What a PWA is, simply
A PWA (Progressive Web App) is a site that can behave like an app: it installs to the phone’s home screen in one tap right from the browser, opens without an address bar, works on a poor connection and sends push notifications. A user cannot tell it from a “real” app — while for the business it is still one site with one codebase.
What a PWA can do
- Installation without stores. An “Add to Home Screen” banner — and an icon on the phone. No App Store, Google Play, moderation or commissions.
- Offline and a weak connection. A Service Worker caches pages and data: the catalog scrolls in the subway, an order sends when the network appears.
- Push notifications — “your order has arrived”, “a discount on your size” (on iOS — with restrictions, see below).
- Speed. Repeat opens are almost instant — everything is already cached.
- One update for everyone: deployed to the server — everyone has the new version. No “update the app” and no supporting a zoo of old versions.
PWA versus a native app
| Criterion | PWA | Native (iOS + Android) |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | an add-on over the site, from ₽100–300k | from ₽1.5–3M for two platforms |
| Timeline | weeks | months |
| Installation | from the site, one tap | via stores, with moderation |
| Push on Android | yes | yes |
| Push on iOS | yes, but only after adding to the Home screen | yes |
| Bluetooth, NFC, deep OS integration | limited | full access |
| Support | one codebase with the site | two teams/contractors |
Who a PWA suits
- Online stores — a fast catalog, an offline cart, push about order status and promos. Classic cases (AliExpress, Lancôme) showed conversion growth of tens of percent after launching a PWA.
- Food delivery, booking-based services — regular customers get an “app” without the cost of developing two platforms.
- Media and content projects — offline reading, push about new material.
- B2B portals — a personal account “like an app” for dealers and staff.
Who it does not suit
- You need heavy work with hardware: Bluetooth devices, NFC payment, background geolocation.
- The product lives on App Store search — a PWA will not be found there.
- Games and apps with heavy graphics.
What is needed technically
Three pillars of a PWA: HTTPS, a manifest (name, icons, colors — so it can “install”), a Service Worker (cache, offline, push). If the site is modern and fast — a PWA is made as an add-on in a couple of weeks; if the site is ten years old, you should start not with a PWA but with the site itself.
Takeaway
A PWA is the golden mean between “just a site” and an expensive native app: 80% of the benefit for 15% of the price. If customers return to you regularly and there is no budget for mobile development — this is your option. We’ll tell you what your specific project needs.
