Too many acronyms for something simple
If you've done any research on creating an app for your business, you've probably come across terms like PWA, native app, hybrid, webapp… And you may have felt a bit lost. That's fair.
Let's simplify. What you need to know is this: there are two main ways for your business to have an app. One is the traditional way (native app) and the other is the modern, more accessible way (PWA).
The native app: powerful, but expensive
A native app is what you download from Apple's App Store or Google Play. It's what companies like Uber, Spotify, or Zara build. And it works great if you have tens of thousands to invest in development, because that's what it costs.
Plus, you need to maintain two different versions: one for iPhone and one for Android. That means double the cost, double the updates, and double the headaches.
For a small or mid-sized business, it rarely makes sense.
The PWA: your app, no middlemen
A PWA (Progressive Web App) is basically a website that behaves like an app. Your customer opens it in their browser, taps "Add to Home Screen" and it's installed. No app stores, no manual updates needed.
What can it do? Practically everything a local business needs:
- It installs on the phone and shows up with its own icon, like any other app.
- It runs fast, even on a bad connection.
- It shows your info, products, and lets customers book appointments.
- It updates itself: when you change something, your customers see it right away.
What can't a PWA do?
Let's be honest: there are things a PWA doesn't do as well as a native app. It doesn't have access to all hardware features on the phone (Bluetooth or NFC, for example). It also doesn't show up in the App Store, so nobody will find you by searching there.
But for a business that wants to show its services, manage bookings, and be on their customers' phones… a PWA does everything and then some.
And the best part: the price
While a native app can cost anywhere from €5,000 to €50,000 (yes, those ranges exist), a PWA built with tools like AppMiNegocio costs less than €10 a month. And you can create it yourself, in minutes, without writing a single line of code.
At the end of the day, the question isn't "which is better?" but "which makes sense for my business?" And for the vast majority of physical businesses, the answer is pretty clear.