Main Difference between Native App vs. Web App vs. Hybrid App

Businesses and companies are always looking for a way to expand their reach and capture the market. Mobile apps are one of the best ways to find new customers and provide them with better services. Companies are looking for a way to enter the mobile app market by finding the best mobile app development company in South Carolina. However, there are many different mobile app developments in the market such as native, web and hybrid apps.   

Prerequisite for Choosing App Type : Native App vs Web App vs Hybrid App

• Time to Market 

  Is the app development time sensitive? Do you have less time to create an app for launching? Or you are focusing more on creating a better app and do not care about time to market? This is an important question to decide which app type is better for your app development. Some app types require an extensive period to create the app while others take short time. It all depends on the duration and deadline of the app lunch. Choosing the right type of app development may help you with best mobile app development ideas for startup in 2024. 

• Features 

  In order to choose the app type, we need to have a clear understanding of what type of features we need to include in the app. Different app types allow developers to add various features to the development. Such as the native app has access to some of the phone features while web app doesn’t. Some app types are specialized in some of the features which are not available in other app development types.  

• Budget 

  App development types have a difference in cost based on the duration it takes to create them. There are many other charges associated with different types of apps types. If you have a tight budget, then some app types are not feasible for you.

  Read our blog on App Development Cost to know more

What is Native App?  

Native app refers to the app development types that use a particular language that is native to one’s OS. Unlike hybrid apps, we cannot develop android apps and iOS app from the same language or model. We need platform-specific languages such as Java for android and swift for iOS to build native apps.  

Pros  

• Smooth Performance 

  One of the main advantages of developing a native app is the smooth integration with the device. Native app performs better and runs like clockwork. Native app can access some of the native features of the device which allow them to optimize the performance and make the app run better.  

• Customization   

  Native apps are highly customizable as they can access the native features of the OS and hardware. This allows them to build apps that utilize the full availability and access of these features. Along with that, native apps are built with a single code base structure which is easier.   

• Better User Interface 

  Native apps offer better UI and UX for the users. Built with native language on the native OS, it can offer features and designs which are not available with others. Developers can leverage the native app development because of the device and OS support to offer better results for users.  

Cons  

• Experienced Developers 

  Unlike web apps or hybrid app, native app requires expert and experienced app developers. For both android and iOS, developers need extensive knowledge of the native language. If they do not have sufficient experience, it could hinder the process.  

• Cost and Duration 

  Native apps are expensive because it takes a longer time to build. Native app requires extensive coding and research, which takes time. Apart from that, if you are trying to build native app for both Android and iOS, then it will take more time.  

  Native app vs web app

  For knowing Difference between Native app and web app, know about Web applications below.

What is Web App?  

Web apps are web-based programs that we can access through browsers on any device. we can access these apps from any browser like chrome, edge or safari. Developers use JavaScript or HTML5 to build this app. Because of the easy access and simple interface, it has become one of the best ways to build an app. They are similar to PWA and that’s why companies invest in progressive web app development

Pros  

• Faster Development 

  Compare to the native app, web applications are easy to build. They require less time to create and launch. It shortens the time to market which is preferable for most businesses.  

• Easier Maintenance 

  Web apps are easy to build and easy to maintain. They are developed as website programs that are similar to website making. That way, it’s easier to update and maintain without worrying about complex coding.  

• Easy to Access 

   Web apps do not require any specific OS to use. It’s easy to access and available for any device with web browser. It eliminates the OS barrier for users and allows everyone to use the app.  Now, you can know about web app vs native app easily.

Cons  

• Limited Features

   Web apps do not have access to the OS and devices which limits the features. There is also a limitation to what website development can be built for the programming.   

• Internet Dependent

   We cannot install web apps on our devices which is why we cannot access them without the internet. This creates many issues for the app users as they need to depend on their internet connectivity. Apps performance may vary based on the internet speed.  

What is Hybrid App?  

Hybrid apps are a combination of native and web apps. They are built using different languages such as Objective-C or Swift for iOS, Java for Android along with HTML, JavaScript and CSS. Many different frameworks are used for developing a hybrid app, that’s why most react native app development company offers their services for hybrid app development.  

Pros of Hybrid App

• Faster and Easier Development 

  Hybrid app development uses single code structure programming to build both android and iOS apps. This makes it easier for the developer to code and takes less time to launch.  

• Budget Friendly 

  It is cheaper than native apps and has more features than web apps. This is a perfect combination for app development where we can build an app for any business within their budget.  

• Multiplatform Support 

  With hybrid app design, we can build both android and iOS apps at the same time. This will allow a business to expand in both territories without spending more expenses on development.  

Cons  

• Average User Experience 

  Hybrid apps does not have same UX or UI as native apps. These apps do not have all features of native apps and are highly dependent on internet access.  

• Slower Performance

  Hybrid apps do not have the speed and smooth transition capabilities of native apps. Most apps lag and do not run properly as they cannot leverage all functions of devices and OS.  

Native App vs Web App vs Hybrid App: Which one is better?  

It solely depends on your requirement for the application. Every app type has its benefits and drawback. Native apps are one of the best but they are expensive and take time. Web apps are easy to access but lack many standard features. Hybrid apps have cross-platform support and are budget friendly but not up to the mark compared to native apps. Every single drawback is not similar for every app development, it’s also depended on the expertise of the development team. LJ Innovate is one of the most reputed mobile app development company in South Carolina that offers native, web and hybrid app development.