Mobile apps and mobile marketing are a plus for business, it is now established. As always in the choice of your suppliers, the big question arises: how do you understand what is a market trend and what is a truly valid tool?

The debate between native apps or hybrid apps might seem like a trivial matter to those who are not in the know. But it is not: first of all, because we are talking about huge cost differences. So, it makes sense to figure out what the best investment to make in 2020 is. 

Native Apps or Hybrid Apps - Definition

Keeping up to date with technological trends is a must, and this case proves it: until a few years ago the answer would have undoubtedly been “native apps”!

But today hybrid apps have evolved, are more widespread, and it makes sense to consider them.

Before we understand why, let's start with a definition.

native app

It is a type of app that has been on the market for several years. It is written in the same programming language as your phone's operating system. This makes it communicate very well with the built-in functions, such as the camera, location settings, screen rotation.

Essentially, it is built specifically for one platform, and will respond to the smartphone user exactly how you want it to respond.

Those who opt for this type of app must write it for 2 operating systems (Android, iOS), so they must create 2 apps from scratch, because 2 different programming languages ​​are needed.

Hybrid App

It is called hybrid because it is halfway between a native app and a Web app. Without going into technical considerations: the hybrid app communicates with all operating systems, thanks to a native app “wrapper”. 

Inside the casing, however, they are written in a language that allows hybrid apps to communicate directly with the Web. From there they get all the up-to-date information they need to function.

An example of hybrid apps? Home banking apps, shopping apps, but also social networking apps, which must constantly feed on online data.

The operational difference is that hybrid apps are written only once for all platforms (multi-platform). However, the native app wrapper allows them to access the camera and location settings without too many problems, unlike Web apps, which are in sharp decline today. 

However, if we want to be precise, the performance is not exactly the same as that of the native app.

Time and costs: a comparison

As we have already mentioned, there is a big difference in cost between the two types of apps: those who want anative app for iOS and Android, it will have two developers working simultaneously. If the timing is the same, then, costs double.

Then, there is the issue of periodic maintenance. Apps are machines, they must be kept running, updated, protected from malicious people. Even Software maintenance is cheaper for hybrid apps.

Native Apps or Hybrid Apps: Which is Better?

Running a business costs money, without a doubt. Perhaps this is why we are seeing a tendency among companies to favor hybrid apps.

However, for some people performance is fundamental. Those who use a smartphone immediately become impatient with a screen that loads in more than 3 seconds, with a screen that does not rotate, with a slightly imprecise touch. The risk is that the end user gets "tired" and uninstalls the app.

So, if you don’t want to sacrifice performance, while still having a maximum responsive UX design, a native app is probably better suited to your needs.

we at Pizero Design We provide both solutions, and we can evaluate which is the best choice for your business.

Contact us to get all the information you need for your app!

In general, the principle applies according to which There is no one size fits all recipe for every business. Oeach case is different.