optimal device integration and can be tweaked to provide the best user experience to match the device, OS, and underlying resources.

Either way, SoftCircles can help you develop the most optimal software solution that meets your needs. Contact us for more information.