Mobile app or PWA: which is right for your business?

Many businesses arrive with the same request: "we need an app". Before development starts, there is a more precise question: which app, for what use? Between a native app for iOS and Android, a cross-platform app and a PWA (Progressive Web App, an installable web app), costs, timelines and capabilities differ a lot.

The three options

• Native: one app per platform (Swift for iOS, Kotlin for Android). Full performance and device access, but two codebases to maintain.
• Cross-platform (React Native, Flutter): one codebase for iOS and Android, published on the stores. The right compromise for most projects.
• PWA: a website installable on the home screen, partly offline, able to send notifications. No app store required.

When a PWA is enough

• Customer portal, order or case tracking.
• Catalogue, appointment booking, reservations.
• Internal tool for field teams.
• A first launch to test usage before investing in the stores.

A PWA usually costs less, updates instantly and can be found on Google. It is often the best first step.

When you need a store app

• Intensive daily use, where store presence builds trust.
• Advanced device features (Bluetooth, sensors, background tasks, in-store payments).
• Highly reliable notifications on every phone, including some iPhones where PWAs remain more limited.
• Brand presence on the App Store and Google Play.

The method that avoids waste

1. Define the core journey (what the user does ten times a month).
2. Build the API and a first web or PWA version.
3. Measure real usage.
4. Move to the stores if usage justifies it, reusing the API.

That's the logic of an MVP: prove usage before investing heavily. On technology, see choosing a tech stack.

We build your app

Our SaaS and app development covers the API, back office, PWA and cross-platform apps. Describe the use case and we will recommend the simplest option that meets it.