If you need an app, the first big decision is the type: a Progressive Web App (PWA) or a native app for iOS and Android. I have built both. Here is how I help clients choose.
What is the difference?
A native app is built for one platform and installed from the App Store or Google Play. A PWA is a website that behaves like an app. Users open a link, add it to the home screen, and it runs full screen, even offline.
Cost and speed
A PWA is one codebase for phone, tablet and desktop. Native usually means two apps, or a cross-platform framework plus store setup for each platform. For most business apps, a PWA reaches users sooner and costs less to maintain.
Updates
A PWA updates the moment you deploy. A native app goes through store review, and users must install the update. If you fix bugs often, this matters a lot.
Offline use
Both can work offline. A well-built PWA stores data on the device and syncs later. I used this approach for a field survey app used on rooftops with no signal.
When a PWA is the better choice
- Internal tools and field apps for your own team
- Booking, ordering and payment flows
- A first version of a product, when you need to test the market
- Apps where users arrive from a link, an email or a QR code
When native is the better choice
- You need deep device features, such as advanced Bluetooth or background location
- App store presence is part of your marketing
- The app is graphics-heavy, such as a game
My advice
Start with what your users need on day one. If a PWA covers it, build that first. You can add a native app later, on the same backend, once the product has proven itself.
Want a second opinion on your app idea? See my PWA development page or message me.