Flutter Vs PWA: Which is better for Mobile App Development
Web and app development are two of the most trending technologies to develop high-performance, cross-platform applications. Flutter and Progressive Web Apps (PWA), both are strong technologies but their usage, applications, and features are different. Here in this blog post, we will learn the Flutter Vs PWA technologies and compare their features so that you can select the best one for your next project.
What is Flutter?
Flutter is an open-source user interface software development kit (SDK) created by Google. Flutter creates natively compiled applications for desktop, web, and mobile from a single codebase. The most powerful aspect of Flutter is that it has the capability to deliver high-performance apps with stunning, beautiful, and extremely customizable user interfaces.
Flutter has Dart base programming language, which gets compiled into native ARM code for mobile apps, providing native-class performance on many platforms.
What Makes Flutter Unique?
1. Cross-platform development
Flutter helps you to deploy on iOS, Android, web, and even desktop platforms.
2. Customizable UI
With Flutter, developers have complete control over the UI, making it possible to create highly customized and engaging user interfaces.
3. Rich set of widgets
Flutter has a wide range of widgets for building beautiful and responsive applications.
4. Performance
Flutter uses a compiled language (Dart), which offers near-native performance for apps across platforms.
What is a Progressive Web App (PWA)?
Progressive Web Apps (PWA) are web applications developed with web technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript but to work like a native mobile application. PWAs can be deployed on any device with a modern browser.
What Makes PWA Unique?
1. Responsive and adaptive
PWA can automatically adjust to different screen sizes, providing a seamless experience on both mobile and desktop devices.
2. App-like experience:
PWAs are designed for the functionality of native mobile apps, with features such as push notifications, home screen installation, and fast load times.
3. No app store requirements:
PWAs do not need to be published in app stores, which means faster deployment and fewer restrictions for developers.
Also Read:- PWAs Vs Native app
Flutter vs. PWA: Feature Comparison
1. Programming Language
Flutter helps you create your app once and launch it on various platforms, including mobile, web, and desktop. This reduces the overall development time and ensures consistency across platforms. Flutter uses Dart language to help developers tap into a rich ecosystem and boost performance.
PWAs use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, which are common web technologies. They’re built using standard web methods but come with extra features like Service Workers and Web App Manifests to bring app-like abilities to the web. You can run PWAs straight in browsers, but they can’t access device-specific features as well as native apps.
2. Performance
One of the key features of Flutter is its native ARM code which it compiles, so not only does it offer high performance and responsiveness by default. The great advantage of it is that you can use it for performance-sensitive projects such as with games, animation-heavy apps, and other interactive features.
Progressive Web Apps can be quite efficient in most modern browsers. However, the fact that they are built on top of a web browser usually makes the performance of mobile applications such as native slower than PWAs.
3. User Experience (UX)
Flutter provides developers with full control over the app’s UI and UX, which means apps can be tailored to meet specific needs and deliver a high-quality, visually appealing experience. It includes pre-designed widgets that mimic native design patterns on both iOS and Android, ensuring a consistent look and feel across platforms.
PWAs can offer a native experience, with features such as offline functionality, push notifications, and home screen installation. However, because PWAs are ultimately limited by browser capabilities, they may not offer the same level of smoothness, animations, and rich interactions as Flutter apps.
4. App Store Distribution
Flutter applications possess a significant presence in app stores, which function as prominent channels for application discovery and distribution. This offers developers an inherent customer base and access to app store functionalities, like user reviews, ratings, and monetization opportunities.
PWAs are not distributed through apps and can be accessed directly via a web browser without needing to go through any app store approval process. This makes PWAs faster to deploy, and users can access them by simply visiting a URL. PWAs can also be “installed” on the home screen of mobile devices, but they don’t require app store listings or installations.
5. Maintenance and Updates
Maintaining Flutter apps across different platforms is simpler, as they share a single codebase. Updates are rolled out at once, saving developers time compared to managing separate codebases for Android, iOS, and web apps.
PWA is a web-based software is easier to update since changes can be made server-side and immediately reflected in the app when the user revisits the site.
Which one do you have to choose: Flutter or PWA?
Choose Flutter if:
- You want to create high-performance, native-like apps for multiple platforms (mobile, web, desktop).
- You need full access to device features such as camera, GPS, and sensors.
- You’re building an app that requires complex animations, transitions, or gaming elements.
- You’re targeting users on multiple platforms (iOS, Android, web) and need a single, consistent codebase.
Choose PWA if:
- You want a lightweight, fast, and easily accessible app that works on any device with a modern browser.
- You’re looking for an app that can be easily updated without going through app store approval processes.
Conclusion
Both Flutter and PWAs have their unique strengths. Flutter is ideal for building cross-platform mobile apps with native performance and a rich user experience, whereas PWAs are an excellent choice for delivering lightweight, accessible apps that work seamlessly on any device with a browser. Your decision will largely depend on the scope and requirements of your project, as well as your target audience and platforms.
If you’re looking for native-like performance and a highly customizable app, Flutter might be the better option.
CRM Master’s Infotech is an experienced Flutter app development company which has highly expert developers with rich experience to optimize the best of Flutter and Dart to build a unique app.
