App, PWA or website: what a store should choose

PWA (progressive web app) is a website that can be installed on a phone like an app and can work with a poor connection. A native app is a separate program from the App Store or Google Play. A responsive site is an ordinary site in a browser that adapts to the screen.

In plain words

The three options differ in how deeply they are built into the phone and how much effort they take:

MDN's definition: a PWA is an app built with web technologies that offers an experience similar to a platform-specific one; it works on different devices from a single codebase, is installable, and can work offline and in the background (MDN). Once installed, a PWA has an icon and opens in its own window without the browser interface (web.dev).

PWA limitations

web.dev names them directly (web.dev): - Safari and Firefox on desktop do not support installing PWAs. - A PWA cannot be installed from the in-app browsers of many apps (Facebook, Instagram, Gmail). For a store this matters: part of the social media traffic opens exactly there. - Apple's implementation lacks many features of Chromium-based browsers. On iOS installation is harder to show, so the interface often needs a "How to install" hint. - You need to test on every platform and have fallbacks.

Push on iOS works from version 16.4 and only for sites added to the home screen; the user grants permission after an action on the page, such as tapping a subscribe button (WebKit).

The examples of growth in conversion and retention (Rakuten 24, Goibibo, JD.ID) are presented on web.dev as company case studies, not verified research (web.dev); so applying those figures to another store would be an assumption.

How to decide

The question first, not the technology.

1. Is a fast mobile site enough? For most stores, yes. The main buyer path "search, ad, product card, checkout" needs a fast site and a convenient checkout: see mobile UX and Core Web Vitals.
2. Is there a reason to install? Regular repeat purchases (food, cosmetics, pet goods), a loyalty program, fast reorder, status notifications. Then a PWA or an app makes sense.
3. Do you have the resources? An app is a separate product: development for two platforms, releases, store review, support. Data on "how much it costs" depends on the project; there are no reliable open benchmarks.
4. Do you need device capabilities? Deep features (scanning, complex camera work, background mode) more often need native code; for a PWA the set is limited by the browser. Check support for specific APIs on MDN before deciding.
5. Who are your buyers already? If most come once from search and ads, they don't need an app. If you have a core of regular customers, you can offer the app or PWA to them after the second or third purchase, not to everyone at once.

A possible path: first a site in PWA form (manifest, service worker, fast pages), see whether people use it, and only then think about a native app. For a comparison of architecture approaches see also headless commerce.

Common mistakes

• Building an app because "big players do it". Rozetka or Prom have a different buyer base.
• Copying the site into an app without new scenarios. There are no new reasons to use it.
• Not keeping separate analytics for the site, PWA and app.
• Counting on push as a channel for everyone. Permission is asked after a user action, not right at entry (WebKit).
• Forgetting about updates: an app needs constant maintenance for new OS versions.

FAQ

What is a PWA in plain words? A website that can be installed on a phone, opens like an app and partly works without the internet.

Does an online store need a mobile app? Not necessarily. It is justified when there are regular repeat purchases and a loyal audience, and the mobile site is already fast.

Does a PWA work on iPhone? Yes, with limits: installation is harder, the feature set is smaller, push only for sites added to the home screen from iOS 16.4 (web.dev, WebKit).

Is a PWA or a native app cheaper? A PWA has one codebase sharing the site's technologies (MDN); specific costs depend on the project.

Related terms

• The mobile version of a store
• Core Web Vitals: LCP, INP, CLS
• Headless commerce
• Omnichannel
• Repeat purchase rate

Sources

• MDN, Progressive web apps — developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Progressive_web_apps
• web.dev, Learn PWA: Progressive web apps — web.dev/learn/pwa/progressive-web-apps
• web.dev, Progressive web apps (collection) — web.dev/explore/progressive-web-apps
• WebKit, Web Push for Web Apps on iOS and iPadOS — webkit.org/blog/13878/web-push-for-web-apps-on-ios-and-ipados