Native, Hybrid, and PWA are the three most popular categories of mobile applications that are trending in recent years. All of them have gained popularity due to their distinct features, attributes, architecture, and use cases.
Native apps are specifically designed to take advantage of the targeted operating system. Hybrid apps leverage the multi-operating system utility. PWAs are particularly popular for their offline accessibility.
So, let’s delve deep into this topic and find the granular detailing on Native, Hybrid, and PWA. This blog will give you a clear idea of the category of application and development roadmap perfect for your business.
Definition & Differences of Native, Hybrid, and PWA
Before you find out the differences, it is significant to get a technical understanding of the Native, Hybrid, and PWA solutions.
Native
Native apps are the mobile applications that are specifically built for a single platform, either Android or iOS. So, fundamentally, Native apps are platform-specific, and they are built by targeting a single Operating System (OS).
Hybrid
Built with web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, Hybrid apps use a single code base to run both on Android and iOS. The functions are ideally integrated by targeting both Android and iOS Operating Systems.
PWA
PWA or Progressive Web Application is basically a web app that behaves like a mobile app but runs on a browser. Supporting both mobile and desktop devices, Progressive Web Applications are the most popular solution across any industry.
Know the differences between Native, Hybrid, and Progressive Web Applications
| Factors | Native | Hybrid | PWA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platform Support | Built separately for iOS & Android | Single codebase for both platforms | Runs on any modern browser |
| Performance | Highest performance & speed | Moderate; depends on WebView | Lower than native; browser-based |
| Development Cost | Highest (two teams/codebases) | Moderate (one codebase) | Lowest |
| Development Timeline | Longest | Faster than native | Fastest |
| User Experience (UI/UX) | Best; device-optimized | Good, consistent across platforms | Decent but browser-limited |
| Access to Device Features | Full (camera, GPS, sensors, etc.) | Partial; plugin dependent | Limited; depends on browser APIs |
| Offline Support | Strong | Moderate | Strong (service workers) |
| Installation | Installed from app stores | Installed from app stores | Installable via browser (no store needed) |
| Updates | Store approval required | Store approval required | Instant updates (web push) |
| Push Notifications | Fully Supported | Supported | Supported (limited to iOS) |
| Security | Strongest | Moderate | Depends on HTTPS; lower than native |
| Ideal For | High-performance, large apps | Mid-scale apps with budget/time limits | Lightweight apps, content apps, e-commerce |
Our Approach to Build Native, Hybrid, & PWA
Let’s elaborate on our approach to build Native, Hybrid, and Progressive web applications for all industries across the globe.Â
Market Analysis
- Requirement gathering
- Tech selection
- Target audience
- Market demand
- Competitor research
- SWOT analysis
UI/UX & Prototypes
- User flow mapping
- IA (Information Architecture)
- Low-fidelity design
- High-fidelity prototypes
- Style guide creation
- Final UI
Core Development
- Set development environment
- Frontend development
- Backend development
- API integration
- Feature developmentÂ
- Third-party integration
Testing & Quality Analysis
- Functional testingÂ
- Performance testing
- Speed testing
- Security testingÂ
- Regression testing
- Compatibility testing
Deployment & Launch
- App Store Preparation
- Build Configuration
- Compliance & Policy Checks
- Beta Release
- App Store Submission
- Go-Live & Monitoring
Maintainence & Support
- Bug fixing
- Performance optimization
- OS compatibility
- Security Check
- Issue resolution
- Feature upgrade
Conclusion
Now you have the complete idea of Native, Hybrid, and PWA applications. TechGropse is a leading mobile app development company with 10+ years of experience and has accomplished more than 3000 projects. Having worked in 25+ geographical locations, we are the best service provider to build Native, Hybrid, and PWA solutions.
In case you are willing to build your next intuitive application, our team of experienced developers is ready to help you out. Be it any industry, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, FMCG, eCommerce, education, or public sector, we are on for all of them.Â
FAQs
Native apps are the applications that run only on a single operating system, Android or iOS.
A hybrid app runs on multiple operating systems, both Android and iOS. These applications are comparatively more efficient than native apps.
Progressive Web Applications are the ones that run both on mobile and desktop. With a Native app-like feel, they even work offline.
Native App specifically targets Android or iOS, Hybrid app targets both Android and iOS, PWA is built for both mobile and desktop.
Yes, Progressive Web Applications are built to work in offline mode as well.
PWAs are excellent for cross-device accessibility since they run smoothly on mobile, tablet, and desktop via any browser.
Native apps are generally ideal for large-scale, long-term products requiring high performance and deep device integration.
Hybrid apps can be published on Google Play and App Store. PWAs can be installed from browsers, though an optional store listing is possible in some cases.
Progressive Web Application is the best option for the business targeting both mobile and desktop users.
The cost of developing and Native Hybrid and Progressive Web Application depends on the application complexities and targeted features. Native application ranges from $25,000 – $300,000. Hybrid applications will cost between $15,000 – $250,000. PWA usually falls between $10,000 – $90,000.
The time taken to build a Native, Hybrid, and Progressive Web Application depends on the application layouts and feature complexities. A simple app takes 2-3 months. An advanced app takes 3-6 months. A complex app would take 9-12 months to build.
Hello All, Aman Mishra has years of experience in the IT industry. His passion for helping people in all aspects of mobile app development. Therefore, He write several blogs that help the readers to get the appropriate information about mobile app development trends, technology, and many other aspects.In addition to providing mobile app development services in USA, he also provides maintenance & support services for businesses of all sizes. He tried to solve all their readers' queries and ensure that the given information would be helpful for them.
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