Comparison
PWA vs. native app — which one should you actually build?
A progressive web app installs from the browser, works offline, and can send push notifications — for a fraction of what a native build costs. That makes it a real option, not a consolation prize. It also has hard limits that nobody mentions until you hit one. Here's where each lands.
| Progressive Web App | Native App (React Native, iOS & Android) | |
|---|---|---|
| How users install it | “Add to Home Screen” from the browser — no store account needed | App Store or Google Play install — the flow every user already knows |
| Store presence | None — you cannot be found by browsing or searching the stores | Listed, searchable, and rankable in both stores |
| Offline access | Yes — Service Worker caches pages and data you designate | Yes — plus local databases and full control over sync behavior |
| Push notifications | Android: solid. iOS: only after the user installs to the home screen (16.4+) | Native push on both platforms, no install caveats |
| Device APIs | Camera and location work; Bluetooth, NFC, and background location do not | Full access — camera, GPS, NFC, Bluetooth, biometrics, background tasks |
| Background activity | Effectively none — the app does nothing while closed | Background refresh, geofencing, scheduled sync |
| In-app purchases / subscriptions | Card payments through the web only — no Apple or Google billing | StoreKit and Google Play Billing available if you need them |
| Update speed | Instant — you deploy, users get it on next launch | Store review on each release (typically 1–3 days) |
| Build cost | $1,500–$2,500 added to an existing site | $4,500–$10,000+ (ArdinGate Studios) |
| Perceived legitimacy | Feels like a bookmark to many users; harder to explain and promote | “We're in the App Store” carries weight with customers |
| Best for | Content, menus, portals, and dashboards where reach beats depth | Loyalty, ordering, scheduling, and field tools you want people to return to |
When a PWA is genuinely the right call
If what you're delivering is mostly content and forms — a menu, a catalog, a member portal, a document library, an internal dashboard your staff opens a few times a shift — a PWA does the job. You get a home screen icon, offline reading, and fast repeat loads without asking anyone to visit a store, create an account, or free up storage.
It's also the right first step when the timeline is short or the concept is unproven. A PWA ships in weeks instead of months, updates instantly, and costs roughly a third of a native build. Nothing is wasted if you graduate later — the API, the data model, and the design work all carry forward into a React Native app.
And for internal tools it's often the better answer outright. Distributing a native app to your own staff means enterprise provisioning or an unlisted store entry. A PWA is a URL you send in a text message.
Where PWAs run out of road
- Nobody knows how to install one. This is the quiet killer. “Tap share, scroll down, tap Add to Home Screen” is three steps most customers will not complete, and on iOS it only works from Safari. Every native app install is one familiar button.
- iOS push is gated behind that install. Web push on iPhone requires the user to have added your PWA to the home screen first. If push notifications are your re-engagement strategy, you've made the notification depend on the step users skip.
- Hardware access stops at the obvious. Camera and coarse location work. Bluetooth peripherals, NFC tap-to-check-in, background location tracking for field crews, and reliable biometric unlock do not. If any of those are in your feature list, a PWA can't ship them.
- No store, no discovery, no proof. You lose App Store and Play search entirely, along with ratings, reviews, and the credibility that comes with a real listing. For a consumer-facing business that matters more than the technical differences.
- Nothing happens while it's closed. No background sync, no geofenced reminders, no scheduled refresh. A PWA only does work while a user is looking at it.
- You're a platform decision away from breakage. Apple has expanded and contracted PWA capability repeatedly. Building your customer relationship on top of that is a bet a native app doesn't require you to make.
Not sure which side your project falls on?
Tell us what the app needs to do and who's using it. We build both — and if a PWA covers it for a third of the cost, we'll tell you that instead of quoting the bigger project.
Get a straight answer