Some years ago, it was widely believed that only native mobile apps could ensure seamless user experiences. Nevertheless, modern technologies allow businesses to launch highly performant hybrid applications that don’t fall behind. Very often, common users can’t even notice the difference, and a lot of the world’s popular software products are actually hybrid apps.
But what is so special about them? Their main peculiarity is related to the fact that their codebase can be written just once and further run across different platforms. It means that businesses do not need to allocate resources and time to develop several apps.
To better understand this concept and its value for both businesses and users, we invite you to take a closer look at 9 successful hybrid app examples from global brands.
What is a hybrid app?
Let’s start with a quick overview of this software type.
A hybrid app unites the characteristics of native mobile and web solutions. It is developed with the help of commonly applied web technologies, such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. But people can interact with it not only in a browser. This solution is also "wrapped inside a native app shell". As a result, it can also be published on app stores and downloaded from them like a native mobile solution.
Traditional web apps typically have limited access to device features, like the camera or GPS. However, hybrid mobile apps can smoothly interact with hardware components. This is possible thanks to native plugins and APIs.
Below you can find a list of the most popular frameworks that allows developers to build apps for web and mobile environments at the same time.
- React Native (RN). It was developed by Meta (formerly Facebook) and is used to write UI components in JavaScript. At the same time, it can render native components to ensure a smoother user experience on mobile devices.
- Flutter. This framework was created by Google. It relies on Dart and enables development teams to create highly customizable UI with native performance.
Want to explore the key differences between React Native and Flutter? Read this guide.
- Apache Cordova (PhoneGap). It is one of the earliest hybrid frameworks. To integrate web apps with mobile features, it uses WebView and native plugins.
- Ionic. This framework is powered by Angular and TypeScript. Its UI component library is optimized for mobile apps and works with Cordova or Capacitor.
Hybrid apps: How do they work?
As we've indicated above, hybrid applications run inside a browser-like component within the native app container. Thanks to this, the code written for web platforms can get access to native functionalities through bridges and native plugins.
Let's take a closer look at how hybrid apps operate:
- Frontend development. The UI and app logic are built using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, similar to a web application.
- Native container. The app’s web code runs inside a lightweight native container. Platforms like Apache Cordova or Capacitor allow it to interact with native device features.
- Native APIs and plugins. Additional functionalities such as GPS, camera, file storage, and sensors are integrated using JavaScript-based bridges that communicate with native APIs.
- Deployment. The final hybrid app is packaged into an APK (Android) or IPA (iOS) file and distributed through app stores like a native app.
Hybrid apps vs Native apps
When businesses are planning to build an application, they have to choose between the available approaches to mobile app development. That's why native apps are often compared to hybrid solutions.
Native mobile applications are created for a particular platform (iOS or Android). Developers use platform-specific languages, which help ensure high performance and seamless user experiences.
Hybrid mobile apps have another weighty benefit. They enable developers to use a single codebase for both platforms.
But going deeper, it's vital to consider a range of significant differences between these two app types.
The technology stack is one of the most serious aspects that sets these two types apart. To build native apps, developers rely on platform-specific programming languages (Swift for iOS devices, Kotlin for Android apps). In contrast, hybrid apps are powered by web technologies (HTML, CSS, and JavaScript) and are further encapsulated in a native framework to run on mobile devices.
The second point that we want to discuss is performance. It has a strong impact on the user experience. Modern native apps deliver superior performance as they can interact directly with a device’s hardware. In contrast, hybrid apps run within a WebView. This can introduce performance limitations, especially when when they have complex features or graphics-intensive tasks.
Speaking about the differences, we also should mention the development cost and time needed to build such products. To launch native apps, developers have to write separate codebases for iOS and Android. This leads to longer development cycles and higher costs. However, for hybrid applications, you will need to prepare a single codebase. As a result, you can reduce both development time and costs. Given this fact, a lot of businesses that want to reach a broader audience quickly and introduce their solutions faster prefer hybrid app development.
Hence, they have some key similarities.
What unites hybrid and native mobile apps is the fact that they can be published on app stores. Thanks to this, a global community of users can get access to such solutions and install them on their devices.
Moreover, just like native apps, hybrid solutions also can interact with device features. In the case of hybrid apps, it is possible via APIs and plugins.
Hybrid apps vs Progressive web apps
Hybrid apps and progressive web apps (PWAs) both help you reach users across platforms, but they work in different ways. For example, if you choose to build a hybrid app, you’re using web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Besides, your app can be distributed via stores and it can work with device features like the camera or GPS.
On the other hand, PWAs are web apps that run directly in a browser (no installation needed). They can also work offline and send push notifications.
Thus, while PWAs are quicker and easier to develop, hybrid apps tend to offer a more native-like experience, especially when you need deeper device integrations.
Benefits of hybrid app development
If you want to create a feature-rich app quickly and reach a wide audience on both Android and iOS platforms, hybrid app development might be the right choice for your next project. Why?
1) Cost-effectiveness
Using a hybrid app reduces the hiring costs for development teams. That's why, hybrid mobile app development is a good choice for those who wants to optimize development time and required investments.
You don’t need to develop separate native apps for each platform. This helps keep your project more affordable while still reaching a larger audience.
2) Faster time-to-market
The development time for hybrid apps is generally shorter when compared to native apps.
If you’re looking to get your app into the hands of users quickly, hybrid apps are a great option. Since the same code works across multiple platforms, you’ll cut down on the time it takes to develop and test your app. This gives you a faster way to launch your product, reaching your target audience on both Android and iOS platforms simultaneously.
3) Access to native features
Hybrid mobile apps let you access key features of mobile devices. This gives you the ability to build apps with rich functionality. And at the same time, you don't need to invest in the development of native apps for different mobile platforms.
It’s an ideal choice if you want a seamless experience for users while keeping development manageable.
4) Scalability
Hybrid app development ensures great opportunities for scaling your solutions in the future. You need to take care of the maintenance of only one codebase. That's why when you need to introduce updates, this process can be executed simultaneously for Android and iOS platforms. As a result, both versions of your app are always up-to-date and consistent.
5) Reach of a wider audience
Hybrid applications enable you to extend your reach across different mobile platforms. Your app is available to users of iOS and Android devices without extra investments from your side.
6) Support from tech giants
Hybrid apps also benefit from strong industry backing. For instance, Google created Flutter. Facebook (now Meta) developed React Native. These frameworks are preferred by many developers. As these major companies continue to promote these technologies, native app languages are becoming less common. As a result, hybrid app development is a very popular option among businesses of all types and sizes.
However, this approach to software development is not a silver bullet.
If your application needs to be equipped with advanced platform-specific functionality and needs to deal with heavy resources, you need to consider the possibility of investing in native app development.
Apart from this, if you want to introduce a highly tailored UI that follows platform-specific design guidelines closely, native apps may be a better fit.
Finally, if your app targets users on a single platform, a native app could provide a more polished and optimized experience.
Top 9 hybrid app examples
Here are some examples of hybrid apps that everyone knows.
Today, Instagram is one of the most well-known solutions of a hybrid type. It relies on a multi-platform framework and native cover.
It was rewritten to function in React Native after it became part of the Facebook (now Meta) ecosystem. Over time, the app integrated more native components to handle performance-heavy tasks, such as image/video processing, Reels, and IGTV, among others.
How it works
Instagram incorporates native plugins and APIs. They allow it to interact with cameras of the devices, their GPS modules, and push notifications. All this gives it a native-like experience and lets maintain flexibility. Besides, it also uses WebView to manage content like comments, profiles, and stories, ensuring fast content loading and smooth interaction.
BMW app
BMW developed their vehicle companion app using Flutter, which helped the company descrease the time needed for development and optimize costs. The app offers features like remote vehicle access, real-time data, and control over settings.
How it works
BMW selected Flutter to develop their hybrid app, as it guarantees fast implementation of features across platforms. Flutter's widget-based architecture ensures consistent performance and user interface across platforms, while also enabling fast updates.
Like any other traditional hybrid app, this solution also integrates native plugins and APIs. They provide it with access to such features as push notifications and GPS.
X (formerly Twitter)
Twitter is another great addition to the list of popular hybrid app examples. Initially launched as a web-based platform, Twitter switched to a hybrid app to efficiently handle performance issues and push bug fixes quickly.
How the app works
Technologically, Twitter’s hybrid approach integrates both native and web technologies. It uses a WebView for rendering content in certain parts of the app, while still accessing device-specific features like notifications, camera, and GPS through native plugins. This combination of native functionality and web-based elements allows Twitter to be fast and responsive, while still offering the cross-platform efficiency of hybrid development.
Tesla app
It is another case among the best hybrid app examples. It also offers a multi-platform app experience for both iOS and Android users. Users of this app can control their cars remotely.
How the application works
The app is built on hybrid development frameworks, Flutter and React Native. It integrates existing web app functionalities, like vehicle status tracking and location services, using native plugins for key features such as push notifications and GPS integration.
Discord
Discord is also among great examples of successful hybrid apps. The hybrid approach allows Discord to seamlessly push updates and implement UI components. Thanks to this, users have a smooth experience and real-time communication across multiple devices.
How it works
From the technical perspective, it's worth mentioning WebView that is used for content rendering and native modules that are applied for implementing device-specific functionalities like notifications and voice chats.
However, real-time communication apps like Discord can face latency issues with hybrid technology, especially during high traffic. It happens because native components may offer better performance in handling continuous audio/video data.
eBay Motors
The eBay Motors app offers such features as search, listing management, and image galleries. The app is powered by web technologies, which makes it flexible and fast to update.
How the app works
The application leverages React Native as its core hybrid framework. However, eBay Motors faces challenges when dealing with heavy media content.
The performance of the app may decline when handling video listings or high-resolution images. Hybrid development frameworks can also cause slower performance and longer load times compared to fully native apps. To mitigate these issues, eBay Motors uses native modules and optimized image loading libraries to efficiently manage media content.
But despite some issues, the solution still has a range of weighty advantages. The most important is the ability to deliver feature updates to all users quickly. This is vital for eBay Motors to maintain a competitive edge in the e-commerce market.
Uber
As well as many other examples on our list, Uber’s hybrid app employs React Native. By using native modules for crucial real-time features like location tracking, driver communication, and payment processing, Uber can provide near-native performance of its application.
How the app works
Uber's hybrid app can manage complex background tasks (like real-time trip tracking, push notifications, and location updates) while conserving battery life and maintaining performance. Thanks to the used framework and web technologies in the background, such tasks can be performed efficiently across both iOS and Android. Nevertheless, periods of heavy usage or network congestion can be a reason for latency in such processes as sharing car real-time location.
Microsoft Teams
This React Native solution is available on Windows, iOS, and Android. This hybrid structure allows Teams to provide high-quality chat, video conferencing, and file sharing. Apart from this, the application takes advantage of native modules for real-time updates and synchronization.
How the app works
The app can efficiently scale and deal with heavy interactions. However, latency issues are still possible, for example, during prolonged video calls. The hybrid framework can’t always match the smoothness of native technologies.
Gmail
Gmail is a product of a combination of Flutter and React Native development. Thanks to the chosen tech stack, Gmail can ensure a consistent experience without interruptions for users across platforms.
How the app works
Thanks to the choice of the hybrid development aproach, developers managed to keep a light size of the app. It means users can quickly download and start interacting with it it. However, complex email threads and attachments can sometimes cause delays in rendering. In the case of natve app development, such issues can be avoided.
Other examples
There are also many other solutions from various domains that were built with the hybrid app tech stack.
Klarna is a good example of a hybrid app for fintech. It provides flexible payment options and user-friendly budget management tools.
With the adoption of a hybrid approach, Travelstart managed to reduce its codebase by 90%. But it still can ensure seamless experiences to users of its travel appp across web and mobile platforms.
Additionally, the Baskin Robbins app uses hybrid technology to provide an engaging experience with frequent updates and promotions.
Conclusion
If you want to launch a solution that will be available to a wide audiences but you do not have time and resources for creating two diffferent applications for iOS and Android, hybrid app development sounds like a sensibel option.
Besides, if your team is proficient in web application development, you can rely on these existing skills to build powerful cross-platform apps.
In comparison to native mobile development, hybrid apps bring many advantages, such as easier maintenance, faster updates, and reduced development costs. Examining real-world hybrid app examples shows how they can deliver excellent performance, flexibility, and seamless user experiences, similar to native applications. This makes hybrid development a popular choice for businesses aiming to create mobile apps without compromising on quality.
Unsure whether to choose a native app, a hybrid solution, or the right tech stack for your project?
With so many choices out there, it can be quite overwhelming to make the right decision without professional help. But that's exactly where we can enter the game! At Akveo, we don’t just build apps, we build the right app for your business needs.
Our mobile app development experts will take the time to study your goals, analyze the available options, and craft a solution that will perform seamlessly across platforms.
Have an idea? Let’s bring it to life. Reach out to us and let’s start building something great together.
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