Introduction
Mobile apps have become increasingly popular in the fast-paced digital environment. They have become essential mobile marketing tools for small and large businesses. There are two major application development approaches: native and hybrid. Differentiating between the two can help you make the right choice for your business.
Both hybrid and native apps have advantages and disadvantages. The optimal choice may differ depending on the business objective, budget, time frame, expected customer interaction, and user experience. In this post, we will analyze native vs. hybrid apps regarding cost, performance, user experience, and other factors to provide an understanding of which would better serve your business.
We will examine each type of app’s pros and cons, analyze the expenses, and conclude by recommending the most suitable app according to the business type, from experts in the industry to developing e-commerce platforms.
Understanding Native and Hybrid Apps
Before going deeper into the comparison, let’s start by understanding each type of app.
What Are Native Apps?
Native apps are designed to be used by a single operating system, such as iOS or Android. Each app is developed with the appropriate coding language for the platform it will be used on, such as Swift for iOS, Kotlin, or Java for Android, and offers a seamless user experience leveraging the device’s hardware and software features.
Examples: Instagram, WhatsApp, and Uber are some of the most popular native apps. These apps work exceptionally well because they are tailored to the operating system and use all the device’s native features.
Key Characteristics of Native Apps:
- Each app is designed uniquely for iOS and Android.
- Native languages of each platform are used to code the app (Swift or Objective-C for iOS, Java or Kotlin for Android).
- Usually describes premier user experience, speed, and overall system responsiveness.
- It covers all device features, like camera, GPS, microphone, etc.
What Are Hybrid Apps?
In contrast, hybrid apps use native and web app features. Using technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, they are developed as web apps but can be executed on any platform, Android or iOS, because they can be embedded in a native shell. With hybrid frameworks like React Native and Flutter, these apps can be developed for multiple platforms with a single codebase, saving time and money.
Examples: Airbnb and Facebook apps, which, despite being developed with hybrid frameworks, offer native-like experiences while leveraging a shared codebase.
Key Characteristics of Hybrid Apps:
- There’s only one codebase for all platforms.
- Web-based apps are developed with React Native, Flutter, and Ionic.
- Low maintenance due to having a single codebase.
- Performance can sometimes be less than that of a native app but is sufficient for most requirements.
Pros and Cons of Native Apps
Let’s dive deeper into the pros and cons of native apps.
Advantages of Native Apps
Performance
The most significant advantage of native apps is their performance. Since they are developed for a given platform, they are faster and smoother and can handle demanding processes like gaming, 3D graphics, and augmented reality more proficiently.
Example: Pokémon Go and Call of Duty Mobile are prime examples of native apps due to their need for high-end graphics and real-time performance, which native development alone can provide.
Customization and Features
Native apps enable developers to access all the platform-specific functionality, which means your app can be entirely customized for your business needs. They are also developed in compliance with the guidelines for each platform’s look and feel, creating a seamless and natural user experience.
Example: Apple Maps and Google Maps are optimized for their respective operating systems, tailored for their respective platforms, and employ native functionality such as location tracking through GPS, real-time traffic updates, and location-based recommendations.
Better User Experience
Because native apps are developed for a single platform, they generally offer a more natural and seamless user experience. Because they are created to work well with the interface of the given platform, users will be less likely to experience performance lag or glitches.
Disadvantages of Native Apps
Cost
Creating a native app is costly, especially if you require different apps for iOS and Android. You must employ different development teams for each system, increasing your development cost significantly.
Time to Market
Developing two apps from scratch, one for iOS and another for Android, takes considerable time. You will also need to maintain and update them continuously, which increases ongoing maintenance complexity.
Pros and Cons of Hybrid Apps
Let’s consider the advantages and disadvantages of hybrid apps.
Advantages of Hybrid Apps
Cost Efficiency
The most significant benefit of hybrid apps is cost savings. Since hybrid apps share the same codebase for iOS and Android, companies save on development costs. Developing, updating, and fixing bugs for hybrid apps is also faster, as they can be released simultaneously for either platform.
Example: Twitter was initially a cross-platform app that saved them development costs while providing customers with a seamless experience across platforms.
Faster Time to Market
Businesses can bring their product to market much quicker using hybrid apps. With just one codebase, developers do not need to develop separate apps for iOS and Android, which cuts down considerably on development time.
Easier Maintenance
Hybrid apps are simpler to manage and maintain. Since they involve only one codebase, any fixes or updates can be pushed to both platforms simultaneously, saving time and resources for regular maintenance.
Disadvantages of Hybrid Apps
Performance Issues
Generally, hybrid apps are less performant than native apps. They can lag or have glitches, particularly when implementing complex animations or data-intensive operations. Web views are employed for rendering content in hybrid apps, which are not always comparable in performance with native code.
Limited Customization
While hybrid apps provide flexibility, they cannot always offer deep customization as native apps can. If your app needs customized features such as advanced graphics or access to certain system-specific APIs, hybrid apps are not ideal.
Key Considerations for Businesses
The decision between native and hybrid apps isn’t one-size-fits-all. Before making the choice, more than one factor needs to be considered. Let’s examine different business needs.
Which App is Better for Startups?
For startups, a top priority is always working within their budget and launching the app quickly. In this context, hybrid apps are often the more intelligent choice. They help keep costs manageable and make it possible to release the app sooner. Since hybrid apps are built using a single codebase on iOS and Android, new businesses can spend more time and money marketing their product and gaining users rather than splitting resources across two separate development paths.
Example: A startup launching a service-based app or marketplace might opt for a hybrid approach to maximize its budget and reach users across both platforms without hiring two specialized teams.
Native vs. Hybrid for Small Businesses
Small businesses face many of the same issues as startups, especially when keeping expenses low and getting the most visibility possible. For most, hybrid apps are a practical solution. They are more affordable and allow businesses to reach users on both iOS and Android using one streamlined development process.
However, some small businesses rely heavily on the quality of the user experience they deliver. For example, restaurants offering mobile ordering or boutique services with personalized features might prefer native apps. The added performance and design flexibility of a native build can make a noticeable difference in how users interact with the app.
E-Commerce Needs
In the world of e-commerce, native apps tend to be the better fit. Online stores usually need high performance, smooth functionality, and features like secure payment systems and real-time inventory updates. Native apps are better equipped to deliver fast loading times and a seamless checkout experience, which is critical for keeping customers engaged and completing purchases.
Example: Major online retailers like Amazon and eBay use native apps because they can handle significant traffic and transactions while offering a reliable and fast user experience.
Cost Comparison: Native vs Hybrid Apps
One of the most significant deciding factors for many businesses is the cost. Here’s a detailed breakdown:
Development Costs
- Native Apps: Developing two separate apps (iOS and Android) means higher upfront costs. You also need different teams for each platform, which can be expensive.
- Hybrid Apps: Reduced expenditure is one advantage of having a single codebase for both platforms. This is perfect for companies looking to save money.
Maintenance and Updates
- Native Apps: Separate codebases for iOS and Android mean that any updates, fixes, or feature additions must be made for both apps, increasing maintenance costs.
- Hybrid Apps: A single codebase allows updates and bug fixes to be applied simultaneously for both platforms, making maintenance more cost-efficient.
Long-Term Value
While hybrid apps are cheaper in the short run, native apps offer better long-term value. Their scalability, performance, and user experience make them a more future-proof solution, especially for large businesses that need to expand or add more advanced features over time.
Performance Comparison: Native vs Hybrid Apps
Performance is often a dealbreaker for many businesses. Here’s how each stacks up:
Native Apps:
For mobile platforms, Native apps tend to stand out compared to other types of applications because they offer unrivaled functionality, performance, and advanced graphics rendering and processing tasks. Games, navigational tools, and video editing software are examples of applications requiring native apps for their utmost efficiency.
Example: Fortnite requires a lot of processing power, so it must be a native app.
Hybrid Apps:
Content-based applications, such as small e-commerce-commerce apps, do not require as much precision or performance, and therefore, hybrid apps work well on those types of applications. Apps that operate like news portals or informational apps fit the performance requirement but still function admirably as hybrid apps.
Example: News apps such as The New York Times require vast information but perform well with hybrid development due to their non-intensive nature.
How to Choose the Right App for Your Business
Choosing an app appropriate for your business requires patience and time. Many factors, such as budget, deadlines, and technical constraints, need to be considered. Here are some pointers to help you decide.
- Determine Your Budget: Calculate the cost before proceeding with app development. If you are working on a shoestring budget, a hybrid app would be best.
- Consider Your Timeline: Do you need to launch quickly? Hybrid apps have faster development times, while native apps take longer.
- Assess Your Performance Needs: Native development is likely the better choice if your app will handle large amounts of traffic or require resource-intensive features (like games or AR).
- Think About the User Experience: If user experience is critical to the business’s strategy, needs, and goals, native applications will more likely fulfill those needs and expectations.
- Look to the Future: What is your business intended to scale into? Would the application require additional feature support or users?
Conclusion: Native or Hybrid—What’s Best for Your Business?
Whether hybrid vs. native applications should be used is crucial to the business’s requirements. While native applications are optimal for performance, customization, user experience, and volatile expenses, other hybrid apps achieve the opposite: they spend less while gaining speed with a single code for both systems.
Ultimately, the decision relies most on the business strategy, goals, and available assets. After evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of each approach, these businesses are bound to thrive in a mobile-relevant modern era.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are native apps?
Native apps are developed specifically for a single platform (iOS or Android) and offer the best performance and user experience.
What are hybrid apps?
Hybrid apps are built using web technologies but are wrapped in a native app shell, allowing them to work across multiple platforms.
Which app is better for startups?
Hybrid apps are usually better for startups due to their lower cost and faster time to market.
Which are more expensive, native or hybrid apps?
Native apps are generally more expensive because they require separate development for each platform.
Can hybrid apps be as good as native apps?
While hybrid apps have improved, they generally can’t match native apps’ performance or customization.
How do I choose the right app for my business?
Consider your budget, timeline, performance requirements, and long-term needs to decide whether a native or hybrid app is best for your business.
