Progressive web apps: app-like, no app store required
Installable web applications with offline support and push notifications — often the right answer when a native app would be overkill.
installable, works offline, no app store in the way
- Installable experience
- Offline support
- Push notifications
- Best when
- You need mobile presence without app-store overhead, or field staff who will not install an app.
- Not a fit when
- You need deep hardware access or app-store discovery.
- First thing you get
- An installable, offline-capable build of one workflow.
What is a progressive web app (PWA)?
A progressive web app (PWA) is a website that behaves like an installed app: it can be added to the home screen, work offline and send push notifications, while staying one web codebase with no app-store review and instant updates. When an app does not need deep device features, a PWA is usually far cheaper to build and maintain.
A meaningful share of the mobile apps businesses commission do not need to be apps. They do not use the camera in any serious way, they do not need background location, and their users would happily reach them from a browser — but they were told an app was necessary.
A progressive web app installs to the home screen, works offline, and can send push notifications, while remaining one codebase with no store review and instant updates. When it fits, it is dramatically cheaper to build and to keep alive. When it does not, we will say so.
What this includes
- 01
Installable experience
Home-screen installation on Android, iOS, and desktop with a native-feeling launch.
- 02
Offline support
Service workers and local caching so the app works without a connection.
- 03
Push notifications
Re-engagement notifications on supported platforms.
- 04
Background sync
Actions taken offline queued and submitted when connectivity returns.
- 05
Performance budget
Tight load performance, since a PWA is judged against native app responsiveness.
- 06
Instant updates
Ship fixes immediately without store review or waiting for users to update.
Situations we see most often
You need mobile presence without app-store overhead
Reaching users on phones without two codebases, two review processes, and two release cycles.
Internal tools for field staff
Staff tools that must work offline but do not justify a native build or store distribution.
Users will not install an app
Low-frequency use cases where the install step itself is the barrier to adoption.
You need to ship fixes immediately
Products where waiting days for store review is operationally unacceptable.
What to know before you start
PWA or native app: how do you decide?
Choose a PWA when users mainly need forms, lists, dashboards and notifications, when they will not bother installing an app from a store, or when you need to ship fixes instantly. Choose native when you need deep hardware access, heavy background processing, app-store discovery as a way customers find you, or in-app purchases.
If none of the native reasons apply, a PWA usually delivers the same value for considerably less, because it is one web codebase with no store review.
How does a PWA work offline?
A service worker sits between the app and the network. It caches the app's code and the data users need, so the app opens and works without a connection. Changes made offline are queued and sent with background sync when connectivity returns.
Which data is cached, for how long, and how conflicts are resolved are design decisions we make per workflow, because they decide whether the offline experience can be trusted.
Do PWAs work on iPhone?
Yes. Installation to the home screen, offline use and push notifications are supported on current iOS versions. Apple's implementation still trails Android's in places, so we check your specific requirements against current iOS capability before recommending a PWA.
Is a PWA a good fit for internal field tools?
Often the best fit. Field staff can open a link and install the app without a store account, it keeps working in a basement or a rural site, and updates reach everyone instantly instead of waiting for people to update an app.
Camera capture for photos and documents, location, and offline forms that sync later all work in a PWA, which covers most inspection, delivery and service workflows.
How is a PWA installed?
From the browser. On Android, users are prompted to add the app to their home screen; on iPhone, they use Add to Home Screen from the share menu. After that it opens full screen with its own icon, like any app.
We add clear, timely install prompts inside the app, because many users do not know installation is possible.
What drives the cost of a progressive web app?
A PWA is usually far cheaper than two native apps. Its cost depends on these factors.
| Factor | Effect | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Application scope | High | The workflows, roles and screens the app supports are most of the work, as in any application. |
| Offline requirements | High | Working fully offline with queued changes and conflict handling is significant engineering. |
| Backend and integrations | Medium | APIs and connections to existing systems are needed whatever the front end. |
| Push notifications | Medium | Notification infrastructure, permissions and platform differences add setup and testing. |
| iOS-specific handling | Medium | Gaps in Apple's support need workarounds or graceful fallbacks. |
| Store packaging | Low | Packaging for Google Play is optional and modest; the App Store has more constraints. |
What a typical engagement looks like
- 011–3 weeks
Discover
Process map
- 022–4 weeks
Design
Interactive prototype
- 03two-week cycles
Build
Working software each cycle
- 04ongoing
Ship & support
Automated pipeline
What we build it with
- Platform
- Service workersWeb app manifestPush API
- Offline
- Local storageBackground syncCache strategy
- Frontend
- Next.jsReactTypeScript
Questions we get asked
01Do PWAs work properly on iOS?
They work — installation, offline, and push notifications are all supported on current iOS versions — but Apple's implementation still trails Android in places. We check your specific requirements against current iOS capability before recommending a PWA rather than assuming parity.
02When should we build native instead?
When you need deep hardware access, background processing, app-store discovery as an acquisition channel, or in-app purchase. If none of those apply, a PWA usually delivers the same user value for considerably less.
03Can a PWA be listed in app stores?
Yes, packaged as a store listing on Google Play, and with more constraints on the App Store. It is an option, though it reintroduces some of the review overhead a PWA exists to avoid.
04Can a PWA send push notifications?
Yes, on Android and on current iOS versions once the app is installed to the home screen. Users opt in just as they do with native apps.
05How are updates delivered?
Instantly. The next time a user opens the app, the new version loads; there is no store review and nothing for users to update.
06Can a PWA use the camera and location?
Yes. Photo and document capture, barcode scanning through the camera, and location are available to installed PWAs on Android and iOS, with the same permission prompts users expect from apps.
Adjacent capabilities
Further reading
Tell us what you are building.
Share the problem and we will come back with an approach, a rough shape of the work, and what it would take to deliver it.