FAQs
What is better: PWAs or native mobile apps?
PWAs and native mobile applications are completely different and often serve different purposes, so it would be incorrect to say that one solution is better than the other. If you need to choose between the two, consider the following criteria:
- Budget. It is relatively cheap to build PWAs, as they run on a single codebase and are supported by any mobile and desktop device. If you were to create a native application, you would have to build a separate codebase for each platform you target. That entails larger expenses.
- Features. Feature-wise, mobile applications are much more advanced. They have access to hardware features, such as NFC, Bluetooth, fingerprint scanning, and so on, which is not the case with PWA. Progressive web applications can’t boast sophisticated features. They support automatic updates, offline mode, and push notifications.
- Security. Even though PWAs use HTTPS protocols, native apps are much more secure. It’s easier to use multi-factor authentication in a mobile app than in a progressive application, and native apps can also use certificate pinning to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks (which PWAs can’t do).
- Promotion nuances. PWAs are websites, so they are promoted in search engines with SEO techniques. Native mobile apps, on the other hand, are promoted through application platforms (Google Play, App Store, etc). In the first case, you can promote your app for free, whereas promotion on app platforms requires financial investments.
What is the cost of developing a progressive web app?
The cost of PWA development depends on the number of team members involved in your project, the technology stack used to create your solution, the spent time, and numerous other factors. If you want to receive a cost estimate, kindly contact us through the website form and tell us about your project.
How are PWAs different from regular web apps?
PWAs can be installed on a user’s smartphone like a native mobile application, which is not the case with regular web apps. Thus, when you have a PWA, your product is always in the user’s sight: they can quickly access it without having to type your website’s URL into the web browser.
Are PWAs supported in all browsers?
Yes, most major browsers support PWAs. However, some of them have certain limitations. For example, the desktop versions of Safari and Firefox don’t support PWA installation.
