Native, Cross-Platform, or Something Else? Choosing Mobile App Technology

So you need a mobile app for your business. Great! Now your developer is throwing around terms like "native," "cross-platform," and "progressive web app." Before your eyes glaze over, let's translate this and help you make a smart choice.

Your Main Options

Native Apps: The Tailored Suit

Native apps are built specifically for one platform – iPhone OR Android. It's like having a suit custom-tailored for you. Fits perfectly, looks amazing, but you need a completely different suit if you change body types.

The Good: Fastest performance, access to all phone features, feels "right" on each device

The Bad: Need two separate apps (double the cost), two codebases to maintain

Best For: Companies with bigger budgets who need top performance or complex features

Cross-Platform Apps: The Adjustable Outfit

These apps (built with tools like React Native or Flutter) work on both iPhone and Android from one codebase. Think of it as a high-quality adjustable outfit – fits different body types pretty well, though maybe not as perfectly as custom tailoring.

The Good: One codebase for both platforms (usually 30-40% cheaper), faster to market

The Bad: Might feel slightly "off" to users, some advanced features harder to implement

Best For: Most small businesses wanting presence on both platforms

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs): The Clever Compromise

These are websites that act like apps. Users can "install" them, they work offline, send notifications, but they're really just smart websites. Like a reversible jacket that works as both formal and casual wear.

The Good: Cheapest option, no app store approval needed, one version for everything

The Bad: Can't access all phone features, users might not take them as seriously

Best For: Content-focused apps, budget-conscious businesses, testing app ideas

WebView/Hybrid Apps: The "Looks Like an App" Option

Basically, your website is wrapped in an app shell. Like putting a fancy cover on a notebook – looks different, same content inside.

The Good: Very cheap if you already have a mobile website

The Bad: Usually performs poorly, users notice it's just a website, app stores might reject

Best For: Honestly? Usually not the best choice for anyone

Questions to Ask Yourself (Not Your Developer)

1. What's your honest budget?

• Limited budget? Look at PWAs

• Moderate budget? Cross-platform makes sense

• Larger budget? Native becomes viable

  
  

2. What features do you actually need?

• Just displaying information? PWA works great

• Need camera, GPS, payments? Cross-platform handles most of this

• Complex animations, AR, heavy processing? Native might be necessary

  
  

3. Who are your users?

• Tech-savvy young users? They'll notice if your app feels "weird"

• Older, less technical users? They probably won't care about native vs. cross-platform

• Mix of both? Cross-platform is usually fine

  
  

4. How fast do you need it?

• Yesterday? PWA or cross-platform

• Have 6+ months? Native becomes an option

  
  

Red Flags From Developers

• Pushing native for a simple business app (they might want to pad the bill)

• Insisting on hybrid/WebView to save money (they might not know better technologies)

• Not mentioning PWAs at all (they might be behind on current options)

• Can't explain the trade-offs clearly (they might not understand them either)

  
  

The Bottom Line

For 80% of small businesses, cross-platform development hits the sweet spot of cost, functionality, and user experience. Unless you're building the next Instagram or need cutting-edge features, you probably don't need native apps.

Start with what your users actually need, not what sounds impressive. A well-built cross-platform app beats a poorly built native app every time. And remember: you can always start with one approach and switch later as your business grows.