PWA vs native appwhich one should you build?
PWA vs native app compared: cost, push notifications, app store distribution, offline behaviour and build time — with sources for every claim.
| Factor | PWA | Native app |
|---|---|---|
| Install | From your website, no store | App Store / Google Play |
| Push on iOS | Yes, after Home Screen install (iOS 16.4+) | Yes |
| Store review | None | Every release |
| Codebases | One (your site) | iOS + Android |
| Offline | Cached routes via service worker | Full offline capability |
| Deep OS features | Common APIs only | Full access |
Distribution
A native app is discovered and installed through the App Store or Google Play. A PWA is installed straight from your website — the user taps Add to Home Screen (iOS) or an install prompt (Chromium). No store review, no download, no account required, but also no store search traffic.
Push notifications
Both can send push. On iOS, web push requires the user to add the site to the Home Screen first (Safari 16.4+). On Android and desktop Chromium, web push works without installation. Native apps can ask for notification permission immediately after install.
Cost and build time
A PWA reuses your existing site: one codebase, one deploy. Native means separate iOS and Android builds, an Apple Developer account, a Google Play account, and a review cycle for every update. For most content, commerce and booking sites the PWA route ships in days rather than months.
Offline and performance
A service worker lets a PWA cache shell, assets and data so key screens load instantly and survive a dropped connection. Native apps ship their whole binary up front, so they can do more offline — heavy media, large local databases, background processing.
Device capabilities
Native still wins for deep OS integration: background location, Bluetooth peripherals, HealthKit, widgets and advanced camera control. If your product does not need those, the web platform covers the common cases — camera, geolocation, payments, notifications, install.
Go deeper on a specific decision
Each of these compares PWA and native in more depth, with cited sources.
FAQ
Can a PWA send push notifications on iPhone?
Yes. Since iOS 16.4, Safari supports the Web Push API for web apps that the user has added to the Home Screen. Apple documents this in its Safari 16.4 release notes.
Do PWAs work offline?
A PWA can work offline when it registers a service worker that caches the pages and assets it needs. Anything not cached still requires a connection.
Can a PWA be listed in the App Store?
Not directly. A PWA installs from the browser. To appear in the App Store or Google Play you need a packaged wrapper, which brings review, developer-account and update overhead back.
Is a PWA cheaper than a native app?
Usually, because you ship one codebase and one deploy pipeline instead of separate iOS and Android builds with store review cycles. The exact saving depends on your scope.