What is The Right Choice Between Web App and Desktop App?

Web apps and desktop apps are two of the most flexible applications nowadays. Web apps run in a web browser just like internet sites, except they have an application structure and controls. A desktop app or local app is designed to run on your computer.

What is a Web Application?

Web applications are the term used for browser-based software used to simplify your online experience and make it more efficient, hence the name web applications.

What is a Desktop Application?

Desktop applications can be contrasted with mobile apps and websites. They are usually installed locally on your computer or laptop and access data from there. They're not accessed online via the cloud.

Web Application vs Desktop Application: An In-Depth Comparison

Let us compare the essential factors of a web app and desktop app.

Internet Connection

Many areas in the world don’t have a good internet connection, due to which people face connectivity issues while using web applications. There is no need for plugins or downloading in a web app and it works faster than a desktop app.

On the other hand, desktop apps are standalone apps; hence, they don’t require an internet connection. However, you only need an internet connection if your desktop app works with a server.

Installation and Updates

By using web applications you need not worry about missing any updates, as there are none. You can access them by URL or just pin them on your device for easy accessibility.

On the contrary, you need to compulsory install a desktop application before using it. You can’t just download and load it from the computer to use it.

OS Features

Both desktop and web apps are built using the same set of web technologies. And despite having the benefit of leveraging powerful OS features, most web apps are restrictive in terms of what they can do.

However, desktop apps can access various OS features like fingerprint reader, facial recognition, file management, etc.

Does a Web App Require More Computer Resources?

Web apps are accessed from web browsers, and they don't require large computers. Multiple tabbed browsing is a common feature of all web browsers.

A desktop app can access various computer resources. However, the utilization of computer resources relies on the complexity of a desktop app.

Portability: Can a Desktop App be Accessed from Any Device?

Portability is the freedom to access your data from any device. A web app is highly portable as all the things get stored on the cloud. Hence, you can access all of your data without any need for synchronization.

A desktop app is not portable because it is OS-specific.

Platform Dependency

The web applications are platform-independent. This means that you can use the same application on different operating systems. Web applications support most platforms including Windows, Linux, Mac, Android, and iPhone. You will not need to migrate your data to a new interface when you want a change of platform.

On the contrary, desktop applications are platform-dependent. Here, there is a limit to the versions with which each operating system can be used.

Hosting

If you plan to develop a web app, you have to purchase hosting and renew it annually. The cost of hosting depends on the requirements of the web app.

If you plan to develop a desktop app, you wouldn’t require expensive hosting.

So these were some of the factors which differentiate web apps from desktop apps. To know more, refer to this blog on Web App vs Desktop App.