Many of the clients we work with ask whether we can also build a mobile application for them. We do, but we recommend Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) instead. Most of the times, they can do the job without any tradeoffs, while offering a simpler, safer choice at a fraction of the cost.
What is a Progressive Web App
Before we get into why a Progressive Web App (PWA) most of the time is the best choice, let's explain in brif what it is in the first place. A PWA is a web application that uses modern web technologies to provide a native app-like experience. They are distributed as web applications and do not need to pass through any app store.
Why choose Progressive Web Apps
Access to device hardware
Gone are the days when web applications were limited to basic functionality. PWAs can now access essential device hardware features like location services, camera, microphone, and even biometric authentication.
Whether you need to capture photos, get the user's location, or integrate with device sensors, PWAs can now handle these needs through modern web APIs.
Push notifications
PWAs have been supporting push notifications for a while now through WebPush. Your users can now receive updates directly on their device, just like they would do with a native mobile app and without the cost of sending SMS or integrating with other messaging providers.
Home screen installation
PWAs can be installed directly on the user's home screen, providing an app-like experience without requiring an app store download. Users can add the PWA to their home screen with a simple tap, and it will behave like a native app with its own icon and dedicated interface.
This installation process is frictionless, there are no app store barriers to user adoption while still providing the familiar app experience users expect.
Cross-platform by design
Perhaps the most significant advantage of PWAs is their inherent cross-platform nature. You build once using standard web technologies—HTML, CSS, and JavaScript—and your application works across all platforms and devices.
There's no need to learn platform-specific programming languages like Swift for iOS or Kotlin for Android. A great web development team or even a single web developer can leverage their current skills to build PWAs, reducing development time and costs dramatically.
No app store gatekeepers
PWAs are distributed through the web, without requiring any app store or approval process at all. You can build, publish, and update your application whenever it suits your business needs, without waiting for or depending on app store reviews or even worse, dealing with rejection risks.
When PWAs make sense
PWAs are not the best choice for applications requiring deep device integration, complex graphics processing, or platform-specific features that aren't yet available through web APIs, like on-device health data integration.
PWAs are an incredible choice for content-driven applications like e-commerce platforms, marketplaces and business applications. They provide businesses with all they need to reach users across multiple platforms efficiently, without app store gatekeeping and with slashed costs.
Conclusion
For the most part Progressive Web Apps are on par with the features provided by native platforms. The combination of device hardware access, push notifications, home screen installation — free from app store gatekeeping and quite importantly cross-platform compatibility make PWAs a lucrative option for businesses.
If you're considering a mobile application for your business and want to explore whether a PWA might be the right approach, we would love to talk. Feel free to contact us to discuss your needs.
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