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Mobile applications: Native, Hybrid or Web?

A UX guide for IT decision makers

Published
Małgorzata Dolińska-Amrozik, 16. January 2025
A set of mobile app screens illustrating different types of apps: native, hybrid and web-based. Examples include shopping apps such as H&M and Nike, streaming apps such as Spotify, and transport apps such as Uber. The graphics show the variety of features and user experience (UX) offered by mobile apps on different platforms, from mobile devices to iOS and Android operating systems.

One of the key challenges in creating a digital product is choosing a technology that meets user expectations while aligning with business goals and budget constraints. The choice between native, hybrid and web applications has far-reaching consequences – affecting everything from user experience (UX), performance and functionality to cost and long-term maintenance.

1. Native applications – maximum performance and user experience

What are they?

Native applications are built specifically for a particular operating system, such as Android (using Java/Kotlin) or iOS (using Swift). Each version is tailored to the unique requirements of its platform, taking full advantage of the platform’s hardware and software capabilities.

Illustration showing the layers of a mobile application, symbolising the Android and iOS operating systems. The graphic shows the specificity of native apps, which are designed with a specific operating system in mind, providing the highest performance, access to device features and the best user experience (UX).

Advantages of native apps:

Superior performance: Native applications run fast and smoothly, optimised for a specific system. They make full use of hardware resources such as the processor, RAM and GPU, ensuring excellent performance.

Full access to device features: GPS, camera, motion sensors, biometrics (e.g. Face ID), Bluetooth or NFC – native apps can take full advantage of these capabilities, giving users advanced functionality.

Stability and reliability: Native applications are less likely to crash and are more stable, contributing to a positive user experience.

Offline functionality: Native applications store data locally on the device, allowing them to work without an Internet connection.

Best UX: A native app’s interface and navigation are perfectly aligned with the platform’s guidelines (Google Material Design for Android and Human Interface Guidelines for iOS), ensuring a seamless user experience.

Screens of mobile apps such as WhatsApp, Apple's stock market app and Netflix, illustrating examples of native apps. The graphics showcase the features of native apps, such as smoothness of operation, access to device features and high quality UX. These apps have been developed specifically for iOS and Android, offering the best performance and user experience.

Disadvantages of native applications:

Higher cost: Creating a native application for multiple platforms requires the development of two separate code bases, increasing both cost and implementation time.

Longer development time: Separate development teams for iOS and Android can extend project timelines.

Requires specialised skills: Working on native apps requires highly skilled development teams.

When are native apps appropriate?

  • Projects that require advanced functionality and maximum performance, such as applications with complex graphics, extensive device access and large amounts of data.
  • Solutions that focus on delivering excellent UX, operational stability and long-term ROI.

Examples include

Banking apps (e.g. ING, PKO BP), messaging apps (WhatsApp) and streaming apps (Spotify, Netflix) that rely on advanced features and robust security.

2. Hybrid applications – a trade-off between time, cost and functionality

What are they?

Hybrid applications combine elements of both web and native applications. They are developed using HTML, CSS and JavaScript within a single codebase, which is then wrapped in a native “container” using tools such as React Native, Flutter or Ionic.

Ilustracja przedstawiająca symboliczne warstwy aplikacji mobilnej, w tym elementy charakterystyczne dla systemów operacyjnych Android i iOS. Grafika pokazuje, jak aplikacje hybrydowe łączą cechy natywnych aplikacji mobilnych dla różnych platform, oferując elastyczność w procesie tworzenia aplikacji i zapewniając spójne doświadczenia użytkownika na urządzeniach mobilnych.

Benefits of hybrid apps:

Time and cost savings: A single source code can run on multiple platforms, significantly reducing development time and costs.

Faster deployment: Fewer development teams and simpler code management speeds time to market.

Access device features: Hybrid apps can use GPS, camera or push notifications (albeit limited).

Offline functionality: Partial offline support, depending on implementation.

A set of mobile app screens showing examples of hybrid apps such as Instagram, Uber and Nike. The graphics show the variety of functions, from online shopping to travel planning, that can be achieved through hybrid mobile apps. Hybrid apps enable cross-platform, combining the benefits of native and web technologies to provide a consistent user experience across mobile devices.

Disadvantages of hybrid applications:

Lower performance: Hybrid applications can run slower than native applications, especially under heavy graphical loads.

Limited functionality: Not all advanced hardware features are accessible.

Potential UX issues: The look and feel of the app may not fully conform to platform-specific standards.

When are hybrid apps appropriate?

  • Projects with moderate performance requirements that need to reach multiple platforms quickly.
  • Ideal for organisations with limited budgets or tight product launch schedules.

 

Examples:

Apps such as Uber, Instagram or certain e-commerce solutions that combine web elements with native functionality.

3. Web applications (PWA) – universality and low cost

What are they?

Web applications run in the browser and don’t need to be installed on the device. The current standard is PWA (Progressive Web Apps), which combine the characteristics of websites and native applications, offering features such as offline functionality, push notifications and fast loading times.

An illustration of the layered structure of a mobile application, showing the construction of a web-based application (PWA) with interface and website elements. The graphic illustrates the use of web technologies in the development of mobile applications that work via a web browser and offer a consistent user experience across different mobile devices.

Advantages of web applications:

Low production costs: One version of the app runs on all devices.

No installation required: Users can access the application directly from their browser.

Easy to update: Any changes to the code are immediately visible to users.

Offline functionality (PWA): Modern web applications can function without an Internet connection.

Examples of mobile apps such as Spotify, H&M and Google Drive, demonstrating the use of native, hybrid and web apps. Graphics showcase different types of mobile apps on mobile devices, highlighting their benefits, functionality and impact on user experience. Ideal solutions for different operating systems, such as iOS and Android, and web technologies.

Disadvantages of web applications:

Limited access to device functions: No full integration with the native system.

Lower performance: Web apps are slower than native and hybrid apps when dealing with more complex functionality.

Browser dependency: Performance depends on browser and internet connection quality.

When are web apps appropriate?

  • Projects with simple functional and budget requirements.
  • Quickly deployable and cost-effective solutions, ideal for small and medium-sized businesses.

 

Examples:

Google Docs, Spotify Web or information applications that run directly in the browser.

A person holding a smartphone with the mobile application of the EURO RTV AGD shop open, presenting wireless headphones. The graphic illustrates the advantages of mobile apps, such as ease of use, consistent user experience and the availability of features across platforms. A project implemented by SYZYGY Warsaw, using native application solutions and their functionality in the iOS operating system.

Summary

Choosing the right type of application – native, hybrid or web (PWA) – is a critical decision that directly influences the success of a digital project. Each technology has its own benefits and limitations, so it’s important to carefully consider business needs, technical requirements and end-user expectations.

Native Apps

Native apps offer the highest performance, stability and UX quality. They are the best choice for projects that require access to advanced device features and full optimisation for specific platforms. However, they are time-consuming and costly to develop, requiring a greater allocation of resources.

Hybrid Apps

Hybrid applications offer a compromise between performance and cost. With a common code base, they can be deployed across multiple platforms more quickly and cost-effectively, making them a suitable option for projects with moderate requirements. Keep in mind, however, that they may not be as smooth as native apps.

Web Apps (PWAs)

Web apps (PWAs) are the most universal and cost-effective, running on any device with a browser. They are ideal for simpler projects where rapid deployment and accessibility are key. However, their functionality is limited and their performance may be lower than that of native solutions.

Native, hybrid or web apps – how to make the right choice?

It’s important to consider some key questions:

  1. What are the users’ needs? Is maximum performance and UX the priority, or is universal accessibility more important?
  2. What is the project budget? Can additional resources be allocated?
  3. What is the development plan for the application? Do you need a rapid rollout across multiple platforms or precise optimisation for a single platform?

The final decision should reflect long-term business goals and technical requirements, resulting in a solution that is both cost effective and delivers a high quality user experience (UX).

A table comparing the types of mobile apps: native, hybrid and web-based (PWA), with a breakdown of advantages and disadvantages. For native apps: the advantages are highest performance, stability and best User Experience (UX), while the disadvantages are time-consuming implementation and higher costs. For hybrid applications: the advantages are a common source code, allowing faster deployment, and the disadvantages are less fluidity. For web applications: the advantage is versatility and low cost, and the disadvantage is limited functionality and lower performance compared to native applications. Table aimed at IT decision-makers supporting the choice of mobile application technology.
Authors

Małgorzata Dolińska-Amrozik

Product Designer

Originally trained as an architect, Małgorzata changed her career path during her studies to graphic design and user experience design. In her 7 years of professional experience, she has worked with creative agencies and run her own design studio, providing comprehensive services from branding to product implementation and brand consultancy.

At SYZYGY Warsaw, she is part of a dedicated UX/UI team focused on creating an airline application for four airlines in the Lufthansa Group. There, she ensures that the client’s business objectives are aligned with the needs of a wide range of target users. As an ambassador of data-driven design, she works with large user data sets on a daily basis, extracting insights and proposing improvement plans for the product.

She values agility, workshop-based collaboration and bold decision-making in her design work.

Agnieszka Malik

UX/UI Designer

A UX/UI designer at SYZYGY Warsaw, Agnieszka has been working with her team for over a year, developing applications for several European airlines. She spent her first three years in the industry running her own mobile application providing calorie and nutritional information in Polish restaurants. She enjoys keeping up with what’s happening in the digital world and incorporating innovation into her projects.

Wondering which application technology is best for your business?

Want to know more about the benefits of native, hybrid or web applications? Get in touch with us. We’ll help you choose the technology that best suits your needs – from building a mobile application and optimising the user experience, to deploying it effectively across multiple platforms.

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