The App Store Assumption
When clients say "we need an app," they usually mean "we need a great mobile experience." These aren't the same thing. An app store listing comes with development costs, approval processes, update cycles, and the fundamental problem that most users won't download an app for a business they interact with infrequently.
Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) offer an alternative: a web application that looks, feels, and performs like a native app — but lives at a URL instead of in an app store.
What PWAs Can Do
Modern PWAs support capabilities that were exclusively native just a few years ago:
- Offline access — service workers cache content for use without connectivity
- Push notifications — re-engage users with timely alerts
- Install to home screen — an app icon without an app store
- Camera and GPS access — hardware features available through web APIs
- Background sync — process data when connectivity returns
When to Choose PWA
A PWA is the right choice when:
- Your audience is unlikely to download a native app (B2B, infrequent use, broad audience)
- Your content is primarily information delivery, not hardware-intensive
- You need to iterate quickly without app store review cycles
- Budget is a factor — one codebase vs. two (iOS + Android)
When to Choose Native
Native is the right choice when:
- You need advanced hardware integration (AR, Bluetooth, complex gestures)
- Your app is a daily-use tool (banking, fitness, communication)
- App store presence is a business requirement for discoverability
- Performance requirements exceed what web APIs can deliver
The Hybrid Middle Ground
For many of our clients, the answer is neither pure PWA nor pure native. Tools like Capacitor allow us to build a web-based application and wrap it in a native container — giving us app store distribution with web development speed. This approach works particularly well for internal tools, client portals, and event companions.
The key is matching the technology to the use case, not defaulting to the most expensive option because "we need an app."