Progressive Web Apps: The Best of Both Worlds

A few months ago, I was working with a field service company. Their technicians needed an app to log jobs, capture photos, and sync data with the office. Classic use case for a mobile app, right?

Here was the problem: their technicians used a mix of iOS and Android devices—some personal, some company-issued. Building native apps for both platforms would cost $80K+ and take 4-5 months. Plus ongoing maintenance for two separate codebases.

Instead, we built a Progressive Web App. Same functionality. Works on any device with a browser. Cost about 40% less. Delivered in 8 weeks. And when we need to update it, we deploy once—everyone gets the new version instantly.

PWAs aren't right for every situation. But when they fit, they're incredibly powerful. Let me explain what they are and when they make sense.

What Actually Is a PWA?

A Progressive Web App is a website that can do things we traditionally associated only with native apps. The key capabilities:

Install on the Home Screen

Users can "install" the website directly from their browser. It shows up on their home screen like any other app—no App Store required. When opened, it runs in its own window without browser UI, looking and feeling like a native app.

Work Offline

This is the big one. PWAs cache content intelligently, so they work even without an internet connection. For our field service app, technicians can log complete jobs in areas with no signal. When they get connectivity again, everything syncs automatically.

Send Push Notifications

PWAs can send notifications just like native apps. New message? Appointment reminder? Price drop alert? The user sees it on their phone even when the app isn't open.

Access Device Features

Camera, location, microphone, contacts (with permission)—PWAs can access many device features that used to be native-only territory. The gap keeps shrinking with each browser update.

Why Companies Are Choosing PWAs

The benefits aren't just technical—they translate directly to business value:

One Codebase, All Platforms

Write it once. It works on iPhones, Android phones, tablets, desktops, Chromebooks— anything with a modern browser. No more maintaining separate iOS and Android teams or codebases.

Skip the App Store Drama

No 30% cut to Apple or Google. No waiting 1-2 weeks for app review. No getting rejected for arbitrary policy violations. No forcing users to download updates. You control the distribution and update cycle completely.

Lower Development Cost

Building one PWA typically costs 30-50% less than building separate iOS and Android apps. More importantly, ongoing maintenance and updates cost a fraction of what they would for native apps.

Instant Updates for Everyone

Deploy a fix or new feature, and every user has it immediately. No waiting for them to update from the app store. No supporting multiple versions simultaneously.

Better Discoverability

PWAs are websites, which means they're indexable by search engines. Users can find your app through Google, not just the App Store. Links to specific content within the app work just like regular web links.

Real-World PWA Success Stories

PWAs aren't theoretical—major companies have proven they work:

• Starbucks: Their PWA is 99.84% smaller than their iOS app. Orders increased by 2x after launch.
• Pinterest: After launching their PWA, time spent increased 40%, ad revenue increased 44%, core engagements increased 60%.
• Twitter Lite: 75% increase in tweets sent, 65% increase in pages per session, 20% decrease in bounce rate.
• Uber: Their PWA loads in 3 seconds on 2G networks, enabling them to reach users in emerging markets.

The pattern is clear: faster loading, better engagement, lower costs.

When PWAs Are the Right Choice

PWAs shine in certain scenarios:

Internal Business Tools

Employee apps, field service tools, inventory management, timekeeping systems. Your users don't need the App Store because you control distribution. And you want easy updates without coordinating rollouts.

Content and E-commerce Platforms

News sites, blogs, online stores. The combination of offline reading, push notifications for new content, and fast loading creates excellent user experiences.

Low-Connectivity Environments

Emerging markets, rural areas, anywhere with spotty internet. PWAs shine when connections are unreliable because they're designed for exactly that scenario.

Quick Market Testing

Want to validate an app idea before investing in native development? Build a PWA first. If it proves the concept, you can always go native later. If it doesn't, you've saved a lot of money.

When Native Apps Still Win

PWAs aren't always the answer. Go native when you need:

• Advanced hardware access – Bluetooth, NFC, specific sensors
• Maximum performance – Games, video editing, AR/VR
• Deep OS integration – Widgets, Siri shortcuts, background processing
• App Store presence – Sometimes being in the store matters for credibility or discovery

The Technical Reality in 2024

PWA support has improved dramatically. Here's where things stand:

Android/Chrome: Excellent. Full PWA support including installation, offline, push notifications, and most device APIs.

iOS/Safari: Good and getting better. Apple was slow to support PWAs but has made significant progress. Push notifications work as of iOS 16.4. Some limitations remain, but most business use cases are covered.

Desktop: Full support in Chrome, Edge, and Firefox. PWAs can run in their own windows and feel like native desktop apps.

The Bottom Line

PWAs represent a fundamental shift in how we think about mobile and desktop applications. They're not a compromise or a "mobile web" fallback—they're a legitimate alternative that offers significant advantages for many use cases.

The question isn't "PWA or native?"—it's "what does my specific project actually need?" For many businesses, the answer is a fast, reliable, cross-platform app without the overhead of native development.

That's exactly what PWAs deliver.