Mobile App vs Progressive Web App: Complete Comparison
Quick Summary
Winner: It depends on your goals with Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) being better for most businesses seeking broad reach and lower development costs, while Native Mobile Apps excel for performance-intensive applications and deeper device integration.
PWAs offer the advantage of cross-platform compatibility without app store requirements, faster time-to-market, and lower development costs. Native mobile apps provide better performance, deeper device integration, and enhanced user experience for complex applications.
Pricing Comparison
| Cost Factor | Native Mobile App | Progressive Web App |
|---|---|---|
| Development Cost | $20,000-$150,000+ per platform | $10,000-$50,000 total |
| Maintenance | $5,000-$15,000+ annually per platform | $3,000-$10,000 annually |
| Distribution | App store fees (Apple: $99/year, Google: $25 one-time) | No app store fees |
| Updates | Requires app store approval, user download | Instant updates |
| User Acquisition | $1-$3+ per install (CPI) | Lower acquisition costs (web traffic) |
Features Comparison
| Feature | Native Mobile App | Progressive Web App |
|---|---|---|
| Installation | Requires download from app store | Installable from browser, no store needed |
| Performance | Excellent, direct access to device hardware | Good for most use cases, improving with modern browsers |
| Offline Functionality | Comprehensive | Basic via service workers |
| Device Integration | Full access to all device features | Limited but growing capabilities |
| Notifications | Rich push notifications | Push notifications on Android, limited on iOS |
| Updates | Requires user action | Automatic on next visit |
| Discoverability | App store search, visibility challenges | Discoverable via search engines |
| Cross-platform | Separate codebases for iOS/Android | Single codebase for all platforms |
| Loading Speed | Fast after installation | Initial load may be slower, then cached |
| Storage Access | Unlimited | Limited by browser storage |
| Biometrics | Full support | Limited support |
| Camera/Sensors | Full access | Growing but limited access |
Native Mobile App
Pros: ✅ Superior performance for graphics-intensive applications ✅ Complete access to device hardware and features ✅ Better user experience for complex, frequently used applications ✅ Can work completely offline with full functionality ✅ Presence in app stores adds credibility and discovery opportunities ✅ Enhanced security features and options
Cons: ❌ Higher development costs, especially for multiple platforms ❌ Longer time-to-market with app store approval processes ❌ Updates require user action and app store approval ❌ Maintenance across multiple platforms is resource-intensive ❌ User acquisition costs are higher (app install friction) ❌ Platform-specific knowledge required for development
Progressive Web App
Pros: ✅ Lower development and maintenance costs (single codebase) ✅ No app store fees or approval processes ✅ Instant updates without user action ✅ Works across all devices and platforms ✅ SEO benefits from web presence ✅ Easier user acquisition via web links ✅ Faster time-to-market
Cons: ❌ Limited access to device hardware and features ❌ Performance limitations for graphics-intensive applications ❌ Restricted offline capabilities compared to native apps ❌ iOS support for certain features lags behind Android ❌ Less integration with device ecosystem ❌ Storage limitations based on browser constraints
Best For
Native Mobile Apps are best for:
- Graphics-intensive applications: Games, AR/VR experiences, and complex visualizations
- Frequent, daily-use applications: Banking apps, social networks, productivity tools
- Applications needing deep hardware integration: Fitness trackers, camera apps, IoT controllers
- Enterprise applications: With advanced security requirements or complex functionality
- Monetization-focused applications: Subscription or in-app purchase business models
- Brand-focused experiences: When creating a premium, highly-polished user experience is essential
Progressive Web Apps are best for:
- Content-focused experiences: News sites, blogs, informational portals
- E-commerce platforms: Online stores seeking broad reach
- Small to medium businesses: With limited development budgets
- Applications needing frequent updates: Without app store approval delays
- Cross-platform solutions: When targeting all users regardless of device
- Infrequently used services: Where app installation friction would hurt adoption
- Marketing campaigns: Temporary or seasonal applications
Technical Comparison
Development Approach
Native Mobile Apps require platform-specific development using:
- Swift or Objective-C for iOS
- Kotlin or Java for Android
Alternatively, cross-platform frameworks like React Native or Flutter can be used, but still require platform-specific code for deep integration.
Progressive Web Apps use web technologies:
- HTML, CSS, JavaScript
- PWA frameworks like React, Angular, or Vue
- Service workers for offline functionality
- Web App Manifest for installation capabilities
Performance Considerations
Native apps generally outperform PWAs in:
- Processing-intensive tasks
- Graphics rendering
- Complex animations
- Multithreading capabilities
- Memory management
PWAs have improved significantly but still face challenges with:
- JavaScript execution speed
- Browser storage limitations
- Background processing restrictions
- Device API access
User Experience Factors
Native apps provide:
- Platform-consistent UI patterns
- Smoother animations and transitions
- Better gesture recognition
- More reliable offline experience
- Deeper integration with platform features
PWAs offer:
- Consistent cross-platform experience
- No installation friction
- Instant updates
- Linkable content
- Smaller footprint on device storage
Business Considerations
Time to Market
PWAs typically reach market 20-30% faster than native apps due to:
- Single codebase development
- No app store approval process
- Simpler testing requirements
- Immediate deployment capabilities
Development Resource Requirements
Native apps generally require:
- Platform-specific developers
- More extensive QA across devices
- Longer development cycles
- More complex CI/CD pipelines
PWAs can be developed with:
- Web developers (more widely available)
- Simpler testing environments
- More streamlined deployment processes
Long-term Maintenance
Native app maintenance challenges:
- Multiple codebases to maintain
- Platform-specific bugs and issues
- App store update approval delays
- Fragmentation across OS versions
PWA maintenance advantages:
- Single codebase updates
- Immediate deployment of fixes
- Reduced platform-specific issues
- Automatic user updates
The Verdict
The choice between native mobile apps and progressive web apps should be guided by your specific business goals, user needs, and resource constraints.
Choose a Native Mobile App if:
- Performance and device integration are critical to your app's functionality
- You're building a complex application with intensive processing needs
- Your users will engage with the app frequently (daily use)
- You can afford the higher development and maintenance costs
- You need complete access to device features
- Your business model relies on app store presence or in-app purchases
Choose a Progressive Web App if:
- Reaching the widest possible audience is your priority
- Budget constraints make cross-platform native development challenging
- Time-to-market is critical
- Your application is primarily content-focused
- Users are unlikely to install a dedicated app for your service
- You need frequent updates without app store approval
- SEO and web discoverability are important for your business
In many cases, a hybrid approach works best: develop a PWA for broad reach and initial engagement, then offer a native app for power users who need enhanced functionality.
The gap between native apps and PWAs continues to narrow as browsers implement more capabilities and performance improves. Your decision today should consider not just current requirements but how these technologies are evolving.
Ready to test your app concept with real users?
Whether you're developing a native mobile app or a progressive web app, understanding how users organize and find information is crucial to its success.
Free Card Sort helps you validate your information architecture quickly and easily. Create unlimited card sorting studies, recruit participants, and analyze results—all completely free with no hidden limitations.
Try Free Card Sort today to ensure your app's navigation and content structure align with your users' mental models, regardless of which development approach you choose.