Can a PWA Really be Better than a Regular Website or Mobile App?

Think about opening the webpage of your favourite website store, and with a simple tap, you can save it to your home screen like any other application. The best thing is that it loads in a flash, operates without an internet connection, and does not consume phone storage. It’s all possible because of the innovation of Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), which revolutionized the digital experience.

Over the years, it has become difficult for businesses to invest in a fast-loading site or a functional mobile application. PWAs are bound to offer speed, accessibility, and engagement simultaneously. However, the main question is: Is a PWA better than a traditional site or mobile application? Let’s find out.

What Is a Regular Website?

A conventional site is available to all browsers and does not require installation. It is directly accessible through search engines, shared easily through links, and is cross-platform with a responsive design. Websites are the foundation of businesses’ online presence and are the initial point of interaction with the user.

What Is a Mobile App?

Mobile applications are platform-oriented applications designed to run on OS such as iOS and Android. It is downloaded from the app stores, more intimately integrated with hardware, and can provide highly tailored user experiences. Apps are associated with performance, offline, and push notifications.

What Is a PWA?

A progressive web application is a web-based application where users can access features extending beyond the application of a normal web application. In addition, PWAs are also available on any web-bearing device. These web applications are viewed on any screen, utilized offline, and connected with the device and other apps installed to reach a larger market.

In addition, common web apps are utilized in designing and developing PWAs on web technologies, including HTML, CSS , and JavaScript. PWAs are more responsive, reliable, and engaging with the help of such technologies, offering users a seamless experience despite the state of their network.

PWAs vs. Regular Websites

• Speed and Performance

PWAs are built with functionalities like service workers and caching, guaranteeing load time despite poor internet connectivity.

The normal website is accessible, relies fully on the network connection, and works slowly when improperly optimized.

• Offline Accessibility

One of the greatest benefits of PWAs is the offline capability. Users have the opportunity to navigate the previously loaded content without the use of the internet.

Normal websites tend to cease operations upon the loss of the connection.

• Engagement

Websites cannot provide as many engagement opportunities as PWAs, and they can directly send push notifications to users, similar to mobile applications. This will provide additional opportunities to re-engage users and raise retention rates.

• SEO Benefit

PWAs are similar to websites found in search engines. This renders them more SEO-friendly than mobile apps, which heavily depend on the visibility of the app stores.

Regular websites share this benefit, but are not accompanied by the experience that an application PWA offers.

PWAs vs. Mobile Apps

• Accessibility and Installation

Native apps are downloaded in app stores, which can cause user drop-off.

PWAs are integrated into a device’s home screen right after using a browser without taking up much space. This reduces the entry barrier and increases its ease of use.

• Development Costs

Creating a mobile application presupposes the creation of the iOS and Android versions, and constant updates and maintenance.

PWAs remove this requirement by being offered in a cross-platform single version, greatly lowering the development and maintenance expenses.

• Device Integration

Deep integration with device hardware is one of the areas where native applications continue to be advantageous. Apps can utilise such advanced features as biometrics, Bluetooth, and AR.

PWAs are getting better in this regard, yet they remain less functional than native applications.

• Updates

Updates with PWAs are automatic and immediate. They do not need to be updated in the app store manually by the users.

Native apps, on the contrary, require user action and approval by the store, which may delay improvements.

Advantages of Progressive Web Apps

PWAs are associated with many advantages, including mobile and web applications. Here are some key benefits:

• Offline Mode

The web browser can cache PWAs and utilize them even when offline. This is good news to businesses with product catalogues, since their customers can view the products without an internet connection, resulting in higher user engagement rates, and the businesses could earn more revenue.

• No Installation or Manual Update is Needed

Twitter has a progressive web app that does not require visiting the Play Store or the App Store to install it. People can directly access Twitter and log in without any delays.

Each time Twitter releases a new version of the PWA, governments do not need to install the version manually; all new functionalities and bug fixes are updated automatically.

Naturally, seamless updates are not limited to users. When a company publishes and supports a PWA, it can anticipate fewer requests to support customers who continue to use an older version of the application, and the company will be able to issue updates as frequently as it wishes without alienating its customers.

• Platform-Specific Features

PWAs can avail themselves of a wide range of platform-specific features that cannot be included in a list of Progressive Web Apps’ major pros and cons.

For example, PWAs can reside on the user’s home screen and provide a web push notification that looks like a normal push notification. They can also run full screen, display orientation, custom splash screen, and locational data.

• Cost-Effective Development

Separate native iOS and Android apps are expensive to develop. A PWA is created with a single codebase, compatible with all devices and browsers, and costs much less to develop and maintain.

• Better User Engagement

PWAs utilize push notifications, home-screen icons, and full-screen experiences, making them feel like an actual app to the businesses without needing to develop a full mobile app.

Future Trends of PWAs

It is an important trend point that PWAs are not static:

• Expanding Web APIs

The web platform rapidly supports APIs (Web Bluetooth, WebAuthn, WebXR, etc.), which minimize the feature disparity. Browser vendors are working hard to add additional features.

• Better Tooling & Frameworks

The current frameworks and build tools simplify PWA development and make it easier to maintain, bundling, offline plans, and performance budget are all standard features.

• Enterprise Adoption

PWAs are also applied by big brands not only to consumer-facing products but also to internal applications, due to the simplicity of deployment and the ability to update the application in a centralized way.

• App-Store Alliances and Distribution

The way progressive distribution channels (such as Trusted Web Activity and app wrappers) obscure the distinction between distributions also allows PWAs to be placed strategically in stores.

• Sustainability

As more attention goes toward the green web and people limit their data usage, PWAs with their lightweight profiles are well-suited to the objectives of sustainability and accessibility.

Conclusion

Is a PWA truly superior to a typical web or a mobile application? Your answer is based on what you wish to achieve. PWAs usually perform better than websites and apps in businesses that want to develop cheaply, reach more people, load quickly, and remain interactive with users. They merge the positive aspects of worlds, the reachability and explorability of the web, with the visceral experience of applications. Yet, PWAs do not have a universal substitute.

Native applications are still better when the application is resource-intensive, rich, such as high-end gaming or applications whose features need extensive hardware connections, discoverability, and delivery of content based on websites. In reality, PWAs are the future of digital experiences and fill the gap between web and app.

For many businesses, particularly related to e-commerce, media, and service providers, a PWA can provide greater engagement, reduced costs, and faster outcomes, demonstrating that a PWA is superior to an ordinary site or a mobile application.