PWA vs Native App: When to Build a Progressive Web App

Installable progressive web apps (PWAs) are web applications that users can install on their device's home screen and launch like native apps, offering app-like experiences through web technologies without app store distribution. Unlike native apps built separately for iOS and Android, installable PWAs use a single codebase with web app manifests and service workers to provide offline functionality, push notifications, and standalone UI that rivals platform-specific applications.

The choice between building an installable PWA versus a native app is one of the most critical architectural decisions for modern software teams. While native apps have dominated mobile development for over a decade, installable progressive web apps have matured into a viable alternative that can significantly reduce development costs and time-to-market—but only when applied to the right use cases.

This guide helps engineers evaluate when to build an installable PWA, when native apps remain the better choice, and how to apply a decision framework to your specific requirements.

What Makes a PWA "Installable"?

Before comparing PWAs to native apps, it's important to understand what "installable" means in the context of progressive web apps. An installable PWA isn't just a responsive website—it's a web application that meets specific technical criteria allowing browsers to prompt users to install it.

Technical Requirements for Installation

To become installable, a PWA must satisfy these core requirements:

1. Web App Manifest

The manifest.json file tells the browser how the app should appear when installed:

App name and short name
Icons in multiple sizes (typically 192x192 and 512x512)
Start URL and scope
Display mode (standalone, fullscreen, minimal-ui)
Theme colors and background color
Orientation preferences

2. Service Worker

A registered service worker enables offline functionality and is mandatory for installation:

Must handle fetch events
Enables caching strategies
Powers background sync and push notifications
Provides resilience during network failures

3. HTTPS

All PWAs must be served over HTTPS to ensure secure communication. This is non-negotiable—browsers will not allow installation of insecure web apps.

4. Engagement Signals

Modern browsers use heuristics to determine when to show install prompts:

User has visited the site multiple times
User has engaged with content
Sufficient time has elapsed between visits
The app appears valuable to the user

Once these criteria are met, browsers display an install prompt, and users can add the PWA to their home screen. When launched, the PWA opens in standalone mode—without browser UI—creating an experience nearly indistinguishable from native apps.

Installable PWAs vs Native Apps: Key Differences

Understanding the technical and practical differences between installable PWAs and native apps is essential for making informed architectural decisions.

Distribution and Updates

Native Apps:

Distributed through platform-specific app stores (Apple App Store, Google Play)
Subject to review processes that can take days or weeks
Users must manually update apps (or enable auto-updates)
Versioning managed through app store mechanisms
App store fees (typically 15-30% of revenue)

Installable PWAs:

Distributed through web URLs—no app store required
No review process or approval delays
Updates deployed instantly to all users
Versioning controlled through service worker cache strategies
Zero distribution fees or revenue sharing

Development and Maintenance

Native Apps:

Require separate codebases for iOS (Swift/Objective-C) and Android (Kotlin/Java)
Platform-specific tooling (Xcode, Android Studio)
Need specialized developers for each platform
Higher development and maintenance costs
Testing required on multiple device configurations per platform

Installable PWAs:

Single codebase built with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
Standard web development tools
Web developers can build for all platforms
Lower development costs (typically 40-60% less than dual native apps)
Cross-platform testing simplified through web browsers

Capabilities and Performance

Native Apps:

Full access to device hardware (Bluetooth, NFC, advanced sensors)
Maximum performance for graphics-intensive applications
Deep OS integration (widgets, live activities, system settings)
Offline-first by default
Background processing without restrictions

Installable PWAs:

Limited hardware access (growing with new Web APIs)
Near-native performance for most use cases
Limited OS integration (improving with web standards)
Offline capable through service workers
Background processing restricted by browser limitations

User Experience

Native Apps:

Platform-specific UI patterns (iOS Human Interface, Material Design)
Seamless integration with OS features
App store credibility and discoverability
Familiar installation process for users
Full-screen experience with no browser chrome

Installable PWAs:

Consistent cross-platform experience (pro and con)
Standalone mode without browser UI when installed
No app store discovery (must drive traffic through web/SEO)
Lightweight installation (prompts appear in browser)
Users can access before installing (try before you buy)

When to Choose an Installable PWA

Progressive web apps excel in specific scenarios where their unique characteristics provide significant advantages over native development. Here's when to choose an installable PWA:

1. Content-First Applications

If your primary goal is delivering content rather than complex interactions, PWAs are ideal:

News and media sites
Blogs and publishing platforms
E-commerce catalogs
Documentation sites
Marketing and promotional campaigns

Example: The Washington Post's PWA delivers fast-loading news with offline reading capabilities, achieving 80ms load times on repeat visits.

2. Rapid Iteration and Experimentation

When speed to market and continuous deployment matter most:

Startups testing product-market fit
Internal tools and dashboards
Beta products requiring frequent updates
A/B testing scenarios
Seasonal or time-sensitive applications

Why it works: Deploy updates instantly without app store approval, allowing for same-day bug fixes and feature releases.

3. Broad Platform Reach with Limited Resources

When you need to reach users across all devices but lack resources for multiple native apps:

Small teams (fewer than 10 developers)
Budget constraints
Emerging markets where users have diverse, often older devices
Desktop + mobile requirements
Cross-platform consistency is critical

Cost comparison: Building an installable PWA typically costs 40-60% less than developing separate iOS and Android native apps.

4. SEO and Organic Discovery Matter

When search engine visibility is a primary acquisition channel:

B2B SaaS products
Educational platforms
Service directories
Local business applications
Long-tail content strategies

Advantage: PWAs are fully indexable by search engines, unlike native apps buried in app stores. Users can discover your app through Google searches and access it immediately.

5. Frictionless User Acquisition

When reducing installation barriers increases conversion:

Low-commitment services
Trial-before-install models
Social sharing is important
Users resistant to downloading large apps
Storage-conscious markets

User behavior: Users can try your PWA instantly through a URL, then install if they find value—removing the massive friction of app store downloads.

6. Push Notifications Without App Stores

When you need to re-engage users but don't want app store overhead:

E-commerce order updates
News notifications
Social platform engagement
SaaS product updates
Appointment reminders

With PWA push notifications, you can re-engage users even when the app isn't open, bridging one of the major gaps between web and native experiences. Progressive web apps support push notifications across desktop and mobile platforms, enabling timely user engagement without the complexity of native app development.

When Native Apps Still Win

Despite PWA advantages, native apps remain the better choice in several critical scenarios. Be honest about these limitations when making architectural decisions:

1. Hardware-Intensive Features

Native apps are mandatory when you need:

Bluetooth connectivity - Fitness trackers, IoT devices, smart home integration
NFC capabilities - Payment processing, access cards, contactless interactions
Advanced camera features - AR filters, professional photography apps, scanner applications
Biometric authentication - Face ID, fingerprint sensors beyond basic web authentication
Background location tracking - Fitness apps, delivery tracking, location-based services

Current state: While Web Bluetooth and Web NFC APIs exist, they have limited browser support and reduced capabilities compared to native implementations.

2. Performance-Critical Applications

When maximum performance is non-negotiable:

3D games with complex graphics
Video editing and media processing
Real-time collaboration with low latency requirements
Large dataset manipulation
Complex animations at 60fps+

Why native wins: Direct access to GPU, compiled languages (Swift, Kotlin), and metal/vulkan APIs provide performance that JavaScript and WebGL cannot match.

3. Deep OS Integration

When platform-specific features are core to the experience:

Home screen widgets
Live activities (iOS)
System notifications with rich actions
Background app refresh
Siri/Google Assistant shortcuts
Platform-specific gestures and UI patterns

Reality check: PWAs can't provide widgets, live activities, or deep system integration that users expect from native apps.

4. App Store Presence Required

When your business model depends on app store dynamics:

Games relying on app store featuring
Apps where app store rankings drive discovery
In-app purchases through platform payment systems
Enterprise apps requiring MDM (Mobile Device Management)
Apps targeting users who only discover apps through stores

Consideration: Many users, especially on iOS, primarily discover apps through the App Store. PWAs require alternative acquisition strategies.

5. Offline-First, Data-Heavy Applications

When complex offline functionality is paramount:

Offline mapping and navigation
Large media libraries with offline playback
Offline document editing with complex sync
Field service apps in areas without connectivity
Database-heavy applications

PWA limitation: While service workers enable offline functionality, complex offline scenarios with large data requirements are easier to manage natively.

6. Platform-Specific Design Languages

When matching platform UI conventions is critical:

Enterprise apps requiring iOS Human Interface Guidelines compliance
Apps where Material Design is a requirement
Government or regulated applications with platform-specific UI standards
Apps targeting a single platform's ecosystem

Trade-off: PWAs provide consistent cross-platform UI, which can feel "wrong" to users expecting platform-native patterns.

The Hybrid Approach: Best of Both Worlds

Many successful companies don't choose between PWAs and native apps—they build both, using each for its strengths. This hybrid strategy is increasingly common among teams with resources to support multiple platforms.

How Hybrid Strategies Work

PWA as the Entry Point:

Users discover the PWA through search or social sharing
They can use the web app immediately without installation
Power users who find value can install the PWA to their home screen
For users requiring advanced features, a native app is available

Native App for Premium Features:

Advanced capabilities requiring hardware access
Features demanding maximum performance
Platform-specific integrations
Users willing to download a larger application

Real-World Hybrid Examples

Twitter/X:

X Lite (PWA) provides fast, data-efficient access on slow networks
Native apps offer full feature sets for engaged users
Both share similar experiences but optimize for different contexts

Starbucks:

PWA enables menu browsing and order customization offline
Native app integrates with Starbucks Rewards and mobile payments
PWA is 99.84% smaller than the native iOS app

Spotify:

Web player (PWA-capable) for casual listening
Native apps for offline downloads, high-quality audio, and platform integration
Both maintain library sync and playback continuity

When Hybrid Makes Sense

Consider a hybrid approach when:

You have resources for multiple platforms
User segments have different needs (casual vs. power users)
You want to test features in PWA before native implementation
SEO and app store presence both matter
Different markets have different platform preferences

Development strategy: Start with an installable PWA to validate product-market fit, then invest in native apps once you've proven value and identified features that genuinely require native capabilities.

Making the Decision: A Framework for Engineers

Use this decision framework to evaluate whether an installable PWA or native app (or both) is right for your project.

Step 1: Assess Core Requirements

Answer these critical questions:

Does your app require:

Bluetooth, NFC, or advanced hardware access?
Maximum performance for graphics/processing?
Deep OS integration (widgets, live activities)?
Extensive offline functionality with large datasets?
Platform-specific UI/UX that users expect?

If you checked 3+ boxes: Native apps are likely required. If you checked 0-2 boxes, continue evaluation.

Step 2: Evaluate Business Constraints

Resources:

Development team size: ___
Development budget: ___
Time to first release: ___
Platforms required: iOS / Android / Desktop / All

If resources are limited and you need multi-platform support: PWA strongly favored.

Acquisition Strategy:

Primary discovery channel: Search / App Store / Social / Direct
Importance of SEO: Critical / Important / Nice-to-have / Not important
Installation barrier tolerance: High / Medium / Low

If SEO is critical and installation barriers hurt conversion: PWA strongly favored.

Step 3: Consider User Context

Your target users:

Primarily access from: Mobile / Desktop / Both equally
App usage frequency: Daily / Weekly / Occasionally / Rarely
Storage sensitivity: Very concerned / Somewhat / Not concerned
Platform distribution: iOS-heavy / Android-heavy / Mixed / Desktop-heavy

If users are storage-sensitive and usage is occasional: PWA favored.

If users are daily active and expect deep platform integration: Native favored.

Step 4: Prototype and Validate

Before committing to full development:

Build a PWA MVP - Test core functionality with a progressive web app
Measure engagement - Track installation rates, return visits, feature usage
Collect feedback - Ask users directly about missing capabilities
Identify gaps - Document features that truly require native implementation
Make data-driven decision - Choose native only if data shows clear need

Decision Matrix

Factor	Favors PWA	Favors Native	Weight
Hardware access needed	No	Yes	High
Performance requirements	Standard	Intensive	High
Development resources	Limited	Substantial	High
Time to market	Urgent	Flexible	Medium
Platform reach	Multi-platform	Single platform	Medium
SEO importance	Critical	Not important	Medium
App store presence	Not needed	Required	Medium
Update frequency	High	Low	Low
Installation friction	Should be low	Acceptable	Low

Scoring: Assign weights and tally points for each option. This quantitative approach removes emotion from technical decisions.

Implementation Considerations for Installable PWAs

If you've decided to build an installable PWA, consider these engineering best practices:

Manifest Configuration

Create a comprehensive web app manifest:

{
  "name": "Your App Name",
  "short_name": "App",
  "description": "What your app does",
  "start_url": "/",
  "scope": "/",
  "display": "standalone",
  "orientation": "portrait-primary",
  "background_color": "#ffffff",
  "theme_color": "#000000",
  "icons": [
    {
      "src": "/icons/icon-192x192.png",
      "sizes": "192x192",
      "type": "image/png",
      "purpose": "any maskable"
    },
    {
      "src": "/icons/icon-512x512.png",
      "sizes": "512x512",
      "type": "image/png",
      "purpose": "any maskable"
    }
  ]
}

Key decisions:

Display mode: standalone removes browser UI; minimal-ui keeps minimal controls
Icons: Provide maskable icons for Android adaptive icons
Start URL: Where users land when launching from home screen
Scope: Defines which URLs are part of the PWA experience

Service Worker Strategy

Choose a caching strategy appropriate for your content:

Cache-first: Static assets that rarely change (CSS, images, fonts)
Network-first: Dynamic content that should always be fresh (API responses)
Stale-while-revalidate: Serve cached content while fetching updates (news, social feeds)

Installation Prompts

Don't rely solely on browser-provided install prompts:

Detect installability using the beforeinstallprompt event
Show custom UI that fits your app's design language
Explain value proposition before prompting installation
Respect user decisions - don't spam with repeated prompts

Push Notification Implementation

If your PWA requires push notifications, follow best practices:

Request permission at a contextually appropriate time
Explain the benefit before asking for permission
Segment users and personalize notification content
Respect frequency preferences to avoid notification fatigue

For a complete implementation guide, see Using Push Notifications in PWAs, which covers service worker setup, permission handling, and notification delivery across platforms.

Platform-Specific Considerations

iOS (Safari):

Users must manually add PWA to home screen (no automatic prompt on iOS < 16.4)
Push notifications require iOS 16.4+ and explicit home screen installation
Service worker limitations compared to Android
No Web Bluetooth or Web NFC support

Android (Chrome):

Automatic install prompts based on engagement heuristics
Full push notification support
Better service worker capabilities
Web Bluetooth and Web NFC available

Desktop:

Excellent PWA support in Chrome, Edge, and Firefox
Users can install PWAs alongside traditional desktop apps
Full push notification support
Seamless integration with OS taskbars and app launchers

Future of Installable PWAs

The gap between PWAs and native apps continues to narrow as web standards evolve. Understanding upcoming capabilities helps with long-term planning:

Emerging Web APIs

Project Fugu (Google/Microsoft initiative) is bringing new capabilities to the web:

File System Access API - Read/write local files
Web Share API - Native sharing dialogs
Badging API - App icon badges for unread counts
Shortcuts API - App launcher shortcuts
Screen Wake Lock - Prevent screen from sleeping

Apple's Shifting Stance

With iOS 16.4, Apple finally added:

Push notification support for home screen PWAs
Web push API implementation in Safari
Improved manifest support

This represents a significant shift after years of limited PWA support on iOS, suggesting Apple recognizes PWAs as a legitimate app distribution model.

WebAssembly and Performance

WebAssembly is closing the performance gap:

Near-native execution speed for compute-intensive tasks
Language flexibility (Rust, C++, Go compiled to Wasm)
Access to SIMD instructions for parallel processing

As WebAssembly matures, performance arguments against PWAs weaken.

Conclusion

The decision between installable PWAs and native apps isn't binary—it's a spectrum based on your specific requirements, constraints, and user needs.

Choose installable PWAs when:

You need broad platform reach with limited resources
Quick iteration and continuous deployment are critical
SEO and organic discovery drive user acquisition
Content delivery is the primary focus
Installation friction significantly impacts conversion

Choose native apps when:

Hardware access and deep OS integration are non-negotiable
Maximum performance is required
App store presence is central to your distribution strategy
Platform-specific UI conventions are expected
You have resources to support platform-specific development

Choose a hybrid approach when:

Different user segments have different needs
You want to validate with PWA before investing in native
Both SEO and app store presence matter
You have resources to support multiple platforms

The web platform is more capable than ever, and installable PWAs represent a mature, production-ready option for delivering app-like experiences. By honestly assessing your requirements against the decision framework in this guide, you can make an engineering choice that aligns with both technical realities and business goals.

For teams building PWAs, implementing push notifications is often the critical feature that bridges the gap between web and native experiences, enabling user re-engagement without app store distribution overhead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can PWAs work offline like native apps?

Yes, progressive web apps can work offline through service workers that cache assets and data. However, the scope and complexity of offline functionality is typically easier to implement in native apps, especially for data-heavy applications requiring large local databases.

Do installable PWAs appear in app stores?

PWAs do not automatically appear in traditional app stores. However, you can package PWAs for app store distribution using tools like PWABuilder or Trusted Web Activities (TWA) for Android. This gives you app store presence while maintaining a web-first architecture.

Can I convert my PWA to a native app later?

Yes, you can always build native apps later while keeping your PWA. Many companies start with PWAs to validate product-market fit, then invest in native apps once they've proven value and identified features requiring native capabilities. Your PWA can continue to serve as a lightweight entry point.

How do installable PWAs handle in-app purchases?

PWAs cannot use platform-specific in-app purchase systems (Apple's IAP or Google Play Billing). You must implement your own payment processing through web payment APIs or third-party services like Stripe. This means avoiding the 15-30% platform fees but also losing platform-provided payment infrastructure.

Are PWAs as secure as native apps?

PWAs served over HTTPS are highly secure, with the same transport-layer security as any web application. However, native apps can implement additional security measures like binary obfuscation and platform-specific security features. For most applications, PWA security is more than adequate, but highly sensitive applications (banking, healthcare) may benefit from native security features.

Can I use the same codebase for PWA and native apps?

Not directly, but frameworks like React Native, Flutter, or Ionic allow code sharing between web and native. Alternatively, you can build a PWA and use Trusted Web Activities (Android) or similar approaches to package your PWA for app stores while maintaining a single web codebase.

How do I track installation and usage analytics for PWAs?

Use standard web analytics (Google Analytics, Plausible, etc.) enhanced with PWA-specific metrics. Track the beforeinstallprompt event for installation funnel analysis, use the display-mode media query to detect standalone launches, and implement custom events for PWA-specific user journeys. Service workers can also log offline usage for later synchronization.