A PWA (progressive web app) is a website that can be installed and feels like an app. If your product is content, a catalog, bookings or forms, a responsive website or a PWA is usually enough. A native app makes sense when you need deep phone features or the app store as your main channel.
Here are the differences, how a PWA works on iPhone and 5 questions to decide.
PWA or native app: what is the difference?
- Responsive website: a site that adapts to any screen. It opens from the browser.
- PWA: according to MDN, an app built with web technologies that offers an experience like that of a native app. It is still a website, but it can be installed, have its own icon and open without the browser bar (MDN).
- Native app: built for one system (Android or iOS) and distributed through its store. It can access more device features.
| Responsive website | PWA | Native app | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Installs with an icon | No | Yes | Yes |
| Where you get it | A link | A link or the store | The app store |
| Works without internet | No | If you build it for that | Yes, it can |
| Notifications | No | Yes, with conditions | Yes |
| Found on Google | Yes | Yes | Only its store listing |
| Code | One | One for all devices | Usually one per platform |
PWAs, says web.dev, aim to reach users on any device with a single codebase. But some capabilities are still out of the web's reach.
What does a PWA need to be installable?
In Chrome, web.dev lists these requirements: it must be served over HTTPS, have a manifest with a name, 192 and 512 pixel icons, a start page and a display mode, and the person must have interacted with the page and spent at least 30 seconds on it.
The service worker, which allows working offline, is optional according to MDN. If you do not build one, the PWA does not work without internet.
How does a PWA work on iPhone?
Since iOS and iPadOS 16.4, web apps added to the Home Screen can receive notifications (WebKit). There are three conditions:
- The person adds it from the share menu with "Add to Home Screen".
- The site has a manifest with
standaloneorfullscreendisplay mode; otherwise it stays as a bookmark that opens the browser. - The notification permission is only requested after a direct action, such as tapping a "subscribe" button.
That is why you should test on iPhone and on Android. MDN warns that PWAs use web features that not every browser supports and that you must plan fallbacks.
Which one fits your case?
- Responsive website: your business needs presence, information, a blog or a simple catalog.
- PWA: your customers come back often (bookings, orders, a portal) and you want them to install access without going through a store.
- Native app: you need device features the browser does not offer, or the app store is part of how people find you.
Which 5 questions help you decide?
- Do your users need to install it, or is opening a link enough?
- Must it work without internet? If so, the PWA needs a well-built service worker.
- Do you need notifications? On iPhone they work only for apps added to the Home Screen.
- Do you use advanced phone features? If the browser does not offer them, you need a native app.
- Who will maintain it and on what budget? One codebase for everything is easier to maintain than one per platform. If you are torn between building or buying, see how to decide between custom software and SaaS.
How do we apply it at Mokev?
Our digital cards are a PWA: each card has its own manifest and whoever receives it can install it on their phone, without going through an app store. That way a person saves a contact's card with a couple of taps and without downloading anything else.
If you are thinking about an app or a PWA for your business, see our mobile apps and web development services, or write to us.
Frequently asked questions
Does a PWA show up on Google?
Yes. Since it is still a website, it can be shared with a link and search engines can index it, unlike an app that only lives in a store.
Can a PWA be published in app stores?
According to MDN, a PWA can be installed from an app store or directly from the web. The rules depend on each store, so check them first.
Does a PWA work without internet?
Only if it is built with a service worker for that. It does not happen automatically.
Do all PWAs work the same on iPhone and Android?
No. Some features depend on the browser and the system. For example, notifications on iPhone require the app to be added to the Home Screen, from iOS 16.4.
Which is cheaper: a PWA or a native app?
It depends on the scope. A PWA shares one codebase across devices, which tends to reduce work; ask for quotes with a closed scope to compare with real data.
