Understanding Native vs Hybrid App Development Cost In 2021 | Xicom

Hybrid vs Native App Development — Which To Choose?

This is one of the most significant controversies among CIO’s when the time arrives for respective firms to launch a new app to their clientele’s base.

Presently, with uninterrupted enthusiasm inclined towards mobile app development, there has been never-ending questions and scepticism over cross-platform and Native app development. Also, the scarcity of enough end-to-end resources for choosing the right approach for mobile app development in Dubai continues to serve as a decisive factor for finding an optimal solution for the iOS vs Android prattle.

Although Android and iOS are crucial for a fruitful mobile app strategy, hybrid app development seems to be the best answer for this debate. At nonce, it’s not advisable to simply create an app that targets only one platform — “Variance Is The Key”. You need multi platform apps that jell with Android and iOS mobile users and ensure no one is left out.

Let’s start by defining “The Beginning Of Hybrid Apps”

Since the launch of the first smartphone, app development has gone through a series of unprecedented transformations. One interesting thing that not too many people remember or think about is — The first iPhone announced on 9 January 2007 did not have an App Store. Besides, at that time, there were not any apps available; the only app-like thing you has was a bookmarked website which offers a shortcut from the home screen.

Later, in March 2008, Apple addressed their app SDK (Software Development Kit) and the iTunes app store, which was a big success. Apple’s vision for apps drew the subtle difference between web apps and native apps as they believed that natively coded apps were going to harness the best end-user experience.

Over the years, the introduction of numerous platforms like Windows, Android and Blackberry made it more complicated and expensive to build native coded apps. For every specified platform developer communities and app development companies in Dubai and across has to have a specified team, their clients wanted to publish their app for.

Also, the time when mobile web apps made their debut and became increasingly popular, they were initially websites customized to run on smartphones. The selected features and design to work on smartphones, not explicitly created for them. This proved to be an affordable approach to develop apps for smartphones. But, the performance disadvantage, along with a need for a network connection was not acceptable, to begin with.

Thus, in 2009 Apache Cordova, (presently rebranded as PhoneGap by Adobe Systems) won the People’s Choice Award at O’Reilly Media’s 2009 Web 2.0 Conference, making it today’s popular hybrid app platform. And, one of the decisive factors that made hybrid apps immensely popular were the ability to run offline, since they were no longer a “website”, they were a real app.

Having analyzed the pull of theoretical information amalgamated with practical experiences in the topic under consideration, the crucial parameters to be penned down are:

• Efforts to develop a hybrid app are minimal compared to native apps.
• A native app has original User Interface unlike Hybrid one.
• Developing a hybrid app is affordable in comparison to developing different native apps for distinctive platforms.
• Both Native app or Hybrid app must adhere to a specific set of protocols to be published in respective stores.
• The speed of native apps is the fastest one if developers have required knowledge and technical skills.

Finding big firms on both sides of the coin often makes it daunting for CIOs to conclude. That being said, today’s debate over hybrid vs native app development is spurred by the recent wave of top brands inclining in favour of hybrid app development and abandoning native apps.

What can be the cause of this behaviour?

The essential considerations are pocketed here to clear the dark shadow of native vs hybrid app development? We have clutched vast practices, and profound knowledge of the two development approaches to provide you with a clear view.

• App Updates
• Development Speed
• User Experience
• Cross-Platform Compatibility
• Security
• Development Cost
• Performance
• Approval Cycle

Let’s start!

App Updates

Hybrid app development allows app updates straight from the web. Unless there are some significant changes to be done in functionality, content updates are hassle-free. A lot of updates can be rolled out quickly, instead of following it through an app store. This approach ensures fixing bugs and adding updates are more efficient and less daunting to the user and to the app developers in Dubai and worldwide.

Nevertheless, there is one caveat related to web updates.

A scenario may arise, where the targeted feature of a mobile platform is no longer accessible because the plugin is out-of-date. When this happens, you are surrounded with a dilemma — either you hire professionals to write the plugin or eliminate the app feature.

The same situation implies when the new versions of a mobile platform are launched. So, suppose you want your app to leverage the uncover potential. In that case, you need a developer to create a plugin to address and accommodate the update or wait unless the community creates one.

Whereas with native app development, you can upgrade your app to manage platform changes and reap advantages of some exclusive features without relying on ongoing community support of your plugins and simultaneously, without being dependent on community release cycles. If you have made your mind to step ahead with hybrid app development, perform a comprehensive accounting of both factors — the availability and reliability of plugins to avoid pitfalls in the near future.

OUTLINE: Hybrid

Development Time & Speed

Hybrid apps are usually favoured by businesses and mobile app development companies in Dubai planning to put something new out on the marketplace for mass consumption ASAP! And, as the same HTML lines of code are reused for different operating systems and just a portion of the integrated native code requires to be written, the app is ready to work on multiple devices in the minimal time possible.

Eventually, known for their web-based project management tool, Basecamp recently noted the speed of hybrid development when brainstorming their new Android or iPhone app.

And, if time is not of the essence, then native app development seems right for you. But, when it comes to turnaround time, there is no match to hybrid development.

OUTLINE: Hybrid

User Experience & Customization

Presently, customers demand not just an impeccable performance from the app, but also an unparalleled user experience through the complete interaction. This is where usability and customization becomes a decisive factor.

The native app development has a competitive edge of better UI capabilities as it facilitates the preset libraries and interface elements of the underlying operating system and also is easy to customize. Moreover, the user interface performance is higher in native apps.

Whereas hybrid app development offers similar performance in the user interface space, but it lags behind in avenues where their performance is dependent on other native apps within the smartphone because their interoperability doesn’t have a viable track record.

With native apps, it’s seamless to jump into the broader functionality of a mobile device, facilitating the camera, GPS feature, microphone, swipe gestures, and more. The time when a native app is launched, it mirrors the other natively created apps a user would have downloaded and used, giving rise to the familiarity factor. The inquisitive gesturing is needed from app to app to make your app friendly to the user.

Also, a user’s learning curve is small for the functionality aisle. In the past, this was less probable for hybrid apps, but presently the same gestures are well supported by numerous hybrid frameworks. For example, an Iconic framework when combined with AngularJS along with HTML5, CSS, and use Cordova to access native device functions, offers a feel as natural as a native app while relying on one shared codebase.

Therefore, from a user perspective, intuitive gesturing for Hybrid apps is undoubtedly as familiar as native apps.

Native apps are more favourable to push notifications, and while push notifications are possible with hybrid apps integrating them is less practical. Therefore you may lose out on a vital engagement tool. It would be best if you made sure that your prospective developers are known to this need and scale their ability to take-in push notifications.

Native apps are usually created for use when there is no availability of data or wi-fi. For example, the Starbuck’s (native) app offers their members a choice to tap into their account, access their balance, place an order and receive rewards without a signal insight.

Hybrid app development also supports offline features, but it comes with limited options.

Another unfurled area which made native apps a hot pick for mobile app developers in Dubai, UAE is speed. A native app uses a device’s native language, which can boost up the response time within the app.

Whereas, a hybrid app is potentially not as dynamic as a native app because the former depends upon the browser’s speed. Although, the user only felts this difference in a gaming arena as that relies solely on visual performance. Even then, hybrid mobile app solutions exist, consisting of HTML5 Canvas and WebGL.

For businesses, a hybrid app will gratify clients with a great experience. Speed variance will only be observed by those too conscious of it and not by the end-users (your B2B/B2C Clients).

OUTLINE: Tie

Cross-Platform Compatibility

The one constant across this debate is “the cross-platform compatibility” for businesses nowadays. Being able to reach all target markets for devices is crucial. Accomplishing it in an efficient and affordable approach is the key for most SMBs.

Hybrid app development approaches to ensure this fusion of app and device compatibility in one swoop. Whereas, with native app development, the case is not the same.

OUTLINE: Hybrid

Security

Hybrid critics may allure to Javascript injection or SSL configuration as susceptibility, but if you secure a website correctly, these are not unattainable concerns. However, with hybrid apps, there is more collective knowledge which makes reverse engineering possible. They also rely on plugins which call up for an extra layer of code, where a security vulnerability possibly be located.
While native apps use native security without plugins and can use security features directly, so, it’s easier to integrate them the right way. Therefore, for high-level security apps, native development approach appears preferable. While, for all other business apps requirements, hybrid development approach offers a more than satisfactory level of security.
Importantly, when your mobile app has a direct impact on customer data, i.e. if you maintain personal information, then it’s critical enough to make sure that your app doesn’t have any security glitches or susceptibility.
It’s because any compromise made in client’s data could lead to damage that can render your business bankrupt. So, make sure security is coupled to numerous in-built smartphone features, native apps offering a better suitable for creating security features. As it can easily facilitate core OS credentials, it’s a lot easier for developers to introduce measures like encryption of files, intelligent fraud detection across core OS libraries and many more.

This is one of the biggest reason why big fintech and government organizations across the globe incline towards native app development as it proffers a more safe surrounding for customer data that passes through the app in its daily service cycle.

OUTLINE: Tie

Development Cost

Whether you are a newbie or an early entrant, the cost is always a defining factor while vetting the list to hire the right mobile app development company.

This is where factors like minimal development efforts, faster time to market, reusable code fragments will play a vital role. As I have already mentioned, hybrid app development is ideally the winner of the category as it allows app developers in Dubai, UAE to develop a single source code that can be easily reused into the respective OS-based app.

Numerous hybrid app development features allow developers to easily integrate the native app experience while catering to the distinctive needs of the target audience on innumerable platforms at the nonce.

Put, when you solicit the development of a hybrid app, your end-product will immediately work on most modern smartphones and tabs. And, when you have a free hand to design and code across platforms in this manner, the development cost is significantly minimized.

In comparison, native app development needs writing of a completely different app for each unique device. Therefore, native development approach results in a significant upthrust in cost and is not a comfortable fit for SMBs and startup businesses.

OUTLINE: Hybrid

What’s Best For Your Project?

By now, you probably have a fair idea of the winner between hybrid app development vs native app development. If still, you compare the two-most talked choices of the arena, there are advantages and demurs to be addressed by the right app development company for each specific development approach to deliver nothing less than the best.

Lastly, make sure to select the ideal techno-partner by the experience that speaks, their globally delivery rate and affordable prices.

Originally published at https://www.xicom.ae on November 24, 2020.