The use of apps has been increasing day by day. With the increasing rise in the use of smartphones, it has become inevitable for almost every business to provide apps to their customers. If you are into the development of apps, you must be knowing that apps are of two types-native and web. You must communicate the difference between the two to your prospective clients so as to avoid any confusion later. We shall here discuss the difference between native and web apps and also their pros and cons.
Native Apps
The apps that are developed for a specific type of mobile device and the ones that can be installed directly in the device are classified as native apps. Users can download these apps through App Store.
Native apps are built for a particular operating system such as Apple iOS or Android OS. So, an app made for Android will not work for Apple and vice versa.
Pros of Native Apps
- They can be made to run offline so it is easy to access them anytime.
- These apps give a faster performance as information is stored on the device locally.
- Native apps are built for specific systems and that is why they have improved safety and standards.
- Native apps can access the device hardware so they give increased user experience.
- Cons of Native Apps
- Developing a native app is comparatively costly and the cost doubles if the apps are to be made for several platforms.
- It is difficult to get the apps approved for several app stores. Sometimes, the process can be tedious and long.
- The use of the app is dependent on the customer?s willingness. They are worth if a number of customers are ready to install and use the app.
Web Apps
The apps that can be used through the mobile browser and the ones that require an internet connection to operate are known as mobile web apps. These apps can be accessed directly over the internet and they do not require a device installation, unlike the native apps.
These apps are developed using technologies that are similar to the website. For example, both require HTML, CSS, JavaScript and similar language. This means that such apps can be operated from most of the devices.
Pros of Web Apps
- A single web app is accessible across different types of devices and thus they do not require separate development for Android or Apple.
- These apps are easy to update and maintain. They do not require any permission or approval from the store before making it visible to the users.
- They are easier to discover through search results.
- The development of the native app is less costly and time efficient.
Cons of Web Apps
- Web apps are limited as far as accessing the mobile device is concerned.
- The browsers have several versions and so it becomes difficult to develop a single web app that works well with all of them.
- They are not present in the app stores. Hence, they won't appear if someone is searching through the app store.
- There is a limited quality control for such apps and so the security of the app is compromised.
- Web apps are not available offline.
Conclusion
Both Native and Web Apps are different and both have their own pros and cons. The choice between them depends upon several factors. If you want to build an app that is versatile in terms of operating systems on which it runs, then a web app is a favorable choice. But if want to provide an app that is more feasible with the device and rich in terms of interaction, then a native app is the best solution.
Apart from this, the cost of both also remains a factor. The development for both is different and so it depends on you to decide the budget and select the choice accordingly.
If you still have confusion, you can always consult an expert. All need to do is approach a reputed app development company. Tell us in comments about how did you like the article.
