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Mobile users consume two times more content than desktop users. Mobile accounts for 60% of internet users compared to less than 40% on desktop. Many businesses invest heavily to meet the needs of mobile users.
Responsive web design has boomed, creating a mobile-friendly web experience. This is the minimum today. Native mobile apps are also available, which users can add to their home screens by downloading from app stores. Apps offer a superior mobile UX and are more effective in harnessing the features of a device. However, they can be expensive and time-consuming to develop. Recent years have seen the introduction of Progressive Web Apps, which are a hybrid between mobile websites and mobile applications. We'll take a closer look and see how each one compares.
What Is A Progressive Web Application?
Progressive Web Apps fall somewhere between a responsive web page and a mobile application. These are mobile websites built using modern JavaScript frameworks and designed to function like native apps. With an icon, they can be added to the home screen of a mobile device. They offer the same full-screen experience as apps to engage users. When opened, they remain a simple website. PWAs are gaining some benefits from the introduction of Service Workers. However, these benefits remain limited, especially on iOS. Google defines PWA web experiences that are:
- Reliable- Loads instantly and will never display a website down, even when network conditions are uncertain.
- Fast- Respond quickly to the user's interactions using silky smooth animations. No janky scrolling.
- Engaging- The app feels like it is always there on the device. It offers a rich user experience.
PWAs aim to make the web more enjoyable and reliable. However, there will always remain a certain category of apps that are best served natively. We have some questions and answers for business owners who are trying to decide "what is best for my company : how do progressive web applications really compare to native mobile apps?"
What Is The Dissimilarity Between Native Apps And Progressive Web Apps?
There seems to be a straightforward answer to this question: Are there any differences between native apps and progressive web applications PWAs? (Yes.) What are the differences between native apps and progressive web apps, and how can you decide which is best for your mobile presence? (That depends.) Let's look at the differences in more detail:
- Installation
- Cross-Platform Accessibility
- Offline Use
- Storage, Data, and Power
- Updates
- Discovery
- Push Notifications
- The Security of Your Own Home
- Device Features
- Cost
Installation
The way that the user interacts with PWAs is a key difference. App stores, like Apple's iOS App Store or Google Play, are where native applications can be found and downloaded. App Stores are giant shopping windows that allow people to access all the services and content they consume on their mobile phones. The app store is a great place to find solutions to your problems. It's similar to how you use Google Mobile to look for answers.
App owners have a lot of opportunities. You can reach new users who are looking for keywords related to your brand if you do a good job with App Store Optimization. You can expect people to search for you in the store if you already have a brand. This is a common occurrence today, as apps are a popular expectation of digital businesses.
Installing the app on your home screen will display a recognizable icon with a text label. This can grab the user's attention as they scroll down their home screen. This is really valuable real estate. All of this means that you must submit your native app to Apple and Google for review. Apple has very strict requirements, and it may take some time to get it ready to meet its standards. It's then up to the individual to search for the app, review the reviews and read the description to decide if the app is worth installing.
Instead, PWAs allow you to avoid the app store submission process. PWAs are instead run in the mobile browser. This is a good example of what a PWA (Portable Web App) looks like. PWAs can be accessed by entering the URL into the mobile browser. Users who are unaware of PWA may be shocked to find a truncated website when they expect the same experience as the normal site. Once they discover it, they can (theoretically) save it to their home screen and use it just like they would any native app.
Your users will only have to worry about adding it to their home screen. The concept of adding "websites" to a device's home screen is not common for web users. It's a far cry from installing an app on the App Store or Google Play which is something that almost everyone knows. The latest Android versions encourage users to install PWAs (as shown in the image above), while iOS still relies on the "Add to Home Screen" action.
On iOS, your user must manually click the Share button and tap "Add to Homescreen" after visiting your PWA URL in Safari. Your website will not have a visual indication that it is a progressive app. This makes it difficult to convince iOS users to download it. iOS users still need to locate the Add to Home Screen option.
Cross-Platform Accessibility
This ensures that native apps are tailored to the platform, as developers typically design them specifically for iOS and Android users. The developers can focus on creating an app that is optimized for a specific mobile device rather than worrying about compatibility across platforms or browsers. There are exceptions, such as if you use React Native or a cross-platform framework to build hybrid apps.
On the other hand, progressive web apps generally have a different approach. They've been used by big brands such as Twitter along with their native apps. This is a result of web technology which has been around for many years. The phrase "progressive Web App" itself was coined by a Google Chrome engineer.
You can hire developers to create the PWA instance that is responsive, publish it and then let the browser the user display it within the parameters of the screen. Modern web technologies allow users to interact with the app on a variety of mobile browsers. It's important to note that PWAs typically try to strike a compromise between what's found on a responsive site and what's seen in a native application. Here's an example of the FT PWA. The PWA menu looks like the native app menu.
Native apps offer developers the chance to provide a better user experience, as they are designed for the mobile app structure. PWAs can save you time and money, as a web app can run on iOS, Android, and other platforms. But there are also ways to build cross-platform apps. Certain platforms let you launch your site to Google Play or the App Store by converting it into iOS and Android applications. You get all the benefits of native mobile applications but with the efficiency of a PWA. More on that later. Next, let's talk about the PWA.
Offline Use
Mobile apps allow users to get the information they need without being connected to the Internet. It was once the exclusive domain of apps and is now available on the web. A PWA, or web-based application, is an app that can be installed on your computer and works offline, if possible, using cached data.
The most important technology for PWAs is service workers. Service workers are JavaScript files that run independently of the web application. These devices improve performance by caching resources, handling network requests (and retrieving cached resources), as well as enabling push notifications even when the user's device is not online.
As you can imagine, there are a wide range of trade-offs. When a device cannot connect to the network, a PWA can still serve some parts of an app. A PWA can't serve them all of the app; specifically, any content that's not part of the page caching system is offline until connectivity is restored. If a user tried to send a form to Forbes or book a room on Trivago, it would be impossible.
Native apps win this category. PWAs are catching up with the latest technology and can now allow users to access cached material. However, they still don't have the capability to connect to a mobile device at all times.
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Power, Storage, And Data
Installing a native application on a device will use the resources of that device. The resource usage can be high for "heavier apps," those that are frequently used or ones the user forgets to close. PWAs may also have similar draining issues. Safari is almost as draining as other apps. It all comes down to the following:
- The app's code quality.
- The app uses how many resources?
- Its actual use by the user.
A PWA will be your best option if you want to reach people who live in areas where data networks are more expensive and the users cannot afford to pay. Google highlights that Konga reduced data usage by 92% after they converted their mobile website to a PWA. It was important to have a PWA which didn't consume much data, as nearly two-thirds of Nigerians use 2G networks to access the Internet via mobile. Some native apps work offline and can store content, which could help with sporadic connections (but less so if data costs are high).
Updates
When it comes to app updates, there are two perspectives to consider: that of the developer and that of the user. Users can update native apps or progressive web applications without much effort. It may be necessary to manually update a native application, but for the most part, the process is automated, and the users barely notice when the update has been completed. This one won't make a big difference to your users, as the majority of updates will be ignored.
Discovery
There are two ways that native apps can appear in search results:
- App Stores
- Search engines
Both of these depend, however, on a few superficial factors because the pages of the application itself cannot be indexed or listed in search engines. App Store Optimization is what you need to do. It involves using app search optimization techniques like:
- Include a keyword that is frequently searched for (in the App Store) and applies to your mobile application in your title and description.
- Use a title/headline with your chosen keyword.
- Create a concise and thoughtful description for your app. You need to appeal to users of the app store quickly, but you also want them to understand what your app offers. Be sure to include the keyword here as well!
- Customer ratings are a major factor in the success of a native application, and they will also play a role in SEO. You shouldn't be scared to ask your current users for a review. (You can do this with Push Notifications).
- Also, you will want to see the number of downloads increase. This social proof can help you compete with other apps that have fewer downloads and/or are not as well-reviewed.
If you use the app store's categorization features well, it will help drive traffic to your app. Your app will be more relevant in app store searches if it is categorized and marketed specifically. A progressive web application, on the contrary, is a good choice for web SEO, as it functions like any other site you might encounter online, and its content is indexed by Google or Bing. The instant-use opportunity for PWA could allow you to receive a greater volume of traffic than your app initially in an app store.
Push Notifications
Many site owners, businesses, and other organizations build mobile applications for a variety of reasons. These methods are much more engaging than other traditional methods, such as emails. In certain industries, Push Notifications can generate up to 40% Click Through Rates (CTRs), while emails are typically only able to achieve 20-25% Open Rates and CTRs around 3-6%.
A push notification strategy that is effective will increase engagement with your mobile app and content! You can either build the functionality for push notifications yourself or integrate third-party push notification services such as Google Firebase or OneSignal into your native app.
Service Workers have enabled you to use Push Notifications for Progressive Web Apps. Currently, Push Notifications are only available in Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Mac Safari, and Chrome. They are not yet available for iOS. You can use Push Notifications on Android to engage with your audience, but you will have to wait until iOS users are able to receive them.
Apple & iOS are not likely to support this feature in the near term, as they have a negative view of notifications in general. Native Apps still lead the pack when it comes to push notifications. Native apps are compatible with both iOS and Android devices. They're a good choice for webmasters who want to engage users through this powerful medium.
The Security Of Your Own Home
In today's world, security and privacy are essential. Companies need to ensure that their mobile apps are secure, protect user data, and comply with GDPR. Native apps can be a safe solution for app owners and users. Multi-Factor authentication is easier in native apps than PWAs, and this can be useful when an app includes login functionality. Multi-factor authentication is a great way to add security to native applications.
Native Apps are also able to use certificate pinning in order to protect against certain types of attacks that PWAs cannot. PWAs still use HTTPS, which allows for browser-to-server encryption. PWAs can be as safe as any other website as long as they are created in a secure environment by the website owner.
Apple and Google must first approve your app before it can be published in the iOS App Store and Android Google Play Store. Apps with obvious security concerns for users will not be accepted. This means that, in most cases, an app downloaded from this source is trustworthy.
The ability to integrate security features into native apps may require more effort to develop, but it could be more secure than PWAs. The issue of data security is always delicate when developing anything for the Internet. This is your responsibility, as you can't be the one to compromise data.
Device Features
The ability of native mobile apps to sync up with other devices and phone features is one of the most useful aspects of developing them for mobile users. Native apps, for example, can use:
- Camera
- The GPS system is a great way to track your location.
- Geofencing for marketing purposes
- Accelerometer
- Compass
- Contact List
- Alarm
- Calendar
- Push notifications and SMS
- Near-field communications and mobile payments
Push Notifications for iOS must be manually approved. Apps, however, can allow users to opt-in at a future date. You can easily do this from the Settings menu. The Progressive Web Apps is a set of tools that allow you to make the most of your device's features. However, they do not offer any specific features. You can cherry-pick the range of features you want. You don't have to implement push notifications if, for example, you do not want to.
Progressive Web Apps can be restricted to the same restrictions as standard sites in their simplest form, so you don't have to give access to any device features. There are some limitations to the connections you can make through APIs, such as social media logins.
Native apps are the best choice if you want to tap into all of the advanced features native apps have (such as GPS, fingerprint scanners, and cameras). These features are not required for most businesses. The API integrations will allow users to access other software, but they won't be able to sync the app with their phone like a native application.
Read More: Comparing The Pros And Cons Of PWAs And Native Apps To Help You Make The Right Choice
Cost
The final issue is the cost and time of launch. If a native app is truly native, it will be built in Java or Kotlin on Android or Objective-C/Swift for iOS. This approach has the disadvantage of requiring a lengthy and sometimes tedious process to develop apps. The same app is then duplicated on each platform. Native apps also have a high maintenance cost. The first version of native apps on iOS or Android will cost between $50,000 and $100,000. Another 20% is required for updates and maintenance.
It will take at least several months to construct them. React Native is a cross-platform development framework that can offset these disadvantages by making the native code usable between iOS and Android. If your wider audience is made up of both app users and platforms, then you will either have to ignore a subset of them or take on the burden of the dual development process.
If you decide to develop your native app internally, it will require at least two additional employees and the time of existing staff for testing and commenting. If your dedicated team is not capable of doing it themselves, you may also need to think about the cost of hiring someone else to do the development.
These high barriers make building native apps a risky and difficult task for small businesses. At its core, the progressive web app is a web application built in a variety of ways, including React.js and similar frameworks. Service workers are also added.
The developers must replicate many of the key features that native and mobile SDKs provide. This means they will still need to invest in research and development, just as with native apps. PWAs are much easier to build than native apps, but the development time and cost involved reflect this.
Why Not Both?
When deciding whether to use a progressive web app or a native app development, there are many other factors that should be considered, such as performance, design quality, etc. It's the quality of the coding that is important, not whether it is a native app or if the app exists in a browser. Be sure to match your developer (and development path) with the expectations of each client when it's time to decide.
You may want to reconsider your budget if you think that your active users are going to miss out on something important to a native app, such as push notifications or geofencing. Do you need to create a native application from scratch? Do you really need to use your phone's facial recognition and accelerometer?
Summarizing: Progressive Web Apps vs. Native Apps
Ten points have been highlighted to show the difference between native features and progressive web apps. Native apps and PWAs both offer an improved mobile experience and user experience compared to regular responsive websites. There are clear differences between the two solutions. Here is a list of their main benefits:
Progressive Web Apps:
- Easy and quick to build
- Maintaining your vehicle at a lower cost
- Discoverable via Google search
- Installable on the user's device (though not intuitively as native apps).
- Push notifications are available (limited to some browsers and operating systems).
Native Apps:
- Secure your home with a more secure lock
- It can be used offline
- The use of features such as GPS, camera, and other devices is possible.
- Access to Google Play Store and Apple App Store
- Installation is easy with just a single tap
- Push notifications can be used to their full extent.
Progressive Web Apps offer a better user experience than mobile websites and are cheaper. Native apps offer a more powerful user experience and are easier to maintain. This increase in power also comes at a cost and complexity increase. However, we will show you in the following section that there are ways to get all the power of native apps for a fraction of the price.
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PWAs vs. Native Apps: Conclusion
PWAs have certainly seen some positive use cases as technology has improved. PWAs can be a great fit for large social media websites. PWAs like Twitter Lite or Pinterest show how to bring your mobile web experience up to par with your native application, which is helpful in markets that have poor or expensive internet connectivity.
A Native application will allow you to provide a truly personalized and always-on experience for your potential users. This is the only solution to give site owners a new channel for push notifications that work on iOS and Android. This is great for news sites, blogs, e-commerce, social platforms, and eLearning websites that want to provide timely updates and native device features to their customers and followers.
Native development vs. PWA will continue to be an important debate, but it does not have to become a contest. Both are not mutually exclusive. Both have their uses, but it all depends on your needs and what you need from the technology. It's not a problem to build both. A PWA on the web will help you to gain organic traffic, provide a great mobile app experience, and create a presence for your brand in the app stores. You can also send push notifications to users. And provide a place for your most loyal, engaged fans.
