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A PWA (Progressive Web App) is a regular website with extra abilities. Visitors can add it to their home screen, open it like an app, use parts of it without internet and, in many browsers, receive notifications. You build one site, and it works on phones, tablets and computers.
For a small or medium business this is often the most sensible first step toward "our own app": much cheaper than building separate apps for iPhone and Android, and ready sooner.
How it works
- Web app manifest: a small file with the name, icon and colours, so the browser can offer "Add to home screen".
- Service worker: a script that stores key files on the device. It makes the site load fast and lets it work offline or on a weak connection.
- HTTPS: required for security. Without it the features above do not work.
The visitor does not go to an app store. They open your site, tap "Install" and the icon appears next to their other apps.
Benefits for a business
- One product for all devices instead of separate iOS, Android and web versions to build and maintain.
- Lower cost and faster launch than native apps.
- No dependence on app stores: customers install straight from your site, you do not wait for reviews, and updates appear instantly for everyone.
- Fast loading and a good experience on weak connections, which helps conversion.
- Search visibility: a PWA is still a website, so Google can find and index its pages.
- Re-engagement: an icon on the home screen and (where supported) notifications bring customers back.
Limits to know
- Less access to phone features than a native app. Some Bluetooth, background and system functions are not available.
- Support on iPhone is good but narrower than on Android, and some features arrive later.
- No automatic presence in the app stores unless you also publish a wrapped version.
- Very heavy graphics and games still work better as native apps.
PWA or native app?
| Choose a PWA when | Choose a native app when |
|---|---|
| You need a fast, affordable launch | You need heavy graphics, games or advanced hardware access |
| Content, a catalogue, booking or a shop is the core | You depend on app-store visibility and in-app purchases |
| Your budget is limited | You need top performance and a polished native feel |
| You want one team and one codebase | You have a larger budget for separate iOS and Android teams |
Examples where a PWA works well
- A restaurant or café: menu, table booking and loyalty card that works even when the guest has no signal.
- A service company: technicians open job lists and forms on site, even in a basement without coverage, and the data syncs later.
- A web shop: a fast catalogue and checkout, with a "back in stock" notification.
- Events: programme and tickets available offline.
How a PWA is built
- Make the site fast and mobile-friendly. A PWA cannot fix a slow site.
- Serve everything over HTTPS.
- Add the manifest and icons in several sizes.
- Add a service worker with a sensible caching plan: what is stored, and for how long.
- Design an offline page, so visitors see something useful without internet.
- Test installation, offline mode and speed, for example with Lighthouse in Chrome.
Typical mistakes
- Caching too much, so visitors keep seeing old content after an update.
- No offline page, so the app shows a blank screen without internet.
- Asking for notification permission immediately instead of at a useful moment.
- Forgetting that it still needs search optimisation like any other site.
Cost and time
Turning an existing modern website into a PWA is often a matter of days rather than months. A new PWA with its own features takes longer, but still costs a fraction of two native apps. Start with the pages that bring the most value, such as booking or the catalogue, and extend from there.
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