In the continuous race for leading business positions and attracting more customers, companies pay close attention to modern technologies that emerge. For instance, progressive web apps (PWAs), which have been discussed for years, are drawing more and more adherents.
A significant part of day-to-day Internet activities happens on websites' mobile version, and PWAs are created specifically for such cases. The fact remains that the number of smartphone users in the world has reached 7.4 billion in 2025. What's more, according to Statista, this number will grow to over 7.9 billion by 2028.
Therefore, it is impossible to ignore the promising web technology, progressive web apps, that combine the experience of a fast website and the convenient interface of a native app.
Moreover, they can be developed not only from scratch but also using toolkits like Magento PWA Studio, which makes it even easier for novices. In this article, we will look at the main benefits available to those who choose to build PWAs and go over how this approach to building web apps differs from native app development.
PWAs vs. Native Apps: Taking the Big Picture
First and foremost, do you really understand what progressive web apps are? What are the differences between PWAs and native apps? Let us share basic info on these types of apps.
Native mobile apps: A quick intro
Native apps have been around for quite a while and are traditionally installed on devices from mobile marketplaces. The development of such apps differs depending on the operating system.
For this reason, separate mobile app development teams have to build two versions of the same native app that will later be available on Google Play or Apple App Store.
What are the main distinguishing features of native mobile apps?
- They are downloaded from app stores like Apple App Store and Google Play Store to the storage of a mobile device;
- Native apps require maintenance (updates from the user's side with new releases and bug fixes);
- They are tailored specifically for mobile use, and they have direct access to native device features.
Progressive Web Apps: Major Highlights
In very simple terms, progressive web applications are an enhanced mobile version of a website. PWAs use JavaScript technology to cater to the advanced expectations of mobile users. They provide unsurpassed site load speed and navigation due to progressive technologies and top-notch UX. Progressive web apps are based on modern frameworks such as ReactJS or AngularJS.
What are the main distinguishing features of PWAs?
- They don't need to be installed and saved in the storage of the mobile device to be used. Instead, PWAs work in any browser (both desktop and mobile);
- They allow the user to be satisfied by fast page loading;
- You can rely on such apps even if there is no internet connection, as they support offline mode;
- They have an easy “Add to Home Screen” feature that allows saving the PWA to the device as a link shortcut (it actually looks like any other native application and has a tiny weight).
Top 6 Advantages of Progressive Web Applications Over Native Apps
Now let's dig deeper into the key differences between these two app types and consider the benefits that PWAs provide in comparison to what is offered by native apps.
1. PWAs Require Less Investment in App Development and Support
As briefly aforementioned, native application development requires a separate approach for different operating systems. This is why companies need to look for two teams of professionals who can create the same mobile app for iOS and Android.
PWA vs Native Apps from the Financial Perspective
PWAs involve lower development costs than their native counterparts. Unlike native applications, PWAs don't require maintaining codebases for multiple platforms with specialized development tools, languages, and resources. Importantly, choosing a PWA also enhances your desktop experience, not just mobile. Just with a single codebase, you can boost its performance alongside the mobile one.
On the whole, moving a site to a PWA is very reasonable for eCommerce websites since more and more people use their mobile devices to shop. And, frankly speaking, there aren't many examples of successful native mobile applications for online retail.
2. PWAs Have Flash-Like Speed
Among the next main strengths of progressive web apps is their speed. They can boast incredibly good performance and content delivery on both mobile or desktop devices thanks to the use of advanced caching, GraphQL, a modern API approach, and other solutions.
For instance, PWAs use application shells. This “move” shows the user the layout as the page content loads, signaling that content will soon appear. This is much better than when a user stares at a blank page, waiting for content to slowly load (especially when it comes to images).
Just take a look at the screenshot of the Al-Majed 4 Oud progressive web application. Do you see that although the images are missing, the layout signals that they'll be there? In reality, the pictures take seconds to load, but the app shell is very important for perception.
According to a Google research, when the page load time was tweaked from 1 to 3 seconds, the bounce rate rose by 32%. When the time was increased for another two seconds, the bounce rate peaked at 90%. Hence, quick performance is key.
With fast page opening times, a site that's a PWA can gain a competitive advantage over others and improve its rankings in search engine results.
Obviously, everything mentioned above in this block compares a progressive web application to a regular website rather than to a native application. But this point is highly crucial.
3. Competitive UX/UI (Another SEO Bonus)
Google Search algorithms regularly change. But they traditionally consider page usability when ranking. That's why when businesses want to make sure that their web pages will be seen by their target audience, they need to think about overall site optimization, both for mobile and desktop, to provide the most convenient user experience and get to the top of search queries.
PWAs have become a solution that combines a smooth and user-friendly design and navigation that native apps usually have. But unlike native apps, they can be found through search engines just like any other website and can boost SEO rankings and user engagement.
Below is an example of the home page of the Noon online store. On the right is the web version, which, in terms of interface convenience, is like two peas in a pod with its native twin. However, the most important differences that make the PWA version more beneficial are the following ones:
- The native application size is 76.6 MB, which takes time to install and device memory space, whereas the PWA is almost weightless;
- The page loading speed of the web version within the browser is very fast;
- The PWA is scalable, with pages simply found via search engines.
4. PWAs Run in Web Browsers (Thus Don't Take up Device Storage Space)
A common problem for mobile users is the lack of free space on their devices. And progressive web apps do the trick. Thanks to them, you do not need to free up space for new programs by deleting old ones.
PWAs are built into the site and don't require downloading. As they are not tailored just to a particular platform, they run in any web browser on any device. For the convenience of users, many PWAs are fitted with the “Add to Home Screen” feature.
The screenshot below from the cosmetics brand Apivita is an example of how you can add the PWA shortcut to your home screen. This provides access to shopping without opening a browser and searching for the URL, providing all the benefits of PWAs.
Giving more examples, Pinterest has switched to PWA too. It weighs 150 KB now, up from the native apps which were 21 MB on Android and 140.3 MB on iOS. What Pinterest got in return:
- The number of engaged users increased by 60%;
- Advertising revenue climbed up to 44%.
The Starbucks PWA weighs 233 KB compared to the overwhelming 148 MB for the iOS mobile app. With the introduction of this progressive web app, the company has doubled the number of daily active users. In fact, the number of orders from mobile phones is now almost the same as from desktops, if not more.
5. Possibility to Send Push Notifications
Device-specific features such as push notifications that are available in native mobile apps have also found their way into PWAs. There are various ways to realize this opportunity and get the most out of your ads. When it comes to PWAs, push notifications are particularly effective.
6. Internet Independence
Everyone understands that we can't browse the site if the Internet is disconnected. Previously, this problem was solved by native applications that continued to work, regardless of the speed of the Internet or its absence.
Now, PWAs have also learned this, and the absence of the Internet doesn't interrupt their work due to the advanced data caching by the application. This technology, known as Service Workers, provides a programmatic method for caching resources.
What Are the Disadvantages of PWA over Native Apps?
To make our PWA vs native app comparison more comprehensive, we also need to take a look at those aspects where native apps built for specific platforms win.
Limited Access to Native Features
PWAs don't have full access to all device APIs, especially on iOS. For example, they can't interact with Bluetooth, NFC, ambient light sensor, and proximity sensor. As a result, the majority of PWAs are simple apps. At the same time, native apps may have advanced functionality to address even the most challenging requirements.
Lack of App Store Visibility
PWAs are not listed in major app stores by default. Nevertheless, they can be added to Google Play via special tools.
This point is pretty important in the PWA vs native app comparison, as some users are skeptical of apps not found in the App Store or Google Play Store.
Offline Functionality Limitations
PWAs can work offline. But the entire process of interacting with them without an internet connection is not fully seamless. Offline support in such apps can be fragile or inconsistent.
When Not to Use PWAs and Develop Native Apps Instead?
Though progressive web apps have a lot of benefits, there are cases when it is sensible to opt for native app development instead.
- If you need full access to device features, it makes sense to build a native app.
- When you want to have advanced functionality, it's better to create a native app.
- If you want to have your app to be published on app stores (Apple App store and Google Play store), native app development is for you.
- When you are choosing between PWAs and native apps and want tight OS-level UX integration, you should create a native solution.
PWAs vs Native Apps: When to Build a Progressive Web App?
Here's a short overview of the cases when, in the PWA vs native app battle, your winner should be a progressive web app.
You Have Budget or Time Constraints
PWAs are built with web technologies and work across platforms with a single codebase. This ensures lower maintenance and development costs, as well as faster time to market (it is especially valuable for MVPs and startups).
You Want to Leverage No App Store Dependency
With a progressive web app, you don’t need to get approval from app stores to launch. In addition to this, you don't need to think about app store optimization. For some brands, this can be a disadvantage (that's why, between PWAs and native apps, they opt for native solutions). Nevertheless, this approach is ideal for internal apps, temporary apps, or campaigns.
You Need to Have a Lightweight, Fast-Loading App
PWAs load quickly, especially on slow networks, and can work offline (though with some limitations). They are very suitable for reaching users in emerging markets with limited data or older devices. Moreover, they are good for SEO (their content can be indexed by search engines).
You Want to Test Product-Market Fit
The creation of a progressive web app will allow you to validate your idea with real users before investing in the development of a full native app.
PWAs are easy to iterate and update without going through native app store reviews and are shareable via a simple URL.
To Conclude
As you can see, both PWAs and native apps have their strengths and weaknesses. Given this, their use cases differ, and you should clearly understand before choosing the most suitable option for you.
The ability of PWAs to run across operating systems, optimized development cost, offline support, and app-like experiences delivered via the browser make them an ideal choice for businesses looking to reach users efficiently.
Like any Internet technology that can support your marketing strategy and increase brand awareness by appearing in organic search, PWAs will help enhance website performance and bring many more benefits for website promotion.
Need professional assistance with software development? At Akveo, we are always ready to support you at any stage of your project realization. Just contact us and we will help you define the most appropriate app type and the most feasible approach to its development.
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