When it comes to progress in the digital marketplace, businesses often fail to grab the essence of it. Unlike the physical world, existence in this landscape is not only about increasing profits. It is more about providing value to the customers and enhancing their experience.

Nowadays, businesses from all corners of the world are shifting to the mobile realm. By the end of 2018, there were 2 million apps eachin Google Play and Apple Stores. Hence, it is quite clear that if you want to see massive benefits for your venture, you need an app.

But before you go for hiring an app development agency, you must conduct a thorough evaluation. Which operating system is the most secure? Which one is largely used by your target market? How will it impact your business?

Additionally, there are three methods of developing apps. It is wise to explore all the options and then pick the one that works for you. Your decision can either make or break your digital strategy.

Below, we examine each of these approaches and their pros and cons from the business standpoint:

Native Apps

Native apps work exclusively on a specific platform. All the tools, programming languages, and software development kits are according to that particular system. So the app for Android will not work on iOS.

This development method results in highly functional apps. Its special design tends to escalate the overall performance of the design. Not only that, it offers access to a wide range of APIs which does not limit the app usage. These apps are easily accessible from their particular app stores. And this top position in the grid ultimately helps them reach target customers easily.

An obvious drawback of native apps is their high costs. If you opt for this approach and seek to work on various forums, you need to develop codes for each platform separately. And designing multiple programming languages can be a burden on financial resources. It also asks for separate maintenance and support for different kinds of applications which results in the greater product price.

Despite the associated cons, it is to note that the application will function at its highest potentials on every device. Such high-performance apps are suitable for large scale industrial applications that deal with data-intensive information.

The security levels of these apps will also meet the requirements. The way that AirG Spamfree app, Hookt, deals with user information isproof that there are secure algorithms out there. Businesses can integrate them with their app and ensure their customers’ privacy.

Hybrid Apps

Hybrid apps are a combination of web and native apps. These use multi-platform web technologies like CSS and JavaScript. These consists of two parts:

• Back-end code
• A downloadable native shell that installs code using webview

Some experts state that these are website applications disguised in a native covering. As a result, they carry the pros and cons of native as well as web apps.

Just as all websites have the same display on every operating system, these apps will run the same on all devices. However, if you wish to create a native interface for every platform, you can use frameworks like Ionic and PhoneGap. Or, you can find agencies like App Verticalsin the market which provide exceptional app designs for their clients.

A clear advantage of Hybrid apps is that they are fast and easily developed. Since you will be using the single basic code for all platforms, you can smoothly update them all together. The overall maintenance cost is also low. These apps do not require a browser, and they can easily leverage device APIs.

On the other hand, these apps are slower than native apps as they are not customizable for individual platforms. Plus they also lack in performance and speed. The overall optimization is not as good as the native apps.

Reviews for hybrid apps tell us that there are certain design issues and the apps may end up looking different at different platforms. So pick this approach for your business app only if you believe that your business can deal with the disparities that tag along.

Web Apps

Web apps work in the same way as native applications. The usual languages used in these apps are CSS, JavaScript, and HTML5. A distinguishing feature of these apps is that they load in browsers like Chrome and Safari. There is no need to install them from the app markets.

These apps take up very little space on the device memory. They store the database on a server from where the users can access using any device. Typically, the websites provide users with more information than the application. So web apps follow the same pattern. They provide users with condensed information that entails all essential details and calls-to-action.

As more and more websites are usingHTML5, the line between web apps and web pages has started to fade away. The apps work quite well on smart devices as well as on computer screens.

Each of the app development methods makes use of a different algorithm. From programming to accessibility and function, the developers must have a certain level of expertise. Before you pick any method for your business, you must also focus on the difference in their monetization, interface, and costs. It is going to leave a long-term impact on your workings.

Therefore, compare the nature of your business and your customers with the capabilities of each method. Then go for the one that offers the highest compatibility.

This article is contributed by Audrey Throne, professional blogger at App Verticals

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