The dream of your own icon
It’s a common dream for every business owner. They see how Uber or Instagram works and think: “We need an app too! Customers will have our icon on their home screen and we’ll send them notifications.”
Sounds great. But reality is harsh. In 2026, the market suffers from so-called app fatigue. The average user downloads zero new apps a month. They keep using the same 5: social media, chat, maps and their bank. Unless you’re Facebook or a major bank, getting a customer to go to the App Store, find your app, download it (using up their data), sign up and keep it on their phone… is next to impossible.
If you invest €20,000 in developing your own app today, it’ll probably be used only by your mom and three coworkers.
But there’s a solution that combines the best of both worlds. It’s called a PWA (Progressive Web App).
What Is a PWA?
A PWA is a website that “acts” like an app. When you visit the site (in Safari or Chrome, for example), it loads lightning-fast, looks like an app and even asks you: “Would you like to add me to your home screen?”
Tap YES, and an icon appears on your home screen. No downloading megabytes of data. No App Store visit. When you open it, there’s no browser bar. It looks exactly like a native app.
Why is this the future?
- One codebase to rule them all: With a classic app, you have to pay an iOS (iPhone) developer, an Android developer and a web developer on top of that. That’s 3x more expensive. With a PWA, we write one codebase that works everywhere.
- Google loves it: A PWA can be indexed by search engines. That means the content of your “app” can be found through Google. That’s not possible with a classic app.
Comparison: Where Do You Save Those Thousands?
Let’s break it down. Say you run a restaurant and want a loyalty program.
Scenario A: Native app (The Old Way)
- Development: €15,000 – €30,000.
- Maintenance: Every year, a new iOS and a new Android come out. You have to pay for updates, or the app stops working.
- Marketing: You have to pay for ads to get people to go to the store and download it. The cost per install (CPI) today is around €4.
- Approval: Apple and Google both take 30% of payments, and the review process takes weeks.
Scenario B: PWA (The Smart Way)
- Development: A fraction of the cost of a native app (it’s part of your website).
- Maintenance: Minimal. When the website updates, the “app” updates for everyone too.
- Marketing: Just send a link. The customer taps it and they’re in. No barriers.
- Approval: None. You’re the master of your own business.
But What About Notifications?
The most common argument for a native app is: “But I want to send push notifications!” Good news: a PWA can already do that. It’s worked on Android for years, and on iOS (Apple) since iOS 16.4.
You can send a customer a message like “Today’s special: roast beef in cream sauce, 20% off,” and their phone pings in their pocket. You don’t need an expensive app for that.
When Do You Really NEED a Native App?
To be fair, there are situations where a native app is necessary. But there aren’t many:
- You need heavy performance: 3D games, augmented reality (AR), complex video filters.
- You need deep hardware integration: Bluetooth communication with other devices (e.g. smart home control, health sensors).
- Your business IS the app: If you’re Uber or Tinder, you need a native experience.
But if you’re an online store, a restaurant, a real estate agency, a news site or a service business, a PWA is the better choice for you in 99% of cases.
Invest in Content, Not Code
Instead of spending €20,000 on developing an app that 50 people will download, do this:
- Build a top-notch, fast website (PWA).
- Invest the money you save in marketing and content that brings people to that website.
In 2026, the winner isn’t whoever has an icon in the App Store. The winner is whoever is easiest for customers to reach. And nothing is easier to reach than the web.
