You must be using the Internet for shopping, checking the weather, booking a taxi, and so on. But to access these all you might be using different applications. Right?
While having them all, means more space on your phone and heavy data usage. Which is not OK for some people.
Besides, some of us also find it hard to use multiple applications for each task. So, what do you think would be the solution to this?
Well, to get rescued from all this, the Progressive web app (PWA) is the best option.
Now, you must be thinking, what is a PWA?
So, let’s learn from this guide by answering the above question.
What is Progressive Web Application?
Some of you might have figured out what a Progressive Web Application is just by looking at the name. Let’s take it apart into two pieces: “Progressive” and “Web Application.”
A ‘Web Application’ is just a piece of website that looks like an app but runs on a web browser.
The term ‘Progressive’, on the other hand, means the application is built with modern web capabilities but works for every user, regardless of their choice of browser. It’s enhanced with modern features which are delivered progressively, only when they are supported or needed.
Put simply, a Progressive Web Application is a type of web app that uses modern web technologies to provide an app-like experience to users. Progressive web apps development company develops these apps to meet certain criteria i.e-
- Deployed to servers
- Accessible through URLs
- Indexed by search engines
Furthermore, they are intuitively responsive, intelligently morphing their layout to fit any and every form factor, be it a compact mobile device, a spacious desktop screen, a handy tablet, or any other next-gen device.
All these unique attributes make PWAs future-proof and universally accessible. According to BuiltWith’s data, as of October 2023, over 54,097 websites are currently using PWAs.
Similarly, many statistics speak about its rising popularity these days and its state in the near future. Let’s have a look at some of the data here.
PWA Statistics 2024
A study has found that people are more likely to do what you want them to do on PWAs rather than native mobile apps. It also reveals the average conversion rate for PWAs was about 36% higher than for mobile apps.
As per Smashing Ideas, when a company switches to PWAs, it can see a significant increase of 20% to 250% in revenues.
There is also evidence that PWA development is about 3-4 times cheaper, in fact, it is about 10-15 times cheaper in some cases.
Key Features of Progressive Web Apps
Progressive Web Apps are brimming with features that boost the overall user experience and drive engagement. Here’s what makes PWAs a game-changer in the digital space:
1. Responsiveness: With an innate ability to adapt to any screen size, be it a laptop, mobile device, tablet, or smart TV, PWAs offer a seamless user experience across all platforms.
2. Progressive Enhancement: Building on the principle of progressive enhancement, PWAs are designed to function optimally on every browser, guaranteeing universal accessibility.
3. Offline Accessibility: Unlike traditional websites, PWAs can function offline or with a weak network connection. This is possible due to service workers that cache the app shell and data, keeping the app running smoothly under challenging network conditions.
4. App-like Feel: PWAs mimic the look and feel of native apps, giving users a high-quality, app-like experience without the need to download or install anything.
5. Fast Loading Times: PWAs load swiftly, thanks to their streamlined design and service worker scripts. This ensures a quick, lag-free experience for users, which can also aid in SEO rankings.
6. Push Notifications: Engaging with users is a breeze with PWAs, courtesy of their ability to send push notifications. This feature can significantly boost user engagement and retention rates.
7. Installable: PWAs can be saved to a device’s home screen, just like a native app, providing easy access for users and promoting repeat usage.
Each of these features is geared towards enhancing the user experience, making Progressive Web Apps a compelling choice for businesses and developers alike.
Benefits of Adopting PWAs
Evidently, there are tons of benefits progressive web application brings to the table. Some of them can be categorized as follows:
1. Enhanced User Engagement :
The best part of PWA is that it offers unparalleled performance enhancements. Their superfast load times, coupled with offline accessibility, deliver an extraordinary user experience. Besides, PWA doesn’t demand substantial storage space like native apps do.
All these features lead to impressive upticks in user engagement and session durations, even in areas with spotty network coverage.
2. Wider Reach:
The second most important benefit of developing PWA is it helps businesses widen their reach. By delivering an optimal experience across every device and browser type, PWAs enable you to court a diverse and larger audience. You don’t have to invest extra in creating separate versions of the app for different platforms.
3. Higher Retention Rate:
PWAs help businesses initiate dynamic, personalized interactions with their users. This feature, combined with the ability to be saved on the home screen, often results in higher user retention and repeat visits. In this way, it fosters stronger relationships with your audience.
4. Secured Solution:
Leveraging the HTTPS protocol, they provide a secure environment that instills user trust. Besides, features like the inherent shareability of PWAs, as simple as sharing a URL, boost your app’s visibility, promoting organic growth.
5. Cost Efficient:
Developing PWAs turns out to be the most budget-friendly option compared to building separate native apps. They leverage a common code base across platforms which brings the cost ultimately down.
Now, your question will be how much does Progressive web apps development cost?
Cost of PWA Development
When it comes to determining the price tag associated with Progressive Web Apps development, well that’s not the same figure for all. Every project is different, their requirements are different, and thus their estimate.
A simple-featured PWA may cost $5,000-$10,000. But if you ask your Progressive app development company to modernize your project by using AI, and ML technologies, then the price will rise by $1,500,000.
It’s important to remember that various elements come into play while deciding the overall cost of developing a progressive web app. Some of them are-
- Complexity of your desired Progressive web app
- Particular features you want to incorporate
- Hourly rates of the development team you employ
Yet, the commonality in the code base that PWAs bring to the table often translates into considerable savings. Besides, you can even cut down costs by outsourcing your project to places like India, China, and the Philippines. You can hire a web app development company from these places. These places have the lowest development cost as compared to places like the US, UK, etc.
Final Words
It’s pretty clear that PWA is becoming really important in web development these days. Such robust applications have already won the endorsement of industry behemoths like Twitter, Pinterest, and Uber, and it’s not hard to see why.
We have that overview in the paragraphs above. All of these – benefits, key features, and costs – were discussed in detail so that you could understand why you could develop PWA for future success.
PWAs are charting a new path, blurring the traditional boundaries between the web and apps. Besides, with the continual advancements in web technologies, we can expect to see
PWAs become even more potent, providing a richer and more interactive user experience. So, go ahead and hire the right partner for your progressive web app development project.
Read more: How to Find Remote Developers