If you’re researching how to make the best digital app, you must learn what a progressive web app is. It helps you leverage the advantages of web and mobile apps.
This guide helps you understand what a progressive web app is, how it works, and its key business benefits. You’ll also learn its core tech and 11 powerful examples from top brands.
Web Apps combine the best of web and mobile experiences, but building a strong site foundation is key. Website builders make it easy to create responsive, high-performing websites that can support PWA features. Check out our recommended website builders to launch a website that enhances user engagement and functionality.
Build Your Progressive Web App Website with Top Builders
| Provider | User Rating | Recommended For | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 4.6 | Beginners | Visit Hostinger |
 | 4.4 | Pricing | Visit IONOS |
 | 4.2 | Design | Visit Squarespace |
What is a Progressive Web App (PWA)?
A progressive web app is a hybrid of a regular website and a mobile app, built with modern web technologies. It offers a user experience of a native app but works on any device from a single codebase.
Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) seem like platform-specific apps, within a browser, without an app store download. They are light, discoverable by search engines, and can be installed on the home screen.
So, you do not have to develop separate apps for iOS, Android, and desktop. Rather, you can create one progressive web application that adapts to every platform. With this, you’ll save time, money, and resources.
Accessibility is what sets a progressive web app apart, as users can:
- Discover them through web searches
- Share them via simple URLs and
- Start using them with simplified downloads or installation processes.
The Core Principles of PWA Development
PWAs are built on three main pillars to give a feel of a native app: being capable, reliable, and installable.
Capable: Going Beyond Standard Web Features
PWA features are no different from native apps because they use modern APIs. Examples include video chat via WebRTC, virtual reality with WebGL, and push notifications.
Developers use WebAssembly to bring features from ecosystems like C++ and Rust to the web. An example is Squoosh.app, a powerful web-based image compressor.
The user interface feels native while maintaining the flexibility of common web technologies. Its capabilities allow a progressive web app to:
- Interact with device hardware
- Access camera functions and
- Provide immersive experiences
Developers can create sophisticated apps that work across different platforms without compromising functionality. And modern APIs help enable the best features like:
- Background synchronization
- File system access and
- Advanced graphics rendering.
Reliable: Fast Performance, Even When Offline
A reliable PWA will feel fast and dependable despite the user’s network connection. With service workers, progressive web apps work offline or on slow networks by serving cached content. This offline functionality allows interaction with the app continuously.
The reliability factor is crucial where users frequently encounter unstable connections. PWA can cache essential resources, store user data, and sync changes when a connection returns.
Service workers act as a proxy between your app and the network. It decides when to serve cached content or fetch fresh data. Keeping users engaged regardless of their connection quality.
Installable: Living on the User’s Home Screen
Installing a PWA moves it from a browser tab to a standalone window, becoming part of the device. You can launch via the app icon from the home screen, dock, or taskbar.
Installation unlocks new capabilities, like keyboard shortcuts and the default app’s ability. It creates a more integrated experience. The installation process is easy by tapping the “Add to Home Screen” prompt that appears on your PWA.
Once installed, your PWA runs in a standalone window without browser UI elements. It gives users the feel of a dedicated native app alongside the benefits of web development.
Key Benefits of Progressive Web Apps vs. Native Apps
- Cost-Effective: A single codebase works across all platforms (iOS, Android, desktop). And this cuts down development effort, cost, and maintenance expenses significantly.
- Lightweight: PWAs are smaller than native apps. For instance, the OLA Cabs PWA is 300x smaller than its Android app. Thus making downloads faster and consuming less storage space.
- Higher Engagement & Conversions: Reduced bounce rate across mobile sessions contributes to improved business. Hence, businesses report dramatic increases in user engagement, session length, and conversion rates.
- No App Store Needed: PWAs allow users to install directly from the website. Search engines also index them for greater discoverability. Thus eliminating the approval process and fees associated app store.
The vast majority of businesses see immediate improvements in user metrics after launching a PWA. Desktop users benefit particularly from the faster loading times and reduced data consumption.
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The Technologies Behind PWAs
Two core technologies are essential to PWA: the service worker and the web app manifest file.
The Role of the Service Worker
A service worker is a script that runs in the browser’s background, separately from the web page. It provides offline functionality, push notifications, and background data synchronization.
The apps works on poor connections by intercepting network requests and serving cached responses. Service workers are the programmable proxy between your app and the network.
This tech enables PWA to cache important resources like CSS, JavaScript, and images. During connection loss, the service worker serves these cached files for the app to work.
Service workers also handle push notifications. It allows your PWA to send notifications even when the app isn’t actively running. It helps maintain user engagement and brings back users who have been away for a long time.
The Web App Manifest
It’s a simple JSON file giving developers control over PWA’s integration with the operating system. It defines the app’s name, icons, start URL, background color, and theme color.
It enables the “Add to Home Screen” prompt and ensures the PWA launches in its standalone window. These file types tell your browser and operating system to treat the web app like a native application.
Web app manifest specifies display modes, orientation preferences, and icon sizes for different platforms. It ensures your PWA looks good across various devices and screen sizes.
Manifest also defines splash screens and status bar styling. This creates a more polished, app-like experience.
How to Get Started with Your Own Progressive Web App
PWA development demands a solid foundation of a high-quality website or web store. PWA’s performance connects to the speed and reliability of your hosting. Choosing the best web hosting service ensures your PWA is fast, secure, and always available to your users.
As a beginner creating your website, website builders are the most beginner-friendly option. Tools like Hostinger or IONOS offer intuitive interfaces to get you started quickly.
The foundation of your PWA must be reliable. Poor hosting can undermine all the benefits of PWA technology. Prioritize server response times, uptime guarantees, and content delivery networks.
Once your site is live, specialized developers from Fiverr or Upwork will help convert it into a PWA. But understanding how to host a website will help you decide your PWA’s requirements.
11 Best Progressive Web App Examples
1. Twitter Lite
- Stats: 65% increase in pages per session, 75% more Tweets sent, and a 20% decrease in bounce rate.
- Key Feature: App size is reduced by over 97%.
Twitter Lite demonstrates how platform-specific apps can deliver full functionality with minimal data. This PWA, which is only a fraction of the size of the native app, provides:
Complete Twitter experience
Real-time updates and
Media sharing
The dramatic size reduction makes Twitter accessible to users with data costs and device storage concerns. Yet there’s great experience and engagement for all users.
2. Pinterest
- Stats: 60% increase in core user engagement, 44% higher ad revenue, and a 40% increase in time spent on the site.
- Key Feature: The PWA requires only 150 KB of storage.
Pinterest‘s PWA proves that visual-heavy applications can work well in such a format. The app loads images quickly and provides smooth scrolling through visual content.
The lightweight nature of the Pinterest PWA doesn’t compromise the visual experience. Rather, it enhances accessibility, engagement, and its discovery-focused interface, which makes it popular.
3. Starbucks
- Stats: There’s a 2x increase in daily active users and a 23% increase in order diversity.
- Key Feature: Allows customers to browse the menu and customize orders offline.
Starbucks’ PWA allows retail brands to leverage offline functionality for practical business benefits. Customers can explore the menu and build their order without internet access.
This offline feature is unique in busy urban environments with spotty connectivity. Users can prepare orders while commuting or in places with poor signal.
4. Spotify
- Stats: 80% reduction in load time and a leap in free-to-paid conversions from 26.6% to 46%.
- Key Feature: Delivers an outstanding user experience with a refined design and customization.
Spotify’s PWA shows how complex apps with extensive catalogs perform well in a web app. The music streaming experience feels identical to the native app and loads faster.
The improved conversion rates show the performance and impact of PWA. With great user experiences, people are more likely to commit to paid subscriptions.
5. Tinder
- Stats: Load times reduce from 11.9 seconds to 4.6 seconds with a 30% increase in user engagement.
- Key Feature: The PWA gives users the full experience at far less than 65 MB of a native app.
Tinder’s PWA success shows how dating apps can reduce friction in user acquisition. Users can browse profiles quick without lengthy downloads or registration processes.
The fast loading time keeps users engaged, who won’t abandon the app before it fully loads. It is particularly important as it relies on quick, casual interactions.
6. Alibaba
- Stats: 76% boost in mobile web conversions, with 14% more active users on iOS and 30% more on Android.
- Key Feature: Provides a superior and engaging mobile browser experience.
Alibaba’s e-commerce PWA shows enhanced shopping experiences through progressive web technologies. The app provides:
Smooth product browsing
Secure checkout processes and
Personalized recommendations
The cross-platform consistency gives identical experiences to users shopping on a phone, tablet, or computer. It ensures simplicity and reduces confusion for customers.
7. Flipkart
- Stats: 70% increase in conversions and a 40% higher re-engagement rate.
- Key Feature: Designed for users in India with weak or unreliable internet connections.
Flipkart’s PWA addresses connectivity challenges that e-commerce platforms face in developing markets. The app runs well on 2G connections and intermittent network access.
This PWA shows that you can expand market reach even further. The app ensures accessibility for users who lose out due to bandwidth limitations.
8. MakeMyTrip
- Stats: A 3x increase in conversion rate and 160% more shopping sessions.
- Key Feature: Tackled high bounce rates on mobile devices by creating a PWA for users.
MakeMyTrip’s travel booking PWA streamlines complex transaction processes through PWA tech. Users can search flights, compare prices, and complete bookings more efficiently.
The PWA’s performance on older devices ensures broader market accessibility, particularly important in the travel industry. It is where users often access booking platforms from various devices and locations.
9. BMW
- Stats: Pages load 4x faster, new users increased by 50%, and 4x more people visited the sales page.
- Key Feature: Classy, high-performance mobile site delivering premium content and user experience.
BMW’s automotive PWA maintains the premium image of its luxury brand while embracing modern web technologies. It showcases vehicles with high-quality imagery and detailed specs.
The faster loading times reduce friction in the customer research process to support sales goals. Potential car buyers can explore models and features more quickly than native apps.
10. BookMyShow
- Stats: 80% boost in conversions, 54x smaller than the Android app, and 180x smaller than the iOS app.
- Key Feature: Reduced data and memory requirements to solve high bounce rates of a slow mobile website.
BookMyShow’s entertainment booking PWA makes event ticketing easy and precise in a web app format. Users can seamlessly browse shows, select seats, and complete purchases.
The dramatic size reduction makes the platform accessible to users with storage constraints or expensive data plans. It expands the potential customer base significantly.
11. Housing.com
- Stats: 38% increase in conversions and a 40% lower bounce rate.
- Key Feature: Has a perfect mobile-friendliness score and allows use in offline mode directly from browsers.
Housing.com real estate PWA brings offline functionality to property search platforms. Without constant connectivity, you can:
Browse listings
Save favorites and
Explore the neighborhood’s informative articles
The improved mobile-friendliness score shows a naturally alignment between PWAs and modern web standards. It also displays mobile-first design principles that search engines reward.
PWA Success Stories: A Quick Comparison
| PWA Example | Key Benefit 1 (Metric) | Key Benefit 2 (Metric) | Load Time / Size Improvement |
| 65% increase in pages per session | 20% decrease in bounce rate | App size reduced by over 97% | |
| 44% increase in ad revenue | 60% increase in user engagement | Requires only 150 KB of storage | |
| Starbucks | 2x increase in daily active users | 23% increase in order diversity | N/A |
| Alibaba | 76% boost in mobile conversions | 30% more active Android users | N/A |
| Spotify | 80% reduction in loading time | Free-to-paid conversion up to 46% | 80% reduction in loading time |
| BMW | 50% increase in new users | 4x more people on the sales page | Pages load 4x faster |
Limitations to Consider with Progressive Web Apps
Despite its numerous benefits, there are some significant limitations with PWAs:
- Hardware Access: PWAs have some restrictions in accessing device features. While the capabilities continue expanding, certain native app features remain unavailable, like:
Face ID/fingerprint sensors
Calendars and
Advanced camera controls
- OS Discrepancies: Android adopts new PWA capabilities quickly than iOS. It makes some features work differently or unavailable on Apple devices.
- Push Notifications: Although fully functional on Android, push notifications face limitations on iOS and Safari. It can impact user engagement strategies based on notification-based re-engagement.
These limitations decrease with evolving standards and browser support. So, keep these constraints when planning your PWA strategy and setting user expectations.
Conclusion
Progressive web applications offer businesses a cost-effective way to deliver native app experiences across all platforms. PWAs provide an excellent solution for reaching users wherever they are.
The technology eliminates the need to choose between web reach and app functionality. Thus, creating opportunities for enhanced user engagement and business growth.
Perhaps you feel your website is still far lacking? Endeavor to visit our guides and learn how to empower your website with essential tools.
Next Steps: What Now?
Are you a website owner looking to incorporate a PWA? Keep in mind the following;
- A progressive web app is a hybrid of a regular website and a mobile app.
- Then keep in mind that the core principle of PWA is that it must be capable, reliable, and installable.
- It should likewise be cost-effective, lightweight, and engaging for users.
- Ensure it doesn’t lack its core techs: service worker and web app manifest.
- Before building a PWA, ensure you have a standard website, which is crucial for success.
Further Reading & Useful Resources
Here are a few guides that can help you with your website and app creation:
- Mobile App Hosting: Get to learn what infrastructure mobile app hosting is and why it matters.
- Making an App for IOS and Android: Learn how to transform your website into a versatile app.
- Best App Hosting Providers: Discover 7 of the best mobile app hosting providers for 2025.
- Create a Website With Phone: Identify website builders that can help you design a website for mobile use.
- Mobile First Design: See how mobile-first design can help you boost user engagement.
