PWA vs App Store app: which suits your Australian business? (2026)
When a business owner tells me they want an app, the first question I ask is: do you need to be in the App Store, or do you need an app your customers can actually use? They're not always the same thing.
There are two main ways to build an app today: a Progressive Web App (PWA), which runs in the web browser and can be saved to a phone's home screen, or an App Store app, which customers download from Apple's App Store or Google Play. Here's how they compare, and how to choose.
What is a PWA?
A PWA is a web app that looks and works like a normal app. Your customers open a link, tap "Add to Home Screen", and it sits on their phone with its own icon, just like any other app. It works on phones, tablets and computers from the one build.
Most of my apps, including tradietracker, coparents, icaremate and rescriptme, are built this way.
PWA vs App Store app at a glance
| PWA (web app) | App Store app | |
|---|---|---|
| How customers get it | Open a link, save to home screen | Search and download from the App Store or Google Play |
| Works on | Phone, tablet and computer, from one build | Usually built for each store |
| Updates | Live for everyone as soon as you publish | Each update goes through the store's review |
| Store approval | Not needed | Needed for every release |
| Found by | Google search, your website, a link or QR code | Searching inside the store |
Why a PWA suits most small businesses
- One app for every device. Your customers use it on their phone, and your staff use the same app on the office computer.
- Updates are instant. Fix a typo or add a feature, and everyone has it straight away. No waiting for store approval.
- No download hurdle. A link in an email, a button on your website or a QR code on your counter is all it takes.
- It can be found on Google. Your app's public pages can show up in search results, which an App Store listing can't do on its own.
When an App Store app makes sense
- Your customers expect to find you by searching the App Store.
- You need phone features that web apps can't fully use yet on every device.
- Being "in the App Store" matters for trust in your industry.
You don't always have to choose
Here's the part most people don't know: a well-built PWA can also be packaged for the App Store. That's how tradietracker, icaremate and coparents are available both as web apps and in the Apple App Store. You build once, launch on the web straight away, and add the App Store listing when it makes sense for your business.
Where SaaS fits in
If other businesses will pay a monthly subscription to use your app, you're building SaaS (Software as a Service). rescriptme is a good example: clinics subscribe each month, and it runs as a PWA so clinics and their clients can use it on any device. A PWA is often the fastest and most practical way to launch a SaaS product in Australia.
How to choose
Ask yourself three questions:
- Will most people find my app through my website, Google or a link I send them? If yes, start with a PWA.
- Do I need to update it often? If yes, a PWA saves you waiting on store reviews.
- Do my customers expect to search the App Store for me? If yes, plan for a PWA first, then the App Store version.
Talk it through
Every business is different. If you're weighing up a web app, an App Store app or a SaaS idea, book a free discovery call and we'll work out what actually suits you.
Book a Free Discovery Call