There is no doubt that native apps have many advantages. They have exceptional performance, better security, and feel more interactive and intuitive. Developers can access the complete feature sets of the devices, and these apps have fewer bugs.
Although, despite all these advantages, businesses, especially smaller ones, should steer clear from native app development. It’s not for them.
But why? And if it’s not for them, which other alternatives can they pursue? Continue reading the blog to find it out.
5 Reasons Why Small Businesses Should Not Invest in Native App Development
Reason 1: It’s Costly
The cost will depend on your decision to build the app for one platform or both. Native apps are costly because developers have to develop separate apps for iPhone and Android, increasing the total development time.
Also, the code can’t get reused, which means you will have to devote extra resources. Two separate teams will be required to develop the app for both platforms. All of this will increase the development cost and affect your budget.
Below I have shared the cost breakdown of native app development for Android and iPhone.
(Image Source: Quora)
Reason 2: Developing Native Apps is Time Consuming Process
Both iOS and Android will require a separate set of codes. It’s like creating two different applications, which is why developing native apps is a time-consuming process.
It might take four months to develop a good quality native app. Again, the development time depends on the complexity of your app.
Reason 3: Steep Learning Curve
A developer should be proficient in programming languages like Objective – C or Swift for iOS and Java for Android. These languages have a higher difficulty curve and require significant time to learn. So, there is a scarcity of talented developers in this field.
Reason 4: Lengthy Downloading Process
Users have to download native apps first before they can begin using them. It’s a time-consuming process that many don’t have patience for in this fast-paced world. Going to the app store, finding the app, accepting its terms and conditions, and then beginning to download is a hassle.
Businesses lose 20% of users at every stage in an app funnel.
Reason 5: Lack of Support
Most users use different devices and versions of the native apps. Due to this, developers experience difficulty maintaining and offering support for each of them. It leads to a lack of support for the users if they experience any app issues.
Hybrid Apps: A Better Alternative
Hybrid apps combine the elements of both native apps and web applications. They are web apps with a native shell. So, what makes them better than native apps? Well, first of all, developers have to write code only once for the mobile app. It will be compatible with multiple mobile app development platforms. That’s not all. Below, I will share more reasons why hybrid apps are better alternatives to native ones.
Reason 1: It’s Cost-Effective
(Image Source: Quora)
Hybrid apps are budget-friendly because you can create an app for multiple platforms with a single code base. Developers don’t have to maintain numerous codebases, which significantly reduces the time to develop and market the mobile app.
Reason 2: High-Speed Performance
Hybrid apps are faster than usual mobile web apps or responsive websites. They don’t rely much on network communication, which is why they load quickly on the device screen. The total no of users doesn’t affect the performance in any way.
Take Twitter’s example, whose app handles an overwhelming amount of traffic every moment. It’s a perfect example of how hybrid app development exceptionally manages performance.
Reason 3: Offline Availability
Lack of offline support is an issue, especially for companies that cater to customers from rural areas or places with a weak internet connection.
70% of users abandon the app if it takes too long to load. Hybrid apps have offline accessibility features, which helps overcome this challenge. Your users will have uninterrupted access to the app’s data without performance issues.
Reason 4: Shorter Development Timeframe
Hybrid mobile apps are faster and easier to develop compared to native apps. You can leverage the existing web development toolkit, which eliminates the need for creating a new codebase across every platform.
The app you develop will be compatible across all operating systems due to JavaScript and HTML. All of this will reduce the development timeframe significantly.
Reason 5: Easier to Maintain
Hybrid app development eliminates versioning and simplifies app management. So, updating it is easier, that too in real-time.
For native apps, developers have to roll out a new version for every platform after each update. Compared to this, hybrid app development is easier to maintain and update.
Reason 6: Enhanced UI/UX
The hybrid app UI is lightweight and loads content and graphics quickly. They adapt to different device screens for data display and streaming.
Hybrid apps embrace the web and make it work for the mobile. They provide a consistent and flawless user experience for Android and iOS platforms.
Hybrid Apps Are The Future
There are only four platforms (Windows, HTML, iOS, and Android). Hybrid app development will provide your business with a cost-effective way to port your app to all these platforms. The difficulty curve is also easy.
Releasing native mobile apps involves compiling the code, submitting it to the app store, and waiting for its approval. It may take up to two to seven days before it goes live. That’s a long time for mobile app developers.
Hybrid apps let you build mobile apps with the language your developers are comfortable and familiar with to work. That’s not the case with developing native apps.
Testing against a single codebase of hybrid apps simplifies the QA process. So, I can confidently say that hybrid apps are the future.
Hybrid apps can help smaller companies establish a foothold in the world of mobile app development.
If you have decided to go with hybrid mobile app development, the next step is to visit GoodFirms where you will find top app developers ranked and reviewed as per client reviews. Get your company listed on the website and start building your reputation in this industry across the globe.