PWA vs. AMP: Which is Better?

Progressive Web Apps are specifically designed to provide a rich and consistent mobile experience to users. Progressive web apps (PWAs) load like web pages offering robust functionality such as offline, push notifications, and device hardware access. Google is the pioneer of Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) helping developers build native app like qualities in web applications that are reliable, fast, and engaging.

The rise of PWAs is inevitable and considered the future of mobile applications, making native applications a thing of the past. It is important to partner with a reliable Progressive Web App Development company to offer a ubiquitous experience to users. It combines the best of worlds, web and mobile. Coined by Google in 2015, PWA meet three criteria:

• Reliable – Instant load in uncertain network conditions
• Fast – Respond in a quick and hassle free manner to ensure seamless user interactions with smooth animations and no janky scrolling
• Engaging – Natural app on the device with an immersive user experience

Progressive web apps are mobile website experiences designed to look, feel, and work the way native mobile apps do. Users can use in a browser as they would any mobile website. After engaging with that site, the user is prompted to install the web app on their device. Should they choose to install, the app will download to the device in the way a native app would.

Advantages of Progressive Web Apps

Building a robust Progressive Web App has several key benefits, which provides delightful user experience in order to increase engagement and improved conversion rate.

• Add to Home screen
  When the key Progressive Web App criteria are fulfilled, Chrome prompts users to add the Progressive Web App to their home screen.
• Work reliably, no matter the network conditions
  Service workers enable Konga to send 63% less data for initial page loads and 84% less data to finish the first transaction!
• Increased engagement
  Web push notifications helped increase engagement.
• Improved conversions
  Improved user experience increasing conversions for new users across all browsers.

What is AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages)

The open-source Accelerated Mobile Pages project (AMP for short) allows developers to build web pages that load near-instantly with a unique coding language. That language is a stripped-down version of HTML and CSS which restricts the use of JavaScript. AMP is a web component framework and a website publishing technology developed by Google to “provide a user-first format for web content”

AMP is an open source framework which is built by Google in close collaboration with Twitter. Accelerated Mobile Pages create better, faster experiences on the mobile web. At its crux, the framework allows to build lightweight experiences for mobile by simplifying the HTML and following streamlined CSS rules.

AMP was originally considered to be developed in response to Facebook’s Instant Articles. However, over the years, it has become a powerful platform for delivering content directly from search results at almost lightening speed.

Progressive Web Apps vs. AMP

With power-packed features Progressive web apps are bound to replace native applications, but what about AMP? Where do accelerated mobile pages stand today and is a place for both PWA and AMP?

A few key differences between these two:

• Discoverability: AMP wins this battle when it comes to discoverability. AMP gets the help of a carousel in Google search results, where progressive web apps aren’t afforded a boost in search engine discoverability.
• Engagement: Progressive web apps aren’t limited to using AMP HTML or CSS. They can involve far more engaging content compared to AMP. Interactive solution requiring JavaScript cannot be created using the AMP framework. For AMP, dynamic content is needed.
• Speed: The advantage here goes to AMP for the same reason progressive web apps win the race when it comes to engagement. AMP can only support lightweight content, but it makes for quicker load times.

Pros

• Enhanced Search Results: Due to Google AMP your site might appear in carousel format which might appear on topmost place drawing maximum traffic and user attention.
• Decreased Bounce Rates: Fast page loading keeps users engagement level high reducing the number of people leaving the website.
• ROI on Ads: AMPs provide quick loading ad to ensure reaching the highest level of potential.

Cons

• Lack of Analytics Support: AMP provides limited support for other analytics platforms. It mainly supports Google Analytics.
• Slow Loading Video: Video content does not always load at lightning speed.
• Lack of Support for Widget: Limited support for widget as AMP uses limited CSS, HTML and JS.

PWAMP Combination Patterns

AMP web development helps create a fast but simple experience. You could rely on a progressive web app to create a dynamic user experience. Or, you could start fast and stay fast by incorporating both into your web design. Today, the uses of AMP together with progressive web apps are becoming more prevalent, with developers leveraging both in three ways.

• AMP as a progressive web app
• AMP to a progressive web app
• AMP in a progressive web app

Ready to create your own progressive web app?

Looking to create a fast, native-app-like experience with the discoverability of the web? Try PWA. Well, both AMP mobile app and PWA web app have significant benefits. However, if your website has the nature to focus on the heavy content then AMP will be better. It entirely depends on your business goals.

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Accelerated Mobile PagesAMPmobile app developmentProgressive Web AppPWAWeb Apps Mobile Apps

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Albert Smith

Albert Smith, Marketing Manager at Hidden Brains, drives brand growth with innovative strategies in web, mobile app, and software development.