Installable web apps (PWA)
An app your customers install from the browser on iPhone and Android, with an icon, notifications and offline use, without going through the app stores.
An installable web app, or PWA, opens from a link and installs on the phone with one tap: it gets its icon on the home screen, opens full screen and can send notifications. For many businesses it's the fastest and most affordable way to have "an app", because it doesn't go through the App Store or Google Play, and one version works on iPhone, Android and desktop.
When it makes sense
- You want an app for your customers (orders, bookings, loyalty points, menu, catalog) without the cost of two native apps.
- Your team needs a tool on their phones, for example technicians, sales reps or delivery drivers.
- You need to launch soon: it updates instantly, with no waiting for store reviews.
- You want to test the idea before investing in a native app.
What it can do
- Install on the home screen, with your icon and your name.
- Notifications on Android and on iPhone (from iOS 16.4, once the user installs it).
- Work offline for the essentials, and sync when the signal comes back.
- Use the camera and GPS, and share files or links.
- Accounts, payments and bookings, just like a website.
When a native app is better
If you need to be in the stores, use advanced phone features (Bluetooth, sensors, in-app purchases, widgets) or very high performance, the right choice is a mobile app for iPhone and Android. We tell you honestly in the call.
How we work
- Free 30-minute video call to understand who will use it and for what.
- Written proposal with the screens, features, dates and price.
- Design of the main screens for your approval.
- Development in stages, with test versions you install on your own phone.
- Launch on your domain and ongoing monthly support.
Pricing
Each app is quoted according to its screens and features, in Costa Rican colones plus VAT, after the video call. Since it's one version for every device, it usually costs a good deal less than two native apps.
Frequently asked questions
Will my customers find it in the App Store?
No. It installs from your website or from a link or QR code. For many businesses that's enough, because their customers already arrive through WhatsApp, social media or Google.
Can I turn it into a native app later?
Yes. What we build for the web app (the design, the data and the server) is reused in a native app if you ever need one.