You need a mobile app for your business and ask detailed questions to the software development company selected. But what will you answer if they ask you which app you need; native or hybrid? So, mobile app development is all about making decisions. As a stakeholder, you need to consider several factors while cost-effectively creating your app without compromising quality. However, there is a huge fight between the world’s best developers and entrepreneurs on who’s the winner; Native Vs. Hybrid Apps. In this article, let’s figure out the difference and how we can decide on one in between them.
Native Or Hybrid Apps? What Is The Difference?
It is worth asking yourself questions only when you know the difference between the platforms, just like there is a difference between Android and iOS platforms. Diving deeper into the technical aspects – Native apps are built with programming languages officially supported by the platform. For instance, Java and Kotlin are for Android, while Objective-C and Swift are for iOS.
On the other hand, Hybrid apps are created with the help of web technologies like JavaScript, CSS, and HTML in combination. So, you can say that hybrid apps are websites that can be put into native apps to look and function in the same way. Thus, both native and hybrid apps are distributed through the official marketplaces like App Store and Google Play.
However, there is a huge mess when it comes to the definition of Hybrid and Native apps. Although both the approaches are quite similar, there is still a slight difference. When a cross-platform app development approach is followed, the programmers can use both web technologies and non-web ones. Whereas, when working with Hybrid apps, frameworks like Xamarin and Ionic empower developers to code with more power when building apps. Thus, native apps are created for one platform, while hybrid apps can function across various platforms and perform much better than their websites at the core.
To make the right choice, here are 8 questions that you need to ask yourself before choosing the platform:
What Features Do You Want?
The first question regarding the uses and needs is the features you may want in an app. A native application allows taking full advantage of terminal functions (calendar, contacts, photo, video, storage, geolocation …) to provide a richer experience, whereas the hybrid app only makes calls to databases. If you’re going to squeeze the device, the solution that fits in is the native app; else, Hybrid can be your best pick.
What Time Duration Do You Have?
Developing the native app for multiple platforms is time taking. It is because the developer will have to write separate code for every operating system. On the contrary, you can reuse some part of the already written code of the hybrid app. It can help to make it functional on different operating systems. This accelerates the app development process; hence time and energy are saved.
What Operating Systems Do You Need To Cater?
Once you finalize the features you want, you have to decide the operating system for your app. Do you want it to run on iOS devices, on Android gadgets, or on Windows phones? Or do you need all three? Decide it beforehand as the native application is only compatible with the operating system it was designed for: iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Blackberry, Symbian, etc. Development cost is directly related to the number of target platforms. In contrast, the hybrid application is not dependent on the OS and will adapt to most terminals.
What Is Your Budget?
Budget is one constraint that you may face. So, decide your budget first. Native applications require more finances and expertise for each OS. For that, you may have to hire multiple development teams to get separate versions of the app for each platform, say native iOS app, native Android app, and native app for windows, etc. However, the best approach to publishing your app on multiple platforms in a cost-effective way is to get it made in a hybrid environment.
Do You Prefer Providing An Awesome User Experience?
User Experience is something that can play a vital role in the growth of an app. An important part of the user experience is based on the application’s performance on the mobile device. Certainly, native mobile applications are faster than a hybrid. We all know that users do not have any interest in an application that is native or hybrid. They are more concerned if the application makes their life easier, easy to use, meets your needs, and does not lock their device. In addition to that, here, user experience has special relevance to the possibility of offline operation or local databases, which improve usability for the user. In this scenario, clearly, the best option is a native development of apps.
Do You Anticipate Frequent Updates?
The user will have to visit the store to install the updates. In contrast, the content for the hybrid app is updated directly from the web hybrid app unless there is a necessary change of the functionality in the app. Hence the hybrid apps are good options if the updates are considered from the users’ perspective.
Do You Depend On On-Device Functions?
Native apps are considered better able to tap into user’s device functions. Therefore, if the mobile app development plans to use two or more device functions like camera, NFC (near-field communication), accelerometer, GPS, etc., it is recommended to go for the native route. Whereas, if your app development plan has no concern with device functions to operate, then the hybrid app development approach is adequate.
When To Choose A Native Or Hybrid App? To Summarize
Hybrid Apps are perfect for simple and content-oriented application projects. This approach is also followed when there are tight budget constraints and want to create an app for both platforms, i.e., Android and iOS, within a limited timeframe. Moreover, when you have the preference to build MVP, the hybrid approach is meant for you then. It lets you test your product across multiple platforms without considering expenses.
Meanwhile, native apps are recommended for custom features, excellent performance, captivating design, and reliability. So, in simple words, if you have deep pockets and want to build something extraordinary, go for the native app development approach.
No solution is prior to another; each has its advantages and disadvantages. In mobility, as with any IT project, the choice depends on the context, objectives, business requirements, functional, technical specifications, and budgetary. Consider the above-given questions that can help you pick the right option for your mobile app development. Answer the questions now and choose between native and hybrid app development smartly.
Native Or Hybrid App – Get Your Mobile App Ready With Clustox.
Clustox helps businesses utilize the latest mobile app development technology, offering bespoke consumer app, enterprise apps solutions. At Clustox, we understand that each business has different objectives and requirements. So, our tech consultants listen and understand our customer’s needs to ensure they get the best, highest quality solutions to let their business grow.
The decision to choose a hybrid or native app is purely based on the goals and priority of the business. Don’t just spend too much time struggling over your decision of mobile app development; reach out to Clustox’s consultants to get over challenges and enjoy amazing wins.