Clients often come to us with an idea for an app but are not sure what type of app will work best for what they need. That’s where our team can help in navigating the different options. Here Chris Coomber, co-founder and Director at 4FX, explains the difference between native and web apps and why which one to build depends how people need to interact with it.

Apps (or applications) have become part of our everyday lives. They take two main forms, a native (or mobile) app and a web app.

A mobile (or native) app is designed for use on a specific device or platform, such as an Apple or Android phone or tablet. A web app is designed for use on a browser, kind of like an interactive website.

 

 

What are the main differences between mobile apps and web apps?


Mobile apps are built for a specific operating system such as iOS. Custom native apps are common and designed for one specific operating system or have versions for multiple platforms, such as Android or Apple. They are popular as they can have direct access to a device’s in-built features, functions and capabilities, such as gesture controls or push notifications, plus produce a slick and intuitive user experience, in a format people are already familiar with. They can also operate without internet connectivity, making use of the local storage on a device, so are practical for field-based data collection in remote or unconnected areas.

Web apps on the other hand rely on internet connectivity. With a web app, it is the software design and web browser that makes it possible for web apps to be used on any kind of platform or device. This makes maintenance and updates easier to manage, as every user will be able to access the latest version of the app. Web apps can also be easier to deploy as distribution is via a URL rather than the app store, so you have potentially more control over who has access and when.

 

Do you need a mobile app or a web app?

Deciding which type of app will suit your needs totally depends on how it is to be used, what data you want it capture, where people will be using it and whether they require an internet connection for it to work.

For example, hospitality industry supplier, Olleco, created a bespoke app for its drivers to streamline efficiency within its oil collections. It needed to collect data out in the field and some remote locations, so an internet connected app would be no use. That’s why we created a native app to be used on tablets and then data could be synched once returning to a wifi connection.

 

For a completely different audience, we worked with Organic Colour Systems to build a mobile ecommerce app where hair salons globally could check stock and order products online. Users enjoyed a slick and intuitive experience, while benefiting from the familiarly of a native app.

Web apps in these instances would not have been suitable. Although web apps can be cheaper to design and can provide a business with a presence in the app store, they are often more like an interactive web page and don’t provide the same level of functionality as a mobile app.

 

There are number of things to consider before commissioning an app partner to build your web or native app, including::

  • What will it be used for? E.g. Capturing data or online selling?
  • Who will use it? E.g. Sales teams, engineers, drivers or customers?
  • Is it a back of house system or a customer facing tool?
  • Will it work with interrupted internet access? Does it need to?
  • How will people access it? From a desktop or mobile?
  • How do you want people to access or share it? Through the app store or a shareable link?
  • Do you want to use the functionality within the device? E.g. Camera. location or local storage?
  • What’s your budget? How much control do you want to have? Are you happy to share a cut of in app purchase with the app store?

On the whole a web app is more suited to businesses that want an app style presence, which does go in the app stores, but isn’t required to work where there’s no internet connection.

For more information on how our forward-thinking and innovative development team can find the right app for you, get in touch today on 01908 375200 or email us at getintouch@4fx.co.uk.