Advanced learning

Native App Vs Web App – Comparison

Features

Native Apps

Web Apps
Internet access Not required Required, except for rare apps with offline capability
Deployment and updates Required to be downloaded from the stores/marketplaces Hit refresh
User interface Native apps are responsive and functional Equally smart interfaces using HTML5, CSS and jQuery
Device compatibility Platform-dependent, hardware-dependent Platform-agnostic, content can be reformatted with CSS to
suit any device
Animation/Graphics Fast and responsive Web apps are getting closer, but will probably always lag
Streaming media Few problems with audio and video. Flash works, but only
if the device supports it		 Obvious choices are 3gpp and Mp4
Content search Not on the web By default
Sharable Requires to be integrated as a custom build Web links are shared freely. Social APIs and widgets allow
easy one-click posting
Discussion and collaboration Only if you build it, and it’s more difficult if data is
disparate		 Discussion is easy, all data is stored on a server
Access to hardware sensors Yes, all of them: camera, gyroscope, microphone, compass,
accelerometer, GPS		 Access through the browser is limited, though geolocation
is common
Development Specific tools required for some platforms (like Apple’s).
You have to build a new app for each target platform		 Write once, publish once, view it anywhere. Multiple tools
and libraries to choose from
Commerce Integration/ Your personal store Charge whatever you want. Most app distributors take a
slice, up to 30%		 No distribution costs beyond server fees
Distribution Most app stores require approval. And you need to wait
till the store approves.		 Real-time access in a web browser
Outside access to your content No, the reader must download your app Yep, just click a link