Are you in ambiguity to choose between native and hybrid mobile app? Both have their own benefits, and your decision will depend on the type of app you need, features, your business model, and the budget deserved for it. In this article, we will help you choose the best that fits your requirement best:
First, let’s see what a native and hybrid app and the differences between them is.
Native App
Native app (commonly called mobile app) is an app that is developed for a specific platform(s), which user can download from the app store and use on their smartphone. It leverages the full potential of the platform and gets the most of the hardware. It works faster than a hybrid application.
When it comes to the drawback of native app, it is not very feasible and effective to run one native app on multiple platforms (Android app, iOS app, etc.), so you have to develop a dedicated app for each platform. It offers a rich user experience that any other app can’t do.
Native App Advantages
- They provide a fast, robust and responsive experience to the customer and they are reliable.
- They use a small amount of hardware due to efficient coding.
- They can allow native device functionality to improve the experience.
- They can work without data or internet connection.
- They can use push notifications to enhance app usage and promote specific ways and goals in the app.
Native App Disadvantages
- They reach the audience only on one platform and exclude another.
- Creating an application for multiple platforms is time-consuming and expensive.
- Demand for maintaining and updating the application in the code base and app store on both platforms.
- It’s a bit tough to provide the same experience with two different applications on two other platforms.
- Most of the app developers specialize in a single platform, so you may require two developers to design and manage your application.
Consider developing a native app if:
- You want to offer a rich user experience
- You want to use the native features like the contact list, camera, etc.
- You want to integrate or update new features regularly and easily
- You want to develop for only one platform first and later expand it to another, or you are able to afford both
- You concern security seriously
- You want seamless (lag free) mobile experience
- Your app is a game
- You are not hurry to introduce your app
Technologies Used in Native App Development:
Below are some of the programming languages and technologies used for developing native apps.
- Swift
- Objective-C
- Java
- C++
- C#
- J2ME
Also Read: React vs Angular : Which One is better for Mobile App Development?
Hybrid App
A hybrid app is a combination of web code and native SDK elements, which you can download from the play store to use it on your device (of any type) or direct access through a web browser on any device. It is easier and quicker to develop, but it is slower compared to the native app.
Hybrid app development is simple and cost effective, but it can’t give a solid user experience as it can’t have all the features of device hardware (such as camera, GPS, Bluetooth etc.)
Hybrid App Advantages:
- Most of the app development is done using standard web technologies as they are very fast to develop.
- Developing on a single base saves resources because creating a single codebase needs a single team, and it’s time-consuming.
- They make updates simple and easy to develop and deploy
- They will work without an internet connection.
- They are distributed via both app stores and affect them for distribution.
Hybrid App Disadvantages
- Its performance is slower than native applications, it depends on the quality of the web view that displays the UI and executes the JavaScript code, i.e. on the user device capabilities. However, as the devices grow faster, the performance gap decreases significantly, which is often the case at the gaming level.
- Achieving some native-like experiences can be even more challenging, as the application is developed simultaneously for two platforms at once.
Consider developing a hybrid app if:
- You are not expecting much from your app to engage users
- our budget is limited
- You want to release the app ASAP
- Your app doesn’t need to make use of any native features
Technologies Used in Hybrid App Development:
Hybrid apps are built using following software technologies and programming languages
- HTML5
- CSS
- JavaScript
- Phone-gap/Cordova
- Appcelerator Titanium
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Which to Choose – Hybrid App or Native App?
As before-mentioned, there are both advantages and disadvantages (pros and cons) of hybrid app and native app. Deciding which type of application to choose depends mainly on the demands of the company and the end-user.
So, your requirement is the decisive factor here. If you want to give a rich user experience, then native app development is recommended. If you feel your app users can endure a bit of slowed movements, you can go with a hybrid app. If it is a utility app, the hybrid app can be the best way to go. But if your app’s purpose is gaming, photo, and video editing, a native mobile app is the right choice.
Though the cost is a bit expensive, you are suggested to go with native mobile application development to bring more repeated customers by offering rich user experience. The final decision depends on your deep requirements and budget.
To discuss your specific app requirement, please reach FuGenX at info@fugenx.com or fugenx.com or +91-9154181592
. FuGenX is an award-winning company for native, hybrid and cross platform app development services.