The Key Differences Between Native and Hybrid Mobile Solutions

In this article, we will discuss native app vs hybrid app.

With the world moving towards a mobile-first approach, it has become more crucial for enterprises to invest in mobile app development in India and launch their own mobile apps. From retailers to food delivery companies, every organization needs a strong mobile presence. Apart from helping them sustain their client base, an effective mobile presence also gives a competitive edge to brands in their respective industries. 

However, when it comes to developing a mobile app, business owners often find it challenging to decide among native app vs hybrid app. Both these categories have pros and cons of their own. To make the right decision, business owners should consider various factors before hiring a dedicated mobile app development company in India. In today’s article, we’ll unveil the key differences between the native app and hybrid app development and how you can choose the right category for your mobile app. 

Native Mobile Apps

Native apps are mobile solutions that are designed for a specific platform. As of now, iOS and Android are the two most popular mobile operating systems. So, developers usually utilize one of the native app development technologies to write code for a single platform. Native mobile apps are heavily platform-dependent and that’s why they have the ability to access the device’s hardware such as GPS, camera, location, etc. more easily. 

One of the major advantages of choosing native apps is their impressive user experience. Since native apps can easily access all the hardware/software functionalities of the particular OS, developers can integrate all the necessary features and build user-centric mobile solutions. 

When compared to hybrid mobile solutions, native apps are fast as well. Developers don’t have to compromise on the features, which means these apps have the power to deliver remarkable performance to the end-users. However, like every deal that sounds too good, native app development has its share of disadvantages. 

For instance, developing a native mobile app is pretty expensive. Usually, when business owners choose native app development, they have to hire two separate development teams for Android and iOS. This can easily escalate the overall development cost and you might end up burning a hole in your wallet as well. 

Ideally, native mobile apps are suitable for businesses that have a decent development budget and can manage to hire two different development teams. In case you own a startup, small business, or have a limited budget, native apps may not be the right choice for your organization.  Therefore, you need to understand the difference between native app vs hybrid app.

Key Features of Native Mobile Apps:

• Native apps are specifically developed for a single platform
• Developers use dedicated native technologies (Objective-C for iOS and Java for Android) to develop native applications
• Native apps can access all the hardware sensors and deliver an optimal performance
• The cost to develop a native mobile app is relatively higher than hybrid solutions
• Native apps are ideal for large-scale enterprises that don’t have any budget constraints

Hybrid Mobile Apps

Hybrid apps can be defined as mobile solutions that work across multiple platforms, be it Android, iOS, or web. In the case of hybrid app development, developers can use the same code base to deploy apps for all the platforms. Like native apps, app publishers can distribute hybrid mobile solutions via App Stores. In terms of functionality, hybrid apps are slightly behind native solutions. 

Though they can be configured to access device hardware, hybrid apps usually don’t deliver the same experience as their native counterparts. However, the reason why many Indian app developers prefer hybrid app development is their better reliability. 

You don’t have to spend a fortune to develop a hybrid app. Since developers can use the same code to build apps for multiple platforms, there’s no need to hire separate app developers in India. Low development cost is another popular reason why many small businesses and scale-ups opt for hybrid app development. 

Apart from this, the maintenance cost for hybrid apps is pretty low. Once you have deployed your app in the market, you’ll only have to make changes to a single codebase, which will be less hectic and more convenient. 

In general, hybrid mobile apps are a suitable choice for small-scale businesses that want to target a wider audience but don’t have the budget to build individual apps for two different platforms. Developing a hybrid solution will allow you to step into this widely competitive market, reach a wider audience, and establish a strong brand presence without burning a hole in your pocket. 

Key Features of Hybrid Apps:

• Hybrid apps are tailored for multiple platforms.
• Developers can use the same code to develop apps for different operating systems
• Even though hybrid apps can be configured to access the majority of sensors on a mobile device, they don’t deliver the same user experience as native solutions
• The cost to develop a hybrid solution is relatively lower
• You should choose a hybrid solution if you have a limited development budget 

How to Choose Between Hybrid and Native Mobile App Development?

Now that you’re familiar with both native and hybrid app development, let’s take a look at a few factors that’ll help you decide which development approach is right for your organization. 

• If you want to target customers on a specific platform and don’t have any budget constraints, native app development will be the ideal choice for your business. You’ll be able to integrate all the necessary features into the mobile app and target a global audience. 
• For small-scale businesses that don’t have an extensive budget, but still want to leverage the benefits of multi-platform support, hybrid app development should be your go-to development approach. Investing in a hybrid mobile solution will allow you to reach a wider audience while keeping the overall expenses within the specified budget. 
• Time-to-Market can also be one of the crucial deciding factors while choosing between native and hybrid app development. In general, it takes at least six months to develop a user-centric native mobile app. This period could also extend if your app idea has a higher complexity. So, if you are willing to wait at least six months for the app launch, you can proceed with native app development. However, if you are planning for a shorter time-to-market, it would be better to invest in the hybrid approach.
• The next factor that you must consider to pick the right development approach would be app performance. As compared to hybrid apps, native solutions deliver better performance, mainly because they are designed for a specific platform. Developers can write codes to access different device sensors and make the app more functional. Unfortunately, that’s not the case with hybrid apps. If you launch a hybrid solution, you would have to compromise with performance. 

Native App Vs Hybrid App: Wrapping Up

With smartphone adoption growing rapidly, more and more businesses are planning to hire a professional mobile app development company in India to step into the app market. However, apart from a great app idea, it’ll be crucial to decide which type of app you want to develop. The decision you make for native app vs hybrid app development will have a huge impact on the overall brand success. So, make sure to consider all the factors before deciding on a single platform.