June 05, 2023

Apps are a big market.

We don’t need a second guess to prove this.

According to Allied Market Research Group, the mobile application market will reach $407.31 billion by 2026 at an 18.4% CAGR. 

Not all apps are created equal. There are numerous distinctions between native mobile apps, web mobile apps, hybrid mobile apps, and cross-platform apps. When selecting the right app for your business, you should carefully analyze the benefits and drawbacks of each, then utilize the appropriate testing approach.

Additionally, it’s becoming easier to develop mobile apps, so your company shouldn’t pursue custom app development.

The question of which is the greatest mobile app for your business will arise before you even start your trip. What methodology would best meet your needs, and why?

Types of mobile apps

Mobile apps can be broadly categorized into four groups from a technological perspective:

• Native Apps
• Web Apps
• Hybrid Apps
• Cross-Platform Apps

What are Native, Web, Hybrid, or Cross-platform apps?

Native App

Native mobile applications are created in a language specific to that platform or operating systems, such as Android or iOS, and are intended to run on that platform. Accordingly, one would use Java or Kotlin to construct a native Android program, while Swift or Objective-C would be used to create an iOS app.

Benefits:

• Native apps can make full use of the device’s hardware, such as the camera, GPS, microphone, compass, and so on, as well as the features of the operating system. 
• No other type of mobile app can compare to the performance, dependability, responsiveness, and overall user experience provided by native apps. 
• Native apps are designed specifically for a platform and have a narrow focus, are quicker, and are more user-friendly. 
• Native apps make use of the user interface of the device to provide an enhanced consumer experience.  
• Why Native applications are the best option if money is no object.
• Creating native mobile apps is a wise investment for the future.

Disadvantages:

• A native app has the greatest cost of ownership when compared to other app categories such as hybrid, Web, or cross-platform. 
• The fact that you must write different codes for each platform is a significant issue that raises the development cost of a native app. 
• The code produced for the Android platform is incompatible with the iOS operating system.  
• You must create and maintain multiple app versions and codebases.
• You must engage separate coders for each platform at an additional cost.
• A native app is also not appropriate for firms seeking a speedier time-to-market.
• The user must download and reinstall the app when there is an update.

Web Apps

When developing mobile web applications, developers use web development languages like HTML5, CSS, JavaScript, Ruby, and others to create applications that provide a similar look and feel to native apps. Unlike native apps, web apps do not need to be downloaded and installed on a mobile device. Instead, they are responsive websites that adapt to the user’s device interface. Installing a web app simply involves bookmarking its URL on your device. 

Benefits:

• Provide services across numerous device types to a diverse consumer base across geographies.
• Web apps combine the resiliency of the internet with the functionality of touchscreens.  
• A single-version website improves SEO.
• From tablets to smartphones, adaptive web apps scale and fit to different screen sizes. 
• There is no need to tailor web-based apps to a certain platform or operating system, resulting in lower development costs.
• Web apps take up no storage space on your mobile device.
• A web app does not require users to download or update it from the app store.

Disadvantages

• Because web apps are fully reliant on the device’s browser, it’s possible that some features may not be supported by all browsers. 
• Web apps can’t fully function offline because they are just shells for web pages.
• Even though a web app offers an offline mode, it still needs an internet connection to refresh the interface, download new data, or back up the data already on the device.
• The device’s hardware might not always be compatible with a web app. 
• Web applications cannot be sold through app stores.

Hybrid Apps

Software that combines native and online features is called a hybrid application. In hybrid mobile app development, the developers use plugins like Apache Cordova (Adobe PhoneGap) or Ionic’s Capacitor to embed the mobile app’s code. Like native apps, hybrid apps can be downloaded through app stores. The embedded browsers used by hybrid apps, such as WebView for Android and WKWebView for iOS, are executed within a native app. 

Benefits:

• Compared to a native app, a hybrid app is much quicker to develop and less expensive.
• Before a company creates a native application, a hybrid app might act as a Minimum Viable Product (MVP).
• Hybrid apps open quickly and are excellent for regions with sluggish internet connections.
• Hybrid apps provide consistent user experiences.
• Ideal for applications that deliver content.
• Due to hybrid apps sharing a single code base, maintenance is easier.

Disadvantages:

• Hybrid apps don’t have the same strength and speed as native apps, even though they appear and feel like native apps.
• In hybrid apps, achieving a strong UX and navigational pattern is complex.
• Hybrid apps must download many components, which increases load time.
• Hybrid apps can’t use every capability of the device.

Cross-Platform Apps

Apps that function across many platforms are known as cross-platform apps. They bridge the gap between native and hybrid apps and have a considerably wider range of functionality than hybrid apps. Many people mistakenly believe hybrid and cross-platform programs to be interchangeable, yet the only thing they have in common is code sharing. The majority of cross-platform mobile app development entails using web technologies like JavaScript, HTML5, and CSS to build the app. 

Benefits:

• A cross-platform app takes less time to develop than a native app. 
• A single codebase can be adapted to several platforms. 
• Why At a reasonable price, cross-platform apps provide dependable performance and cross-platform functionality. 
• Games benefit from cross-platform applications.
• With the help of frameworks like React Native, developers may create features for a native-like app experience, such as native UI, declarative programming, hot reloading, and modular architectures. 

Disadvantages:

• Even with the availability of frameworks like Xamarin, debugging cross-platform apps takes substantially longer than debugging native programs.
• Cross-platform apps still need some native development unique to each platform, even though they are intended to run across several platforms.
• The development time and cost of a project can increase when dealing with complex code and integrating third-party components.
• Because they aim to spread malicious files across various platforms, cross-platform security risks present a serious concern.

How to choose just one app for the business?

For a business, deciding between a web app, native app, hybrid app, or cross-platform app depends on a number of criteria.

First, take into account the demands, objectives, and target market of the firm. A native app or hybrid app may be a preferable choice if the app needs offline functionality or access to the device’s hardware. A web app might be a better option, though, if the app’s primary focus is content distribution.

Second, the budget and resources available for the app’s creation and upkeep should also be considered. Web apps often cost the least to create and maintain, whereas native apps typically cost the most. Apps that are cross-platform and hybrid fall somewhere in the middle.

Finally, consider the app development schedule and the development team’s experience. It could be simpler and quicker to design a native app if the team is skilled in a specific programming language. A cross-platform app might be a preferable option if time is of the essence because it can be created more quickly than a native app.

The choice should ultimately be supported by a thorough examination of the needs, capabilities, and objectives of the company.

Endnote

What route are you going to take, then?

As mentioned, each technology has its distinct benefits and drawbacks. Although you can select native or cross-platform apps for the greatest user experience, you could also have to make a trade-off on the cost factor.You can walk in straight through our doors or fill out our query form and ask before choosing the right technology would be your timeline, budget allocation, the complexity of the platform, and so on.