MOBILE FIRST.

Mobomo was born at the forefront of the mobile revolution. We are experts in app development, from the White House to the USO, and we’ve only gotten better.

We have over a decade of experience in designing, delivering, and supporting world-class mobile applications using our award-winning Agile engineering principles, enabling us to ship over 50 apps each year to the Apple and Google stores.

YOUR PRODUCT, EVERYWHERE

Given that nearly 84% of the world’s population has smartphones, providing mobile-ready access to your customer is essential whether your company is a startup or a well-established brand. With mobile apps, there are a variety of options, and determining which one is most appropriate for your business can be challenging. There are three basic types of mobile applications, and each has features and benefits depending on a company’s product, services, desired application functionality, etc. Below, we have detailed some of the more business-critical decision points that factor into which type of mobile application you decide upon. As a general rule, most startups consider the Progressive Web App (cost effective, simple, improves brand awareness), while most established organizations invest in the Native App option (reliable, secure, builds credibility, powerful, advanced features like geo-fencing).

Native Apps

Applications that are designed to work with operating systems specific to Apple or Android devices are called Native Apps.

Progressive Web Apps

When applications mimic the functionalities and user experience common to native apps but are built on web platforms, they are considered Progressive Web Apps.

Hybrid Apps

Hybrid Apps are exactly what they sound like they would be: a combination of Native Apps and Progressive Web Apps. Hybrid Apps are web-based and then incorporated into native applications.

FEATURES AND BENEFITS COMPARISON.

NATIVE APPS
PROGRESSIVE WEB APPS
HYBRID APPS
DESCRIPTION
Developed for specific OS platforms (usually built separately for Android and iOS).
A website with app-like features and interface.
A website that is developed and later integrated into a native developed app.
DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
Most difficult and slowest to develop (requires one dev team for iOS and one for Android).
Simplest and fastest development.
Moderately simple and fast.
INSTALLATION
From App Store / Google Play; Installed directly on device.
No installation required but can be added to the home screen.
From App Store / Google Play; Installed directly on device.
USER EXPERIENCE & PERFORMANCE
Excellent user experience because of integration to system level features; Fastest, most responsive, most reliable user experience.
Depends on the internet; Looks and feels like a native app; memory friendly –using a small portion of device storage; Large battery consumption.
User experience varies, but in general, it’s not excellent because of limited access to system level features.
SECURITY & MAINTENANCE
Most secured option – layers based on built-in device component; High maintenance.
Least secure option; has same level of security as any HTTPS encryption; Low Maintenance.
Moderately secure; Some Maintenance.
SEO
Not applicable since it is accessed through the AppStore/Google Play.
Can increase brand awareness through optimized search results.
Not applicable since it is accessed through the AppStore/PlayStore.
UPDATES
Carried out by business and users.
Instant and automated updates without need for end user to perform update on individual devices.
Normal updates will be through AppStore / PlayStore; Minor updates can be make without a new app version.
ACCESSIBILITY TO MOBILE FEATURES
Full access to the device’s features, including hardware and settings can be customized.
No access to mobile features.
Limited access to mobile features.
PUSH NOTIFICATIONS
✓
Android ✓ - iOS ×
✓
INTER-APP COMMUNICATIONS
✓
✓
✓
GEO-FENCING
✓
×
✓
MOBILE PAYMENT
✓
Available with limitations.
Available with limitations.
COST
Most expensive option because it requires two dev teams (one for iOS and one for Android), and manual maintenance.
Least expensive option.
Less expensive than hybrid apps since most features are built with web-based technologies and used for iOS and Android.
  • DESCRIPTION
Native Apps
Developed for specific OS platforms (usually built separately for Android and iOS).
Progresive Web Apps
A website with app-like features and interface.
Hybrid Apps
A website that is developed and later integrated into a native developed app.
  • DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
Native Apps
Most difficult and slowest to develop (requires one dev team for iOS and one for Android).
Progresive Web Apps
Simplest and fastest development.
Hybrid Apps
Moderately simple and fast.
  • INSTALLATION
Native Apps
From App Store / Google Play; Installed directly on device.
Progresive Web Apps
No installation required but can be added to the home screen.
Hybrid Apps
From App Store / Google Play; Installed directly on device.
  • USER EXPERIENCE & PERFORMANCE
Native Apps
Excellent user experience because of integration to system level features; Fastest, most responsive, most reliable user experience.
Progresive Web Apps
Depends on the internet; Looks and feels like a native app; memory friendly –using a small portion of device storage; Large battery consumption.
Hybrid Apps
User experience varies, but in general, it’s not excellent because of limited access to system level features.
  • SECURITY & MAINTENANCE
Native Apps
Most secured option – layers based on built-in device component; High maintenance.
Progresive Web Apps
Least secure option; has same level of security as any HTTPS encryption; Low Maintenance.
Hybrid Apps
Moderately secure; Some Maintenance.
  • SEO
Native Apps
Not applicable since it is accessed through the AppStore/Google Play.
Progresive Web Apps
Can increase brand awareness through optimized search results.
Hybrid Apps
Not applicable since it is accessed through the AppStore/PlayStore.
  • UPDATES
Native Apps
Carried out by business and users.
Progresive Web Apps
Instant and automated updates without need for end user to perform update on individual devices.
Hybrid Apps
Normal updates will be through AppStore / PlayStore; Minor updates can be make without a new app version.
  • ACCESSIBILITY TO MOBILE FEATURES
Native Apps
Full access to the device’s features, including hardware and settings can be customized.
Progresive Web Apps
No access to mobile features.
Hybrid Apps
Limited access to mobile features.
  • PUSH NOTIFICATIONS
Native Apps
✓
Progresive Web Apps
Android ✓ - iOS ×
Hybrid Apps
✓
  • INTER-APP COMMUNICATIONS
Native Apps
✓
Progresive Web Apps
✓
Hybrid Apps
✓
  • GEO-FENCING
Native Apps
✓
Progresive Web Apps
×
Hybrid Apps
✓
  • MOBILE PAYMENT
Native Apps
✓
Progresive Web Apps
Available with limitations.
Hybrid Apps
Available with limitations.
  • COST
Native Apps
Most expensive option because it requires two dev teams (one for iOS and one for Android), and manual maintenance.
Progresive Web Apps
Least expensive option.
Hybrid Apps
Less expensive than hybrid apps since most features are built with web-based technologies and used for iOS and Android.

Check out some of the work we have done
with mobile development.

Pulse.

Pulse is a healthcare platform that focuses on joint replacement recovery. This platform helps to connect patients and their doctors. The patient uses de app while the provider uses a dashboard. Providers guide their patients activity through the app so that patients can keeps their doctors up-to-date on their recovery at the touch of a fingertip.

See how
See all Mobile Work

MAKING THE RIGHT DECISION.

The feature breakdown we provided above between Native, PWS, and Hybrid apps provides insight into what each has to offer, but how do you know which one is truly right for your business? Let’s look at the benefits of these from a business perspective.

Native Apps make the most sense for organizations that:

  • Have time and resources (developers) to develop two separate apps simultaneously.
  • Want to take a customized approach with each OS’s functionalities.
  • Would like to extend app accessibility across watchOS, tvOS, and macOS within the iOS ecosystem.
  • Require a complex architecture to be built within the app.
  • Require a layer of security necessary to protect customer data (such as financial institutions).
  • Require extensive access to a user’s device.
  • Are not concerned with search engine optimization as a branding expansion strategy.

Progressive Web Apps make the most sense for organizations that:

  • Don’t have the time and/or financial resources to create separate apps for each Operating System.
  • Need to reach a wide range of users quickly.
  • Need offline capabilities that function regardless of user connectivity.
  • Are focused on scaling their influence in the market and expand their brand recognition.

Hybrid Apps make the most sense for organizations that:

  • Want apps that work seamlessly across multiple platforms.
  • Need a simple, out-of-the-box design without customized functionality.
  • Desire an app that functions like a native app and isn’t powered from a website.
  • Need access to user’s devices.
  • Require a solution that takes advantage of both native and PWA app benefits.
  • Can dedicate the necessary time and financial resources.

Helping to shape a digital future that makes sense from a business perspective and the user experience, Mobomo’s commitment to thinking big and moving fast can help get your organization to take the steps necessary for your company’s evolution. Reach out to connect with us using the form below and let’s start a conversation about solutions that fit your needs.

ELEGANT
SOLUTIONS
START
HERE.

Content-rich websites. High-performance mobile apps. Bulletproof cloud solutions. Bring us your toughest challenge and we’ll show you the path to an elegant solution.

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