Apps seem to be everywhere nowadays. Our everyday lives would not be complete without them. However, while we may see apps as a simple icon on our screens, they are seen as a more complex piece of software for app developers or investors considering a business app. The question of whether to develop an app or ask for one to be developed is in fact a big one. One of the main issues is whether to develop native vs. hybrid apps?
There are many pros and cons to both native and hybrid mobile apps. Which one should you choose and why? This question cannot usually be answered precisely. There is no perfect solution. The best choice depends on the need, timeline, budget, and developer’s expertise.
The purpose of this post is to explain the differences between a hybrid mobile app and a native mobile app and how either can benefit your business.
So let’s begin.
Pros and Cons of Native vs Hybrid Apps
Why is it important to consider? In the end, app development is all about the user, and as we’ve already touched upon, apps and mobile devices are a part of our everyday lives. Therefore, it becomes as important to make the user experience responsive and reliable. Bad user experiences are not acceptable.
App development solutions vary in their experience for users, so choosing which route to take is important.
As a blend of native and web apps, hybrid offers a better and more cost-effective alternative to native, providing a good combination of performance and user experience.
There are some new approaches to native app development…
Simplicity vs. complexity
Let’s say that you opened an online food delivery business, and customers can order food through your app. The app should be made as simple as possible and should not have any complex functionality or features.
You can, in this case, opt for a hybrid development model since there are no complexities involved.
In addition, there are many native food ordering apps since the owners of these businesses refused to compromise on quality in any way.
Games and apps with complex features
You have already mapped out the features you want to add in the future to your mobile game and plan on developing it. Native development is the best choice in this case because more functionality can be added to the app in the future based on user feedback.
It is worth mentioning that hybrid development approaches are used in few games. The hybrid approach to app development is used even for complex retail apps.
Facebook is a good example. In 2012, Facebook became fully native. Users still complain about slow speed after having native Facebook apps.
Pros and Cons of Native Apps
Developing a native application – an app that is developed specifically for a mobile platform, such as iOS or Android, using Objective-C or Swift code, is the best path for custom software development. These languages are used by operating systems (OS) and are developed using their integrated development tools (IDEs).
As a result, the app can be built using OS guidelines, which will provide users with more features and a better user experience. The look and feel will be familiar to users, which will make it easier for them to adopt the app-defined gestures.
An app that runs natively is one that complies with all the guidelines of an operating system. On your phone, you can use native apps such as a camera and messaging.
Furthermore, native applications offer optimal performance because they can be tailored to the device’s features, such as the camera, microphone, or GPS.
Pros of Native Apps
- By distributing native apps through App Store app stores, visibility and support are improved.
- The features and guidelines of the operating system, as well as built-in capabilities, allow native apps to perform better.
- Due to their familiarity with the user experience, native applications are easier for users to use.
- Accessibility has improved, resulting in a more personalized product. Customers are thus more loyal to you.
- To place the native app in the app store, the software must pass QA and security checks.
Cons of Native Apps
- Programming skills in complex languages are necessary for creating native apps.
- Hybrid and web applications cost less upfront than native applications.
- It may not be advisable to use simple applications.
- The development of native applications can be affected by platform upgrades.
Native apps, even though typically more expensive to develop, are more economical in the long run due to their speedy performance and user-friendly interfaces (UIs).
Pros and Cons of Hybrid Apps
A hybrid app consists of both native OS and web applications. They are useful due to their native capabilities and multiplatform capabilities. The application is primarily built with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Hybrid apps load code using a web view rather than a native shell.
Pros of Hybrid App Development
- It is not necessary to use a web browser to run a hybrid app.
- Hardware and APIs are available to them.
- There is only one codebase to maintain.
- You can maintain consistency across multiple platforms with consistent UI language.
Cons of Hybrid App Development
- Hybrid apps suffer from performance issues due to loading in webview as well as being much slower than native apps.
- A third-party platform is needed to deploy the app’s shell.
- A native app can lower costs, but customization can increase costs.
- It is likely that issues will come up in both native and hybrid environments, making it difficult to resolve bugs.
- A hybrid app is often less user-friendly than a native app
As businesses adopt hybrid apps, mobile development is transforming. Business people are keen on hybrid mobile solutions as they are quick to develop, cost-effective, and have expected results. It has certain limitations but is good to a certain extent.
Today, hybrid apps allow developers to take advantage of the advantages of both types of applications. Despite hybrid apps’ limitations, developers are finding more ways to work around these challenges as technology advances.
Now that you learned a little bit more about native vs. hybrid apps, its time to get developing!
Sunvera Software develops next-level software applications from start-to-finish. Schedule a free 30-minute call with us to discuss your business, or you can give us a call at (949) 284-6300.
