Native Apps Vs Mobile Web

As the world becomes more and more mobile-friendly, businesses have begun to recognize the benefits of developing apps and mobile-friendly website for their customers. But there are a lot of issues that a business must consider when it decides on delivering its website to the mobile user. It may look like a majority of businesses now are opting for native apps, but you must decide if that is the right decision for your business.  

In this article, we look at the pros and consider of adopting a native and a mobile app.

First of all, native apps are apps downloaded for mobile devices with a specific platform and mind. They can be downloaded and installed directly onto devices from the App Store and Google’s Play.

Advantages of Native apps:

·         Much more popular with consumers.

·         Better User experience than any other mobile optimization solution.

·         It works with all Smartphone tools like cameras and GPS.

·         Included in app stores which make it easier for users to discover the app whether they were seeking it or not.

·         They do not require an internet connection to operate and the app stays on the mobile devices once installed.

·         It is generally faster than using mobile web.

Disadvantages

·         It takes more time and is more expensive to develop than web apps.

·         Requires app store review and approval along with every update.

·         It is open Source-specific, and cannot reuse code from one device to another.

·         Needs additional marketing strategy since it faces high competition from other apps.

·         Takes longer to download and install and requires lots of memory and storage on the device.

·         On the other hand, mobile web apps are less expensive to develop, and require lesser time as well.

So, to decide between native apps and mobile web, you should ask yourself the following questions:

1.       How important is speed and performance?

2.       Do you want to include any device-specific features?

3.       Is an internet connection required?

4.       Will you need to support multiple mobile platforms and devices? If yes, how many?

5.       What’s your budget and timeline?