The question everyone asks first
"Should we build an app?" is usually one of the first questions in a new project, and it's a good one. The answer shapes the budget, the timeline and how customers will find and use your product.
There are three broad options: a web app that runs in the browser, a native mobile app installed from the Play Store or App Store, or both. A progressive web app (PWA) sits in between: a web app that can be added to the home screen and behaves more like an installed app.
How they compare
| Web app or PWA | Native mobile app | |
|---|---|---|
| How people get it | A link or QR code, nothing to install | Download from an app store |
| Works on | Any device with a browser | Android and iOS, built for each |
| Updates | Instant, for everyone | Through store releases; users must update |
| Offline use | Possible, with careful design | Strongest support |
| Notifications | Supported on Android; on iPhone once added to the home screen | Fully supported |
| Device features | Camera, location and more, with limits | Full access, including background tasks |
| Cost to build and maintain | Usually lower | Usually higher, especially for two platforms |
Choose a web app when
- People use it occasionally, like ordering at a restaurant or booking an appointment. Nobody wants to install an app for something they do once a month.
- You need to reach everyone fast, with a link shared on WhatsApp or printed as a QR code.
- Your team works on laptops as well as phones, so one product serves both.
- You'll change it often, because updates reach everyone the moment you publish.
- Budget is tight, since one web app covers every device.
Our QR ordering platform at Fusion Feast Bistro, built jointly with Unitary Tech, is a web app for exactly these reasons: guests scan and order without installing anything.
Choose a native app when
- People use it every day, as part of their job or routine, and keep it on their home screen.
- It must work offline for long periods, in the field or on the road.
- You rely on device features such as background location, Bluetooth hardware or reliable notifications.
- Performance is critical, for example with heavy media, maps or animations.
- Being in the app store matters to how customers find and trust you.
Or start with one and add the other
Many products start as a mobile-friendly web app, prove that people want them and add a native app once usage justifies it. Others start with an app for staff, who use it all day, and a web portal for customers, who visit occasionally.
If you do need native apps, cross-platform frameworks let one codebase serve both Android and iOS, which keeps costs closer to a single app. Fully native development is worth it when the app depends heavily on device features or demanding performance.
Questions to answer before deciding
- How often will a typical user open it?
- Where will they be: at a desk, in a shop, in the field?
- Which phones do they carry, and how good is their connection?
- Do you need notifications, offline work or device hardware?
- How quickly do you need to reach your first users, and with what budget?
Answer those honestly, and the choice usually becomes obvious.
Not sure which fits your idea? See our web applications and mobile apps services, or ask us.
