All the mobile apps you see on app stores are called as “native apps”. In simple words, native apps are built with programming languages that are ‘native’ to specific operating systems. And that’s what helps native mobile apps stand out.

In this guide, we’ll explore:

What are native mobile apps?
Native apps vs. other app types
Benefits of native mobile apps
How to build native apps with AI app builders?

What are Native Apps?

A native mobile app is an app designed specifically to work within a mobile device’s operating system. Such apps are built with unique frameworks and programming languages that are native to a specific operating system.

For instance, Swift and Kotlin are used to develop iOS apps while Java and Kotlin are used to build Android apps. This approach allows the apps to integrate with the device’s features, creating an intuitive user experience.

Native apps are published on app stores, such as Google Play Store and Apple Store. When you install them, the code gets downloaded directly onto your device. This allows most native apps to have offline functionality as well.

Native Apps vs. Other App Types

Other than native mobile apps, there are three other types of apps: traditional web apps, progressive web apps, and hybrid apps. Let’s see how all of them compare to native apps.

Native vs. Traditional Web Apps

Traditional web apps run within a web browser, exactly like websites. The real difference between a traditional web app and a website lies in functionality. Unlike static websites such as blogs and company sites, web apps provide an interactive experience as in SaaS tools.

Traditional web apps and native apps have major differences when it comes to accessibility. Unlike native apps, web apps rely on factors like Internet connection, network speed and server response times to function. Poor network can cause your web app to crash, creating a bad user experience.

Moreover, most web apps can’t access device features such as camera and microphone to provide a seamless experience. Native apps, on the other hand, can integrate with the device’s features to create a personalized experience.

Native vs. Progressive Web Apps

Progressive web apps (PWAs) are known for their more advanced features and functionalities than traditional web apps. Since they are ‘web’ apps, they run within a web browser too. However, PWAs can be added to a mobile device’s home screen and accessed directly.

Although faster and more reliable than traditional web apps, PWAs don’t compete well with native apps. PWAs typically have the basic features of the native version of an app. Hence, creating a distant user experience.

Native vs. Hybrid Apps

Hybrid apps are web apps inside a wrapper that functions like a mini browser, creating an experience similar to a native app. Such a technology makes the app look and work like a regular mobile app.

Because of the wrapper, hybrid apps can be added to app stores and installed on mobile devices just like native apps. Although hybrid apps provide a more seamless experience than web apps, they sometimes lag in performance.

Benefits of Building Native Mobile Apps

Since native apps are integrate directly with the device they’re installed on, they have a number of advantages over the other types of apps we’ve discussed above. Let’s find out all the benefits you get with native mobile apps.

1. Consistent user experience

Web apps don’t have any consistency when it comes to user experience. Some may be well-designed and intuitive while others are all over the place. This creates an inconsistent experience for users across web apps as they don’t know what to expect.

Native mobile apps, on the other hand, create a consistent user experience across all apps. With Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines and Google’s Material Design guidelines in place, every app must design the app in an intuitive way.

While developers still have some freedom, these guidelines ensure that users don’t have to learn new gestures and navigation paths every time use a new app. Hence, your users get the best experience possible.

2. Enhanced performance

Web and hybrid apps rely on web technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, running either in a browser or a wrapper to function. They aren’t optimized for specific operating systems they’re being used on. Thus, their performance and efficiency are limited.

On the other hand, native apps are built with mobile platform-specific languages. These include Swift or Objective-C for iOS, Kotlin or Java for Android, and React Native for cross-platform apps. Since mobile apps can integrate seamlessly with the device’s features, they provide an enhanced performance.

3. High security

Web and hybrid apps rely on the browser or wrapper they’re running on for their security. Thus, any vulnerabilities the browser is susceptible to also puts your web app at risk.

Unlike native apps, web apps also don’t follow any strict security protocols by app stores that apps must follow to pass the review process. It creates a noticeable gap between web and native apps.

Other than their own security measures, native apps benefit from local encryption mechanisms provided by the operating system. These include Keychain on iOS and KeyStore on Android.

4. Offline functionality

All the other alternatives to native apps function entirely on an Internet connection. It means that users lose access to your app entirely every time they lose network coverage. If the app zones out unexpectedly, it can cause frustrations for your users.

That’s where native mobile apps stand out the most. When you install a mobile app, all the code and data gets locally stored on the mobile device. This allows users to access native apps even without an Internet connection.

How to Build Native Mobile Apps with AI App Builders?

It takes a great deal of resources, money, and time to develop a native mobile app traditionally. Apart than the initial costs, you’ll need to spend time and money to monitor bugs and consistently maintain the code.

That’s where AI mobile app builders like Natively become helpful. You can build, deploy and preview your app — all without writing any code. It reduces not just your cost but also the building time.

To build an app on your idea, you just need to describe how you want your app to be in the prompt box. You can take inspiration from this:

Once you click on the arrow, the AI will build the basic interface of your app. You’ll need to take it from there with integrations and prompts. To know the process, you can read this step-by-step guide.

Final Words

Native apps have the best user experience of all the other app types. While they seem expensive to build, they are incredibly effortless to build with an AI mobile app builder like Natively.

You don’t need any technical knowledge to get started, which means anyone can build an app with Natively. Start building your app today and launch its first version by next week.