Native Apps vs Hybrid Apps – Pros, Cons, and Best Use Cases

In today’s app-centric world, businesses often find themselves at a crossroads: do they invest in native apps for a premium, seamless user experience, or lean towards hybrid apps for cross-platform efficiency? It’s a tricky decision, and one that can make or break your app’s success. 

Statista reveals that over 60% of users abandon apps after just one use, typically due to lagging performance or a poor design experience. So, how do you strike the right balance between functionality and engagement? In this article, we’ll dive into the key differences in native apps vs hybrid apps,, unpacking their strengths, weaknesses, and real-world use cases.

We hope that at the end of this article, you will be better equipped to present the correct answer. 

What is a Native App? 

As the name suggests, a native app is designed to run on a specific mobile operating system.

This type of app cannot operate on any other mobile operating system. For instance, if you plan to invest in a native app solution for iOS, the app will be developed using the Xcode environment with Swift. On the other hand, an Android app will be developed using Android Studio and Java.

When native apps are developed under the supervision of a skilled software development and quality assurance team, they can operate seamlessly on the device they are designed for, without errors.

The only trade-off with native app solutions is that if you want the app to function across multiple platforms, you will need to build separate versions—one for iOS and another for Android.

This approach can make the app development process slower and significantly more expensive. 

What is a Hybrid App? 

Unlike individual platforms, hybrid apps are written in a single, standardized code language. 

For instance, if you’re building a mobile app using C# or a combination of HTML5 and JavaScript, the developer compiles and executes the code for each platform. With the help of plugins, you can manage device-specific interactions much more easily. 

Popular hybrid development environments commonly used for app development include:

• Ionic – It’s a popular open-source framework for building hybrid mobile apps using web technologies, such as, HTML, CSS and JavaScript. 
• React Native – It’s a framework for building mobile apps using React, a popular JavaScript library for building complex user interfaces. 
• Xamarin – A framework for building mobile apps using C# and .NET which enables developers to share code across different platforms. 

Hybrid apps enable support for multiple operating systems at a cost-effective price. If an app is developed correctly, it can become a little difficult to differentiate whether an app is native or hybrid. 

Users normally don’t care about the app’s development process. 

They care more about whether the app works on the specific device or not. 

What is a Web App? 

Last but not the least, a web app or browser-app is one that delivers the same functionality as a website would; however, this time the experience will be limited to an app interface. 

The two main types of web apps are: 

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs): Web applications that combine the best features of websites and mobile apps, offering fast, reliable, and engaging experiences with offline functionality and app-like features such as push notifications.

Responsive Web Apps (RWAs): Websites designed to adapt seamlessly to different devices and screen sizes, ensuring an optimal viewing experience on desktops, tablets, and smartphones.

A Quick Overview on How Native Apps, Web Apps & Hybrid Apps

What Are the Pros and Cons of Investing in a Native App? 

If you’re planning to invest in a native mobile app for your business, then it’s important that you should be aware of its respective pros and cons. Let’s breakdown what we know about native apps: 

Pros of Investing in a Native App

• Optimized Performance
  Native apps are designed specifically for one platform (iOS or Android), allowing them to perform faster and more efficiently than web or hybrid apps.

• Access to Device Features
  Native apps can fully utilize the hardware and software features of the device, like the camera, GPS, sensors, and push notifications, offering a more integrated experience.

• Better User Experience
  With native apps, you can deliver a smooth, intuitive, and consistent user experience. The app will adhere to platform-specific design guidelines, making it feel like a natural part of the device ecosystem.

• Offline Capabilities
  Native apps often work without an internet connection, allowing users to interact with the app even when they’re offline or have a poor connection.

• App Store Visibility
  A native app can gain visibility on app stores like Google Play or the Apple App Store, providing direct access to a wide audience and boosting brand recognition.

Cons of Investing in a Native App:

• Higher Development Costs
  Developing native apps for both iOS and Android requires separate codebases and skill sets, making it more expensive and time-consuming compared to cross-platform or web apps.

• Longer Development Time
  Since native apps are platform-specific, development can take longer, particularly if you want to support both Android and iOS, requiring double the development effort.

• Maintenance and Updates
  Regular updates are needed to keep the app running smoothly, compatible with OS updates, and free from bugs. This can lead to additional ongoing costs and effort.

• Limited Reach
  Native apps are often specific to either iOS or Android. To target both platforms, you need separate apps, which can limit your reach unless you invest in two separate native apps.

• App Store Approval Process
  Publishing a native app requires approval from the app stores, which can be time-consuming and may lead to delays, especially if the app doesn’t meet all guidelines or is rejected.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Investing in a Hybrid App? 

Compared to native apps, investing in a hybrid app can be a much cost-effective option. However, hybrid apps come with their own fair share of advantages and limitations. 

Here’s a complete overview listing the pros and cons of the hybrid app solution:

Pros of Investing in a Hybrid App:

1. Cost-Effective Development
   Hybrid apps use a single codebase for both iOS and Android platforms, significantly reducing development costs and time compared to developing separate native apps.
2. Faster Time to Market
   Since hybrid apps are built using a common codebase, they can be developed and deployed more quickly, allowing businesses to bring their product to market faster.
3. Cross-Platform Compatibility
   Hybrid apps can run on multiple platforms, meaning you don’t need to invest in separate apps for iOS and Android. This provides a broader reach with less development effort.
4. Easier Maintenance and Updates
   With one codebase to maintain, updates and bug fixes are easier to implement and manage across both platforms, reducing the overhead of handling multiple versions.
5. Access to Device Features
   Hybrid apps can still access device features like GPS, camera, and notifications using plugins or native wrappers, though not always as seamlessly as native apps.

Cons of Investing in a Hybrid App:

1. Performance Limitations
   Hybrid apps may not perform as efficiently as native apps, especially for resource-intensive tasks or graphics-heavy applications, leading to slower performance or lag.
2. User Experience Issues
   While hybrid apps can mimic the look and feel of native apps, they often lack the same level of polish, leading to potential inconsistencies in the user experience across platforms.
3. Limited Access to Device Features
   Although hybrid apps can access most device features, they may not be able to fully leverage all the advanced capabilities of the device (like advanced camera features or sensors) as easily as native apps can.
4. Potential for Compatibility Issues
   Hybrid apps might encounter compatibility problems with different versions of iOS and Android, leading to bugs or inconsistencies in behavior that could affect user experience.
5. App Store Approval Delays
   Since hybrid apps use plugins and wrappers, there’s a chance of delays or rejections from app stores if the app doesn’t meet platform-specific guidelines or experiences technical issues.

   

Native App Use Cases:

Instagram

Let’s talk about Instagram, a social media giant that transformed how we share photos and stories. In its early days, Instagram faced a big challenge—how to deliver a seamless, high-performance experience where users could upload, edit, and share images instantly. The answer? A native app. By developing platform-specific versions for iOS and Android, Instagram ensured smooth functionality, especially for features like camera integration, real-time updates, and filters. With a native approach, the app could access all the device’s capabilities, creating that flawless, fast experience we all know today.

Uber

Now, think about Uber—the app that revolutionized transportation. When Uber first launched, its goal was to offer real-time location tracking and accurate route mapping, which meant it needed deep integration with GPS and other hardware features. By going the native route, Uber ensured that users could track rides accurately, find drivers in real-time, and experience minimal lag. The high-performance nature of native apps made Uber the go-to ride-sharing service, both for drivers and riders, making it seamless for us to hail a cab with just a few taps.

Spotify

Spotify, the music streaming service, needed to provide an experience that’s all about smooth music streaming, offline listening, and seamless integration with various devices like Bluetooth speakers and headphones. For Spotify, building a native app was the obvious choice. Native development allowed Spotify to access the full potential of a user’s device, ensuring high-quality streaming, fast loading times, and a reliable offline mode—everything we expect from a premium music service. It’s the kind of app where every beat counts, and performance is key.

Snapchat

Remember when Snapchat came onto the scene with its innovative AR filters and disappearing photos? Snapchat’s challenge was to create an app that could handle real-time image processing and augmented reality features while being super responsive. Developing a native app was the only way to keep those advanced features running smoothly. From quick photo and video capturing to applying funky filters on the fly, native apps gave Snapchat the speed and performance it needed to stand out in a crowded social media space.

Hybrid App Use Cases:

Instagram (Early Version)

Interestingly, Instagram didn’t always take the native route. When it was first launched, the team needed to move quickly and reach as many users as possible—both on iOS and Android. So, they went with a hybrid app to get it out the door faster. The hybrid approach allowed Instagram to use a single codebase for both platforms, speeding up development time and cutting down on costs. While it worked well in the beginning, as the app grew and performance became more critical, Instagram eventually transitioned to native apps to optimize user experience and deliver that flawless photo-sharing experience.

Alibaba

Think of Alibaba, one of the largest online shopping platforms in the world. Alibaba wanted to create a shopping experience that worked seamlessly across iOS and Android, but developing two separate native apps would have been too expensive and time-consuming. The solution? A hybrid app. By choosing this approach, Alibaba was able to target users across different platforms while keeping costs manageable and development fast. Shoppers could easily browse and buy items without feeling any friction—no matter which phone they were using.

Bank of America

Bank of America faced a unique challenge. They needed to provide a mobile banking experience that worked flawlessly for customers on both iOS and Android, but they didn’t want to break the bank (pun intended!) by developing two separate apps. By opting for a hybrid app, Bank of America was able to deliver core features like balance checking, transfers, and bill payments across platforms without doubling their development time and costs. The result? A sleek, consistent user experience for their vast customer base.

UberEats

Now, let’s talk about UberEats. The food delivery app needed to be accessible to a broad audience without committing to the high costs of separate native apps for both iOS and Android. The solution? A hybrid app. With hybrid technology, UberEats could provide features like restaurant browsing, food ordering, and real-time tracking while keeping development efficient. It was a quick way to get the app out to users, and it worked well until the app’s features and user expectations grew, at which point UberEats eventually moved to native development for better performance.

Target

Finally, think of Target, the retail giant. With more customers shopping on their mobile devices, Target needed an app that would offer convenient shopping features like barcode scanning, product searches, and store locators. But instead of investing in two separate native apps, they chose to go hybrid. The hybrid app allowed Target to deliver an engaging shopping experience across platforms without the long wait times and hefty costs associated with native development. It was the perfect choice for getting customers in and out of stores quickly, and online shopping just as easily.

Concluding Thoughts 

Struggling with selecting the right app between native and hybrid apps? Based on your unique business goals, budget and the type of user experience you want to showcase, you may invest in the app type that’s your desired choice. Native apps shine when performance, seamless device integration and a flawless user experience are top priorities. However, if you’re looking to save time and resources while reaching a broader audience across multiple platforms.

Hybrid apps bring a cost-effective solution with an acceptable compromise on performance. Whether you’re leaning towards native or hybrid, Branex has the perfect solution for your business needs. Contact Branex today to get started on your next app development project!