PWA vs native app: which to choose for field teams
Compare PWA and native apps for field teams. Distribution, notifications on iPhone, offline use, camera, GPS and maintenance cost.
Quick answer
For internal teams, a PWA is usually the best choice. It installs from a link, updates itself and uses the camera, QR codes and notifications without going through a store. A native app is worth it when the product has to be on the App Store, sell a subscription or track position with the phone locked.
What you will find
- What a PWA is and what it can already do on a phone
- Where a native app is still necessary
- How each option behaves offline
- A simple decision rule for field teams
On this page
When a system has to reach the phone of someone working in the field, the first question is always the same: does it need an app in the store? Most of the time, no. This article shows when a PWA does the job and when a native app is necessary.
What is a PWA?
A PWA, or progressive web app, is a website built to behave like an app. The user opens an address, installs it on the home screen and uses it full screen, with its own icon. Underneath, it is still web technology.
According to MDN's documentation, a PWA is built using web platform technologies but provides a user experience like that of a platform-specific app. In practice, that means one codebase for Android, iPhone and desktop.
What can a PWA do today?
More than many people expect. A modern PWA does the following.
- Uses the camera for photos and to read QR codes.
- Reads GPS location while it is open.
- Receives push notifications, including on iPhone.
- Stores the interface and part of the data on the device to open offline.
- Updates for all users the moment a new version is published.
Notifications on iPhone are recent. Apple enabled the feature for web apps added to the home screen starting with iOS and iPadOS 16.4, as the WebKit blog describes. Before that, this was the main reason to go to the store.
When is a native app necessary?
In four situations.
| Situation | Why |
|---|---|
| A product sold to the public in the stores | People search the App Store and Google Play |
| Subscription or in-app purchase | The stores have their own payment rules and systems |
| Tracking with the phone locked | The operating system suspends the browser in the background |
| Device-specific features | Bluetooth with equipment, sensors and system integrations |
In the health app we built, store subscriptions and Sign in with Apple decided for native. We used React Native with Expo, which generates the iOS and Android versions from the same base.
How does each one behave offline?
Both can work without signal, but the development work is different. In native, storing data on the device is the natural path. In a PWA, you have to plan what is stored, for how long and how data syncs when the connection returns.
The point to watch is conflict. If two people change the same record offline, the system needs a rule to decide which one stands. That rule is a business rule and should be defined before development, in either technology.
On vessels and in remote areas, this is usually the requirement that weighs most. We deal with it in the vessel inspection case.
Which costs less to maintain?
The PWA. It has one codebase, and there is no old version in circulation, because everyone gets the new one at the same time. There is also no store review and no developer account to manage.
Native means publishing to two stores, keeping up with each one's rule changes and living with users who take time to update. Tools like Expo reduce that work a lot, but it still exists.
What about the security of a PWA?
It is the same as that of a well-built web system. A PWA only works over an encrypted connection, access requires a login and permissions are checked on the server for every action. Camera, location and notifications depend on explicit authorization from the user, requested by the operating system.
The difference from native is in distribution. A store app can be installed by anyone who finds it. An internal PWA is an address only your team knows, and it does not show up in a store search. For operations systems, that is usually an advantage.
What needs attention is the shared device. At gatehouses and on vessels it is common for several people to use the same phone or tablet. The system should end the session after inactivity and record who did each action. The port operations case shows this kind of gatehouse use.
How do you decide for a field team?
Answer three questions.
- Who will use it? If they are employees and contractors of the operation, a PWA distributes by link or QR code, with no store.
- Does the app need to work with the screen locked? If continuous tracking is a requirement, go native.
- Is there a charge inside the app? If so, go native.
If all three answers point to a PWA, start with it. Since the API is the same, a native app can come later and reuse everything that already exists. That is the path we describe in apps, and the base is always a custom web system.
Frequently asked questions about PWA and native apps
Does a PWA work on iPhone?
Yes. The user opens the address in Safari and adds it to the home screen. From iOS 16.4 on, the installed app also receives push notifications, once the user allows them.
Is a PWA slower than a native app?
For form screens, lists and lookups, the difference is not noticeable. It shows up in heavy animation, games and intense on-device processing, which is not what an operations system does.
Can I publish a PWA in the store?
On Google Play, yes, packaged as an app. On the App Store the path is more restricted, and Apple's review guidelines ask that the app offer more than a packaged website.
Does the user need to install it to use it?
No. A PWA opens in the browser like any site. Installing improves the experience and is required for notifications on iPhone.
Can a PWA read QR codes?
Yes. The app accesses the camera through the browser and reads the code on screen, as in the industrial access control case.