Native vs Web vs Hybrid Apps: What makes them different from one another?

With technology advancing at a lightening speed, it has become imperative to build mobile apps that can enable you to reach out to a wider group of target audience. Now, the question here is that which method must be adopted for building a mobile application. Whether you should opt for native apps, web-based apps or the hybrid apps. Well, the method that you choose for building your next mobile app purely depends on multiple factors viz: your budget, the available time-scale, the purpose and core functionality that you intend to serve via your app. 

Today, through this post, I'll be making an attempt to clear the air regarding the native, web and hybrid apps which have introduced a whole new revolution in the world of app development. Here's hoping that by the end of this post, you'll be able to decide the most appropriate methodology for building your app. 

Starting off with Native Apps 

Native apps are basically the mobile application that are specially being designed for a certain group of platforms including iOS, Android, Windows, Blackberry and many more. Built using their respective development tools and languages(for eg: Eclipse, Android Studio and Java for Android apps, Xcode and Object C for iOS apps) Native apps run only on the platform that they have been designed for. 

Native Apps- Pros 

Firstly, let's have a closer look at the pros associated with Native apps: 

• Apps work in the offline mode, a visible advantage for people who find it hard to stay connected with the internet on a consistent basis
• Apps use the best and latest hardware resources for offering excellent user experience
• Apps have an easy access to all the latest API's that have been released for the target platform.
• Since apps are built in platform-compatible languages, they can have a quick access to all the IDEs that come with tools helping in development and debugging of the app development project. 

Recommended URL: App development – Native, Web or Hybrid?

Native Apps- Cons

• Now, let get to know about the cons associated with Native Apps
• Unavailability of native app developers 
• App updates need to be manually downloaded by the users, ending up into the need for maintaining multiple versions of the app on your web server
• A massive budget is involved as you're expected to maintain multiple teams that are dedicated to different platforms which need to be supported by your native app

Next come the Web Apps

Web apps are basically mobile optimized websites that appear as apps and run on a mobile browser. Being platform independent, they can load within any mobile browser like Google Chrome or Safari. In order to access such mobile version of a website, you aren't supposed to have available space on your device. Web apps serve as excellent means for individuals and corporations which are inclined on making a specific piece of content or functionality available on the mobile devices. Since web apps use HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript and other popular languages, you won't be permitted an access to the standardised SDK(Software Development Kit).  

Web Apps- Pros

• App distribution is easy. All you need to do is simply deploy the app on your web server and users would be able to access them via their browsers.
• Since web apps run on browsers, they can easily reach out on all the available mobile platforms
• Apps are of type: write-once, run everywhere
• Development and testing of web apps is convenient and cost-effective simply because they are similar to the normal web apps

Web Apps- Cons

• Apps don't have any access to the native functionality
• Apps don't work in the offline mode
• Apps are slower and less intuitive
• Apps don't appear on popular app stores like Apple Store and Google Play, thereby making you miss out on a vital source of traffic/downloads. 

Finally, coming to Hybrid Apps 

Popularly known as cross-platform apps, Hybrid apps are the single mobile apps that are built on HTML5 and effectively optimized for a wide range of mobile platforms. Just like the native apps, the hybrid apps can also be downloaded from the online app stores like Apple Store and Google Play. Quicker to build, as compared to the native apps, hybrid apps can be developed using popular tools like PhoneGap/Cordova and Appcelerator Titanium. 

Hybrid Apps- Pros

• Apps can be easily deployed in platform specific app stores
• Apps can easily access native layers
• Apps can work in the offline mode
• Apps can be developed quickly simply because cross-platform web technologies don't involved a lot of coding 

Hybrid Apps- Cons

• The performance of hybrid apps doesn't match with that of the native apps. The sole reason for this is that these apps execute on the platform's web engine; thereby creating an additional layer between the application and end user. 
• App development involves the need for hiring a massive pool of developers. The reason here being that the hybrid apps are built using the standard web technologies.

That's it for now!

Final Words 

Now that you're well abreast with details about all the three app types viz: native, web and hybrid; the decision of choosing one that fits your requirements would definitely become a breeze. 

How to utilize your Mobile site and app in tandem to get phenomenal ROI ?

Business owners are utterly confused among the techniques to adopt a business website. Talking about the stats we see that the people have more inclination towards mobile apps when compared with mobile website. However, delving deeper you would actualize that if unless you are a big brand you need to make use of your mobile website to take them to your mobile app.

In this blog we will discuss how we can make these both work in tandem with each other to get maximum business gains. You can further draft a link marketing funnel for your app to get maximum returns from all your all your investment done in web marketing.

Redirect mobile website traffic to your app

We know that users do not download ab app unless it is extremely powerful or is of a well known brand. However, you can get user visits easily via a good SEO strategy. You can use your websites' traffic very efficiently to increase your mobile apps' download. Moreover, mobile apps are more efficient, robust and offer dedicated mobile experience than mobile website.

You mobile website can work as a showcase for your app and leads people to leverage the best technology and experience.
No matter how responsive your website is but this can never match pace the experience level which a mobile app can deliver.

Be coherent to your  Mobile web app
As people switch from a website to a mobile application, wherefore you need to provide all the core functionalities in your mobile app with a highly advanced mobile friendly user interface. As we are redirecting our visitors from our mobile site to app, thus make sure that they get similar functionalities and appearances on you mobile website as well. Make sure that all your incredible features are incorporated in your app which makes it more demanding.



Present an evolved version of your Mobile app

Mobile apps certainly provide the best experience as they can utilize all the native device functionalities of a device. This is where your mobile app give you a better chance to enhance and evolve your web app development. Coherence to your mobile web ap do not means that you need to just copy and paste all the features, in order to gain good returns you need to perch you technological levels and explore new avenues.

For instance, if you run an online buying and selling website for used products, then you can make use of the device camera to ad a functionality of uploading pictures of the products to be sold or real estate business can also incorporate this in their mobile apps.



Experience is all which matters
Utilizes your linked conversion funnel


You never know which device a user is using to browse your website. Let us suppose a customer is traveling home from office and while traveling they are using their pHablet/tablet/smartphone to visit your website, wherein when they are back at home they would like to see their selected items on a bigger screen. Moreover, you cannot anticipate how many devices a user is using simultaneously , wherefore delivering an incredible user experience on all the devices becomes our prime requisite. Or in simple terms make sure that renders a good performance on every device as auguring about the devices is an arduous task.

Understanding the difference between the Inputs


While switching to mobile apps make sure to utilize the inputs in the best possible way and do not forget that mobile apps offer a lot interactions to meet in an extremely minimal space. Due to this fact there are less controls on a single mobile app panel .


Why it is crucial to perfect you mobile app design?

As per an article from TechCrunch, users have a very low tolerance to poorly performing mobile apps.  For delivering better user engagement you can categories the apps in terms of operating systems. As there are different manufactures, each one of them have their own device design and input style.
As we can see that Blackberry offers a touch pad for inputs like pointing, selecting and dragging, wherein some of the Android Mobile Application device comprises of a physical keyboard. However, majority of the devices offer a virtual keyboard only.

Users would like to use your app again and again and to share it with their friends only if they will feel that the app is worth sharing and provides an awesome user experience.

Recommended URL: 10 UI & UX mobile design tips to engage your user

• Analyze your users and their behavior
• Delivering in accordance your business goal
• Proper analysis of an incredible navigation
• Make sure to make your website highly interactive and visually alluring
• Aptly place the elements
• A smooth interaction is the key to success

Mobile app is not a rehash version of web app

Mobile apps are certainly not a rehashed version your mobile website. However, if you are thinking so then this is your biggest misconception. With so much uncertainty in the web development world, you actually cannot say or predict anything, this is why every aspect its owns positive effects. Websites provide information, where in mobile apps provide high user engagement.

Further, you need to make sure that you deliver the best user experience on each of the platforms such as a laptop, smartphones (native , HTML5 or a cross platform) and also the tablets. Further, you can ingeniously use your website to make the users visit your app by aptly delivering your brands message.

Tweak your Mobile Testing Methods to Boost Sales

I have seen that most of the people opine that testing is of meager importance and all they need to do is focus on developing. This is where you are highly mistaken.

However, i have seen at times that there are several applications, with high end functionalities which fail if they do not deliver optimal performance. Users have a very low tolerance to apps which are full of bugs and errors. In this blog we will discuss how to remove stereotypical testing methods and the adopt new methods to improve you business gains.

Know the essence !

The very first thing you need to do is to know what you want to deliver to your customers, which is certainly what the customers want from your app. Further, you need to analyze your audience as knowing them better will confine your testing circle. This implies that after analyzing you get to test only on limited devices. Wherefore, you can cast aside devices which your targeted audience do not use.

There are ample of devices available in the market, all thanks to Android, which is a open source and is used by numerous third party vendors for making smart gadgets for your mobile app.

Now you can imagine the cost of testing on this plethora of devices!

So, this leaves you with the most viable approach is to track your customers, not literally spy on them, but the using the analytics right tools.

Make a track sheet in where you can track the age, gender, mobile habits and other internet related preferences. This will give you an basic grasp of for whom you are designing and are you getting on the right track. You can further track down their app usage pattern, which can serve as a great parameter to note down and incorporate in your app.

You might be considering this as a herculean task. In this digital age everything analyzing the market won't be quite a task as you can get statics from app stores, go for personal interviews or market survey.

Users DETEST battery eaters!

As a compulsive use of mobile apps it personally detest battery eaters. No user likes to carry power banks with them when they have invested so much in the mobile phones. So voracious apps which crave for power are dumped very fast. If you do not want to ruin all your efforts and resources, then make sure that you app consumes minimal battery. Plus , make sure that your app works in sync with other apps in your mobile and acclimatizes to the intermittent network connection in case of traveling.

Employ Standard Testing Methods

It's good to employ new testing methodologies but it is very difficult but do not forget the old ones. Old testing tools such as Regression Testing ,Sanity and Smoke testing, user acceptance testing, , Functionality Testing and many more such can be used wisely to test your app throughly.

These tools can be easily applied to have a fortified mobile testing strategy. This was quite strange for me when I gathered that people do not know that they can all the functional and non- functional web application testing strategies to mobile apps.

 Additionally, we now have cloud testing technique which offers best testing for apps.