Progressive Web Apps (PWA) vs Native Apps in 2025: What Should You Build?

23 May 2025
Progressive Web Apps (PWA) vs Native Apps in 2025: What Should You Build?
Progressive Web Apps (PWA) vs Native Apps in 2025: What Should You Build?

In 2025, the debate between Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) and native mobile apps is more relevant than ever. Businesses, startups, and developers are continually faced with a crucial decision: Should we invest in a native app or go with a PWA? Both technologies have matured significantly, but the best choice still depends on your use case, budget, and target audience.

What is a Progressive Web App (PWA)?

A Progressive Web App is a web application that uses modern web technologies to deliver an app-like experience through the browser. PWAs can be added to a user’s home screen, work offline, send push notifications, and run in full-screen mode.

Advantages of PWAs:

  • Single codebase for all platforms
  • Instant updates without app store approval
  • Lower development and maintenance costs
  • Fast loading and improved performance
  • Accessible via URL (no installation required)

In 2025, PWAs are even more powerful thanks to improved support from iOS and Android, making them viable for e-commerce, social platforms, SaaS tools, and even light games.

What is a Native App?

A native app is developed specifically for one platform — Android (Java/Kotlin) or iOS (Swift/Objective-C). These apps are downloaded through app stores and have direct access to device hardware and APIs, which gives them superior performance and deeper integration.

Advantages of Native Apps:

  • Better performance, especially for graphics-heavy apps
  • Full access to device features (camera, GPS, sensors)
  • Enhanced security and offline capabilities
  • Native UI and smoother animations
  • App store visibility and monetization options

Key Differences: PWA vs Native App

Feature PWA Native App
Installation Browser-based, optional Required via app store
Performance Moderate to high High
Development cost Low to medium High
Offline functionality Supported (limited) Full
Access to hardware Limited Full
App store presence Optional Mandatory for discovery
Push notifications Supported (except on older iOS) Fully supported

Which Should You Choose in 2025?

Choose PWA if you're building a content-focused, budget-conscious app that needs cross-platform reach without the app store barrier. Ideal for news portals, small e-commerce, and internal tools.

Choose Native if you need top-tier performance, tight hardware integration, or rely on app store visibility for downloads and monetization.

For many businesses, the hybrid approach (PWA + native fallback) is becoming a go-to strategy to combine the benefits of both.