Your customers use mobile devices. You need a mobile presence. But building a native app is expensive. Progressive Web Apps promise native-like experiences at a fraction of the cost. Here is the truth about both options.
What Is a Native App?
A mobile application built with platform-specific languages and tools. iOS apps use Swift. Android apps use Kotlin. Each platform requires separate development, testing, and maintenance.
Examples: Instagram, Uber, banking apps.
What Is a Progressive Web App (PWA)?
A website built with modern web technologies that behaves like a native app. PWAs work in the browser, can be installed on your phone's home screen, work offline, and send push notifications.
Examples: Twitter Lite, Starbucks ordering, Pinterest.
Feature Comparison
Performance
Native: Direct access to device hardware. Smooth animations at 60fps. Complex computations handled by the device's CPU/GPU. Best possible performance.
PWA: Runs inside a browser engine. Modern PWAs achieve 55-60fps animations. Service workers enable fast loading and caching. Performance gap has narrowed significantly.
Winner: Native — but the gap is small for most business applications.
Installation and Access
Native: Users must find your app in the App Store or Google Play, download it, wait for installation, then open it. Friction at every step. Average app store conversion rate: 2-5%.
PWA: Users visit your website and can install with one tap. No app store. No download wait. Instant access. Or they just keep using the website — it works the same.
Winner: PWA — dramatically lower friction.
Offline Functionality
Native: Full offline support. Database syncing, background processing, and complex offline workflows.
PWA: Offline support via service workers and caching. Can cache pages, data, and assets. Limited offline write capabilities compared to native.
Winner: Native for complex offline needs. PWA for basic offline access.
Push Notifications
Native: Full push notification support on iOS and Android. Rich notifications with images, actions, and grouping.
PWA: Push notifications supported on Android and desktop browsers. iOS added PWA push notification support in 2023. Works for most use cases.
Winner: Tie — PWAs now support push notifications across platforms.
Device Features
Native: Full access to camera, GPS, accelerometer, Bluetooth, NFC, biometric authentication, file system, contacts, and all other device APIs.
PWA: Access to camera, GPS, accelerometer, and some APIs via Web APIs. Bluetooth and NFC available in some browsers. File system access is improving. Some features remain unavailable.
Winner: Native — more device feature access.
Cost
Native:
- iOS app: $40,000-200,000
- Android app: $40,000-200,000
- Backend development: $20,000-100,000
- Annual maintenance (both platforms): $30,000-80,000
- App store fees: $99/year (Apple) + $25 one-time (Google)
- Year 1 total: $100,000-500,000
- Annual ongoing: $30,000-80,000
PWA:
- Development: $15,000-75,000
- Hosting: $20-200/month
- Annual maintenance: $5,000-20,000
- App store fees: None
- Year 1 total: $15,000-75,000
- Annual ongoing: $5,000-20,000
Winner: PWA — 3-5x cheaper to build and maintain.
Development Speed
Native: 4-8 months for a full-featured app on both platforms. Two codebases to build and test.
PWA: 2-4 months. One codebase that works everywhere. Updates deploy instantly — no app store review process.
Winner: PWA — faster to build and faster to update.
Discoverability
Native: Found through app stores (limited SEO). Competing with millions of other apps. Users rarely search for new apps — the average user downloads zero new apps per month.
PWA: Found through Google search, social media, direct links, and other web channels. Full SEO benefits. Every page is a potential entry point.
Winner: PWA — web discoverability is superior to app store discoverability.
Success Stories
PWA Wins
- Twitter Lite: 65% increase in pages per session, 75% increase in tweets
- Starbucks: 2x daily active users after PWA launch
- Uber: Core ride-requesting app works on 2G networks as a PWA
- Pinterest: 60% increase in engagement, 44% increase in ad revenue
When Native Was Necessary
- Games: High-performance graphics require native
- Banking: Biometric security and device integration prefer native
- Healthcare: HIPAA compliance and device sensors need native access
- Ride-sharing: Real-time GPS tracking works better native
Decision Framework
Build a PWA When:
- Your primary goal is information or simple transactions
- Budget is under $100,000
- Speed to market matters
- SEO and web discovery are important
- Your audience is diverse (different devices, regions, networks)
- Frequent updates are needed
Build a Native App When:
- Complex device features are essential (Bluetooth, NFC, sensors)
- High-performance graphics or computations are required
- Deep OS integration is needed (background processes, widgets)
- Offline functionality is a core requirement
- Your audience expects an app store presence (consumer brands)
Build Both When:
- Your business model requires rich mobile experiences AND web discoverability
- You have the budget for both ($150K+ first year)
- Different user journeys work better on different platforms
Our Recommendation
For most businesses, start with a PWA. You get 80% of native functionality at 20% of the cost. If your business specifically needs native device features, we can build that too.
Contact us to discuss whether a PWA or native app is right for your business.