Should you develop a native app, create a hybrid app, or build your mobile app cross-platform? Each has their own benefits and drawbacks, but the answer depends on your business’ needs and goals.
What native apps are
Native apps are coded specifically for a specific device (i.e. iOS) and can offer rich experiences unavailable on other platforms. They require less work to create and often provide faster performance than their web equivalents. The downside of native apps is that they cannot be easily Porte to other platforms. Developers need to develop separate native apps for every platform they want to support (Android, iOS, Windows Phone).
A hybrid app uses the same code base for multiple different platforms. It can run anywhere from any device with a browser. But because it shares code across all devices, it doesn’t perform as well as a native app because it has to use the same software framework for each platform. Cross-platform tools allow you to design once and deploy everywhere so you don’t have to maintain different versions of your app depending on the device it’s running on.
What hybrid apps are
Hybrid applications are essentially a combination of a native application and a web application. The bulk of the app is usually develop as an HTML5 site which is then wrappers with a native skin for Apple devices. Android apps work similarly. While some may see this as being lazy, it’s often the best way to go if you need your application to run on both platforms but don’t have the resources to do so otherwise.
For example, say you’re a small company that has developed an iOS app and needs to expand into the Google Play store. It might not be worth it to hire developers for your entire team new application from scratch. Instead, by using hybrid technology, you’ll be able to start building out functionality on iOS without worrying about how it will translate into Android.
Related post:- Native vs Hybrid vs Cross-Platform
What cross-platform apps are
Cross-platform written to take advantage of multiple operating systems without being specific to one. They have the capacity to be marketed across both Android and iOS devices while also retaining compatibility with the web and other popular platforms. Unlike a hybrid app, which is typically only written for either Android or iOS and cannot be shared on other operating systems. Cross-platform apps can be updated at any time across all of their compatible platforms.
Is your app target limited to one platform?
The short answer is that it depends on your app’s needs. We need to take into account if you’re building an app with standard functionality or a very specific functionality. For a standard functionality app, the answer is cross-platform because you don’t know who your target audience. Where they will be most comfortable using your app at home on their desktop, at work on their laptop, on the go on their tablet. With this approach, you can build your app for iOS and Android so that it’s available to all of these platforms without having to have separate codebases for each platform.
A very specific functionality apps may not have the same considerations; i.e., if all of your users are going to be at home on their desktop then native may make more sense.
When would you choose native, hybrid, or cross-platform in 2023?
Choose a native app to install on your phone? When would you go for a hybrid app instead of a native one? When should you pick cross-platform as the right option for your business goals and resources? With all the different options available today it’s hard to know what is best. Let’s take a look at how native apps can be powerful branding tools. Its come with some downsides that might steer you away from them.
They’re an excellent choice if you want a quick solution without investing too much time or money. For businesses that have many objectives, like increasing revenue using cross platform app services you reach many more people across multiple platforms.
6 things to consider before deciding on a technology stack
- Are you a startup with limited resources, or are you the tech department for a big company looking to expand into mobile?
- What kind of experience do you want to create for your customers (native versus hybrid) and how important is it that users be able to use your app on all platforms with a single purchase?
- How much time can you spend on development and maintenance?
- How many developers will be working on the project?
- Does your team have to go through Apple’s App Store Review process each time an update is released?
- Will there be opportunities for monetization through ads, subscriptions, paid downloads, or in-app purchases?
