
The mobile app landscape is more competitive than ever before. With over 5 million apps across iOS and Android app stores, users have endless options for entertaining and useful apps. For businesses, standing out in the crowded app market is a major challenge.
When developing a mobile app, one of the first decisions is whether to build native or hybrid apps. Both approaches have their own pros and cons. Read on as we compare native vs hybrid mobile apps so you can determine the best fit for your business.
Native apps are built specifically for one mobile operating system, such as iOS or Android. They are coded in the native programming languages for each platform, such as Swift or Objective-C for iOS and Java or Kotlin for Android.
Native apps utilize device-specific Software Development Kits (SDKs) and APIs provided by the platform vendor. This allows them to take full advantage of all the latest features and capabilities available for that OS, like the camera, GPS, push notifications, etc.
For example, a native iOS app is designed only for iPhones and iPads. It is developed using Xcode and written in Swift or Objective-C. The app is distributed through the Apple App Store.
On the other hand, a native Android app is built for Android devices only. It is coded in Java or Kotlin, distributed via the Google Play store, and optimized for the Android platform.
Here are some key characteristics of native apps:
Advantages of Native Apps
Disadvantages of Native Apps
Examples of Native Apps
Some popular examples of native apps across iOS and Android include:
Hybrid apps are built using cross-platform frameworks like React Native, Flutter, Ionic etc. They use web technologies like HTML, CSS and JavaScript along with native container wrappers.
The code is written once and can be deployed across multiple platforms. Hybrid apps blend components of native and web apps. They are distributed via app stores but run the shared code inside an embedded browser i.e. WebView.
Here are some key traits of hybrid apps:
Advantages of Hybrid Apps
Disadvantages of Hybrid Apps
Examples of Hybrid Apps
Some popular hybrid apps across mobile platforms include:
Let’s compare native and hybrid apps in more detail across various parameters:
Performance
Native apps offer the best performance as the code is optimized for the specific platform. Apps are very fast, smooth and responsive. Animation and scrolling is seamless. Hybrid apps are not as performant as they rely on WebViews and need to bridge between native and web components. Performance depends on the hybrid framework used.
Winner: Native
User Experience
Native apps provide the most intuitive and immersive user experience as they fully conform to the OS guidelines. Users feel right at home with native UIs. Hybrid apps cannot fully match the consistency of native UX as they still run inside WebViews with some limitations.
Winner: Native
Access to Device Capabilities
Native apps can fully leverage all the device hardware features like camera, GPS, sensors etc. Hybrid apps have limited access to native features and need to use plugins and bridging frameworks to access them. Certain device capabilities may not be exposed at all.
Winner: Native
Development Cost
Hybrid apps are more cost effective to develop as a single codebase works across platforms. There is significant code reuse. Native apps require developing apps separately for each platform which increases cost and effort.
Winner: Hybrid
Development Time
Hybrid apps are generally quicker to develop because of code reuse. Developing natively for two platforms takes more time. However, debugging and fixing issues may take more time for hybrid apps as the framework may be responsible.
Winner: Hybrid
Code Reuse
There is little to no code reuse in native app development as languages are platform specific. Hybrid apps allow maximum code reuse as a single codebase works across platforms. Some minor platform-specific code may be needed.
Winner: Hybrid
Distribution
Both native and hybrid apps need to be distributed through standard app stores like Apple App Store and Google Play Store. They cannot be accessed through web browsers. Native apps may have faster approval times as they well integrate with the OS.
Winner: Tie
Maintenance
Maintenance is easier for hybrid apps as a single codebase needs to be updated. For native apps, updates need to be released separately for each platform. Fixing bugs and adding features takes more effort.
Winner: Hybrid
Developer Skills
Native apps require proficiency in platform-specific languages – Swift/Obj-C for iOS and Java/Kotlin for Android. Hybrid apps can be built with web skills like HTML, CSS and JavaScript that many developers possess.
Winner: Hybrid
Security
Native apps follow the best security practices of the platform and are generally more secure. Hybrid apps face additional vulnerabilities as they render web code inside WebViews. Apps must be thoroughly tested for security risks.
Winner: Native
Offline Access
Native apps can work offline once installed on the device. Hybrid apps still need internet connectivity to function as they run inside WebViews. Some data can be cached for limited offline usage but complete offline access is difficult.
Winner: Native
Interoperability
Hybrid apps offer the most interoperability as the same code works on web, mobile, desktop etc. Native apps only work on their target mobile platform but can be accessed on tablets and other form factors of the same OS.
Winner: Hybrid
So in summary, native apps provide superior performance, UX, security and access to device capabilities. Hybrid apps offer faster development time, code reuse and easier maintenance. Choose the approach that aligns best with your app requirements, budget and target users.
Development costs is often a major factor in the decision between going native or hybrid. Here is a comparison:
Native App Development Cost
Native app development requires building apps separately for each platform – iOS and Android. Even if the feature set is the same, two independent codebases need to be maintained. This significantly increases the cost.
A simple native app with basic features costs around $25,000 to $50,000. Moderately complex apps cost between $100,000 to $250,000. High-end apps with rich features, animations etc. can cost above $500,000.
These are ballpark figures to give you an estimate. The exact cost depends on the effort involved in development and the hourly rates. Since native apps require more dedicated engineering effort, they are costlier.
Hybrid App Development Cost
Hybrid apps use cross-platform frameworks which allow sharing code across platforms. Depending on the framework, developers can reuse 60-90% of the code. This greatly reduces the cost compared to native app development.
A simple hybrid app with basic features costs around $15,000 to $35,000. Moderately complex apps come in around $70,000 to $150,000. High-end hybrid apps can cost upwards of $250,000.
The reduced cost of hybrid apps makes them attractive for startups and companies building their first version of the app. The price disadvantage compared to native apps diminishes for complex apps as more custom native code needs to be written.
Team Cost
In addition to development costs, the team size required also impacts the overall cost.
For native apps, you need dedicated iOS and Android developers which requires a bigger team size. For simple apps, 2 developers are sufficient but complex apps need 4+ developers.
Hybrid apps can be built with a small focused team of 1-3 developers as code reuse allows them to build for both platforms. This lowers team costs.
Time Cost
Development time significantly affects cost, especially if you hire dedicated developers. Native apps take longer to develop as iOS and Android apps are built separately. More time means more engineering cost.
Hybrid apps have shorter timelines owing to code reuse. A minimum viable product can be built faster, though complex features may take longer due to limitations. Faster development translates to lower costs.
Both native and hybrid approaches are well-suited for certain app categories and use cases. Here are some recommendations:
Native Apps Work Best For:
Hybrid Apps Work Best For:
So in summary:
Evaluate your priorities and pick the approach that best suits your app goals!
Beyond the native vs hybrid debate, web apps are another option for mobile app development. Let’s see how they compare.
Native Apps
Hybrid Apps
Web Apps
Native apps are best for performance, UX and device access. Hybrid apps balance capabilities and costs. Web apps work for simple lightweight apps on a budget. Choose based on your specific app needs and constraints.
When it comes to development frameworks, native app and hybrid app platforms take very different approaches.
Native App Frameworks
Native app frameworks provide language-specific SDKs, tools and services that facilitate building apps for a particular target platform:
Android:
Android SDK – Enables Android app development in Java/Kotlin with access to Android APIs.
Android Studio – Official Android development IDE with emulator, debugger etc.
iOS:
iOS SDK – Allows building iOS apps in Swift/Objective-C using Apple’s native APIs.
Xcode – Apple’s official IDE for iOS development.
In addition, third party native app frameworks like Xamarin allow cross-platform code reuse while still ultimately compiling to native code.
If you decide to go with hybrid app development, you need to pick the right cross-platform framework. Here are some top options:
React Native
Flutter
Ionic
Xamarin
Evaluate their characteristics and choose the one that best fits your app requirements and developer skills.
So which approach – native, hybrid or web – is better for your app project? Here is a cheat sheet to help decide:
Go Native If:
Go Hybrid If:
Go Web If:
Evaluate these factors relative to your app goals, target users, time and budget. Mix and match native and hybrid approaches where appropriate. For many apps, a combination may work best.
Whether you choose native, hybrid or web app development, focus on quality. Here are 8 tips to develop successful mobile apps:
Choosing the right approach is important. But maintaining sharp focus on user needs, simple design, robust testing and continuous improvement is crucial for mobile app success.
The choice between native and hybrid mobile apps involves trade-offs between user experience, development cost and time-to-market. Fortunately, the two approaches are not mutually exclusive.
For most real world applications, a pragmatic combination of native and hybrid development works best:
Understanding the relative strengths and limitations of native vs hybrid approaches helps strike the right balance for your mobile app project.
TAV Tech Solutions is a leading software development company specialising in offering a complete range of software services and technology solutions across industry verticals. The company is a trusted provider of apps, serving enterprises of all shapes and sizes. Backed by a team of proficient designers and developers committed to delivering an intuitive mobile experience. TAV Tech Solutions focuses on creating user-centric designs with excellent functionality and scalability. They deliver both native and hybrid apps that are built specifically to help businesses connect with their prospects.
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