Native Vs. Hybrid App development: Which is best?

In the world of mobile application development, the most common question that arises is whether to create a native or hybrid app. Native Vs. Hybrid app development: which one is the best? Since mobile applications are an integral part of our daily lives, every startup owner wants a unique approach to developing an application to cater to their customers’ needs. According to the latest data, 140 billion apps were downloaded in 2016, almost doubling 218 billion in 2020. In 2022, with the rise of smartphones and tablets worldwide, app downloads have increased the number to 255 billion.This considerable jump in numbers makes business owners seek suggestions from other developers. In the section below, we’ll learn about native and hybrid app development in more detail.

Difference between native and hybrid app development

Native Apps

Native apps are developed specifically for single platforms like iOS, Android, or Windows. They’re called native since they’re only compatible with specific devices. We develop these apps using platform-specific programming languages, tools, and software development kits (SDK). Native apps in iOS are developed using Objective C and Swift programming languages. On the contrary, we have to use Java Kotlin for Android. Regarding tools, we use Xcode for iOS and Android Studio for Android. As a result, these apps support only one type of operating system. That’s why a native application built for Android will never work on the iOS platform and vice versa.

Examples of Native Apps

Buzz Launcher (For only Android)
Things 3 (For only iOS)
Overcast (For only iOS)
ParrotOne (For Android)
FoxFi (For Android)

Hybrid Apps

Hybrid apps are not platform specific. It is a single application that can run on multiple operating systems like Android, iOS, and Windows. Hybrid apps are developed using web programming languages, such as Dart, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and are wrapped in a native container that can be deployed on multiple platforms. So, there is a single codebase and multiple platforms. Hybrid apps can be developed using popular frameworks like React Native, Flutter, Xamarin, Ionic, and PhoneGap. Hybrid apps provide cost-effective solutions for businesses developing mobile apps for multiple platforms.

Examples of Hybrid Apps

Evernote (made with React Native)
Baskin Robbins (made with Xamrin)
Pacifica (made with Ionic)
Sworkit (made with Ionic)
Untapped (made with Ionic)

Now, let’s go over the benefits and drawbacks of native and hybrid app development.

Advantages of Native Apps

High Performance

One of the significant advantages of developing native apps is their performance. They are faster, more responsive, and more interactive. Everything runs smooth as they’re bug-free, enhancing the customers’ overall user experience. A native app can make a user spend a long time in the app with its high performance.

User Experience

Native apps provide a better user experience as they are designed to follow the platform’s design guidelines and offer a familiar look. For Instance, native apps use platform-specific UI components such as buttons, menus, and layouts to provide a consistent and intuitive user interface.

Access to device features

Native apps grant access to the native features of the device, such as the camera, GPS, and sensors allowing developers to develop feature-rich apps. With these device features, users can use the app freely and conveniently. The app will perform well to help the users in their times of need.

Better Security

Due to access to native features of the device, native apps can use device security features that provide developers leverage to build more secure apps. Moreover, native apps can store user-sensitive data securely.

Disadvantages of Native Apps

High development cost

Value comes with a good fee; the same goes for native apps. They give a smooth performance, a friendly user experience, and so on. Therefore, the development cost is higher because of the complex and time-consuming process the apps must undergo while developing.

Not suitable for all small business

For small businesses, developing and marketing a native app can be a little expensive compared to a hybrid app. Therefore, native app development requires a high budget. The process is complex and time-consuming, which can be challenging for small business owners in the initial days of the business.

Advantages of Hybrid Apps

Cross-platform development

Because there is a single codebase for all platforms, developers only need to write it once and deploy it wherever necessary. This nature of hybrid apps makes them cost-effective and time-saving solutions.

Faster development

Hybrid apps have a sort of “one for all” build that can save time and money when developing different versions of the same app. These apps save you much time and energy that you can use to do other important work.

Easier Maintenance

Maintaining a single codebase for all platforms can be easier and more efficient. Hybrid apps provide the benefit of handling bugs more effectively. With native apps, bugs must be handled individually (for every platform); however, this is not true with hybrid apps.

Easy to Scale

Since they can run on multiple platforms, they can reach a broader audience and provide consistent user experience across platforms which include iOS, Android, and the web. Hybrid apps are a cost-effective solution for those who aren’t able to invest in developing native apps.

Disadvantages of hybrid apps

Performance can be sluggish sometimes

In comparison to the performance of native apps, hybrid apps’ can run slowly sometimes as they depend on web technologies. You may also face slower launching processes. You may also face crashes if it has to load a bunch of data simultaneously and may experience some issues with the app’s interface.

Limited access to device functionalities

Hybrid apps may be limited in accessing all functionalities of the device. They may not access the native hardware components, such as sensors, cameras, file systems, contacts, and calendars. However, native apps can access these without any issues.

Native app vs. Hybrid app development: Which one should you choose?

Not all businesses have the same requirements and time. Thus, there’s no absolute answer to this. However, considering some important factors, you can decide what will work best for you. You already understand that your primary goal is attracting a large audience. Below are the 5 most important points we’ll discuss to help you decide.

Overall performance

How an app performs is also important; if you already understand that, it’s better to develop a native app. A native app is more secure, effective, and bug-free, allowing one to enjoy almost all features. By developing a native app, the customers will be satisfied with the overall better performance.

The current condition of your business

You also need to decide based on which stage you’re in with your business. A hybrid app can help you get enough audience if you’re in your initial stage. Native app development may be challenging for small businesses or start-ups with a tight budget. The development process of a native app is time-consuming. Plus, it’s not budget-friendly for businesses in its initial days.

Complexity and time

Developing a hybrid app is a better option to avoid a lengthy and complex process. It takes faster to develop, is easy to maintain, and supports a small business. In the initial stage of your small business, a hybrid app can be beneficial enough. In contrast, often, a native app development process consumes a longer time.

Conclusion

That’s all you’ve got about Native Vs. Hybrid app development. Ultimately, which is the best, a native or a hybrid app depends on your needs and expectations. While native apps offer superior performance and deeper integration with the device, they can be more expensive and time-consuming to develop. So, if you are looking for high performance and better user experience, native apps are the way to go. On the other hand, hybrid apps offer faster development time and wider reach but may suffer from performance and integration limitations. Both native and hybrid apps have their benefits and drawbacks. Ultimately, the choice depends upon the specific needs and requirements of the project. Want to develop an app for your business? If your answer is YES, we’re always here to help you. Feel free to reach out for a free consultation. We’ll answer all your questions and help you choose the best one to enhance your customer’s experience.