Native App vs Hybrid App: Which is the Best One to Use?

Introduction

Creating a mobile app for the business is one of the most essential ideas for any business owner. The first question that they need to make a selection is whether they want to opt for a native app or hybrid app development.

Even though both are used primarily for mobile app development, there are some significant transformations between these two technologies. Many times, you might find it challenging to identify the difference between native and hybrid app.

To make it easy for you, we have come up with an article that demonstrates the basics of native vs hybrid app development.

What is a Native App?

A native app is a mobile application development methodology designed explicitly for a specific mobile operating system.

• Objective-C or Swift for iOS
  
• Java for Android
  

The most significant advantage of native apps is that:

• It is Fast
  
• It easily fits the features of any devices
  
• It is developed to meet the target of user’s needs
  

On the other hand, you’ll need to perform more development, resulting in more time and cost.

You will be astonished that over 1000 apps on Google Play Store and Apple App Store are developed natively. This clearly shows the popularity of native app development when comparing native vs hybrid app performance.

What is Hybrid App?

Combining all the essential features of both native and web apps is made possible using hybrid applications.

The excellent part of hybrid apps is that you can access them from a web browser and also download them from app stores. This is because they are written in HTML5 and JavaScript, just like web apps.

Hybrid apps are nothing but web pages wrapped in a mobile app using WebView. However, they also have access to the built-in capabilities of a device.

They are built using cross-platform frameworks like React, Ionic, Sencha, and Xamarin.

This approach is what makes the difference between hybrid app and native app clear — hybrid development saves time and resources by using a single codebase for multiple platforms.

Difference Between Native App vs Hybrid App

It’s time to see how native apps and hybrid apps are similar and different based on different parameters.

Let’s highlight some additional points for the metrics for native app vs hybrid app, as mentioned above.

1. Development Costs

To design and build a mobile app from scratch is not too cheap.

It depends on various factors like:

• Features you want to include in your app
  
• The complexities that you need to overcome
  
• Timing to build your mobile app
  
• The number of resources you might require to develop and deploy your app
  

If we talk about native apps, the cost is higher than hybrid apps in terms of superior performance, development complexity, and time to build. Moreover, the codebase and design phase must be different for both Android app development and iOS app development.

In the case of hybrid apps, you only need to write one code that works well for both iOS and Android. As a result, it takes fewer resources to build, and this drastically reduces the cost.

So, hybrid apps are cheaper to develop as compared to native apps — and that’s one of the main differences between native and hybrid app development.

2. UI/UX Design

What are the essential factors that you, as a developer, need to keep in mind while developing?

• Beautifully and responsive design
  
• Easy to navigate
  
• Simple to understand
  
• Intuitive interface
  

Right? User experience and design are solely responsible for making your app successful.

Do you know that most mobile app users experience an adverse reaction, primarily due to poor user experience and design?

Native apps typically rely on Google and Apple’s native code. So, it’s pretty apparent that you’ll get better and longer-lasting design quality. In addition, it will make it easy for the users to understand and navigate your app easily.

The hybrid app works similarly. Users download the app and use it frequently, and if an update comes suddenly that isn’t supported by the HTML code, the app may crash.

Or, your app’s design and functionality work seamlessly on one device but terribly on another. Both experiences will affect your app’s overall rating and perception.

This is one major native and hybrid app difference — while native apps deliver a smoother and more responsive experience, hybrid apps sometimes face compatibility issues.

3. Application Performance

An application that performs well is the best one. Right?

But how do you determine that your app is performing well? It is determined by:

• The speed with which your app responds
  
• The intuitiveness of every function deployed in your application
  
• Overall app behaviour
  

Native apps offer best-in-class security and highly responsive design. They provide users with a more seamless and reliable experience.

The hybrid app follows the basic principle: “write once, run anywhere.” It means that the speed of application development is fast compared to native apps.

Hybrid apps entirely depend on third-party plug-ins to bridge the gap between the website and the native container. But developers don’t always have full control over such tools.

Let’s say an operating system like iOS or Android comes up with a new feature — all the system changes and modifications are needed to continue running the hybrid app in its native container.

Hence, when discussing hybrid app vs native app, performance and control clearly lean in favor of native app development.

4. Speed to Market

Different business owners and companies have various reasons to build an app. But the primary goal is to stand out from their competition.

Building native apps might be costly, and you will intend to develop them quickly and on time.

Native apps do not allow you to run your app on Android and iOS using the same codebase. As a result, it often takes more time to build and deploy.

And if we talk about hybrid apps, it takes less time to build and deploy compared to native apps. Moreover, they also require your backend to be developed in parallel.

So, in terms of hybrid vs native app speed to market, hybrid apps have the advantage.

Native App vs. Hybrid App: Which Approach is the Best?

The answer to this question — what is the difference between native app and hybrid app — ultimately depends on your business requirements.

If you have less time to develop an app, then hybrid app development may be the better option.

But do you want to develop an app with the best possible user experience, security, and performance? Then native app development is the best option.

In the native or hybrid app debate, you need to decide what matters more — performance and quality or speed and cost efficiency.

Conclusion

Understanding the difference between hybrid app and native app is crucial before you begin your mobile app development journey.

Each approach offers unique benefits:

• Native apps provide unmatched performance, better UI/UX, and superior security.
  
• Hybrid apps save time, cost, and allow faster cross-platform deployment.
  

If you’re still confused about native and hybrid app difference, connect with an experienced app development company that can guide you based on your goals, timeline, and budget.

Albiorix is the best choice for mobile app development as we have a team of talented mobile app developers who are always ready to provide the best possible native and hybrid app solutions for your business needs.