Why service businesses need a progressive web app (PWA): Blending web and mobile experiences

Did you know that worldwide internet usage has already reached 5.56 billion users? Most retail website traffic worldwide still comes from smartphones. In this mobile-first era, businesses need solutions, like PWA, that blend the best of websites and mobile apps. But what is a progressive web app?

A progressive web app (PWA) presents valuable investment potential for various industries, offering customers the benefits of mobile applications and website capabilities. This tool is convenient for working without an internet connection everywhere, through uniform interfaces, increasing device usage and purchases.

By partnering with Overcode.tech, you hire progressive web app developers to deliver fast, reliable, and app-like experiences on any device.

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What is a PWA (Progressive Web App)

A PWA concept applies existing site content to create applications that unite mobile app functionalities with site browsing operations. The functionality of web applications exceeds typical information delivery, offering numerous features.

The service hooks users with unrestricted messages, seamless payments, and easy file handling in online storage. Web apps function without requiring installation, performing operations from remote cloud databases.

To read more about 8 essential tech tools for service-based businesses in 2025, visit our blog here.

Progressive Web App capabilities

Businesses benefit from PWA functions, omitting website and smartphone application development requirements. It turns websites into applications, eliminating standard separation points between web and native code. With this approach, the user attains screen shortcut creation, pop-up activation, and offline functionality.

The web application receives additional capabilities, but their execution speed depends on each device's specifications. In particular, progressive web app benefits are:

• Fast loading times. PWAs use caching and service workers for fast load time.
• Offline functionality. They allow tasks to be done offline as files are stored locally.
• Push notifications. It can send real-time notifications to users, increasing interest.
• Add-to-home-screen capabilities. Users can run the app on all its devices without an app store.
• Responsive, mobile-first design. Perfectly responsive in any screen size and on any device.

If the "incognito" mode is active in the browser through which PWAs run, some functions may not work.

Progressive web app examples

Modern businesses require quick, dependable web encounters that maintain user interest, including speed, offline functionality, and better user interactions. Industries that use PWAs have achieved impressive business results. Here are some standout examples:

The analyzed cases demonstrate how PWAs improve user satisfaction and organizational commercial achievements. Should your business consider a PWA application as a possibility for future development?

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PWA benefits for service businesses

According to Google, the PWA provides sites with higher satisfaction and interaction levels, which results in max-out conversion numbers. The main advantages consist of instant speed and user-friendly design. Implementing PWA by certain sites raised page views per session and conversions, showing 70% of page load times decreased.

Improved user experience

UX has higher satisfaction with PWAs because these applications speed up their loading time and provide a better user experience through offline functionality. It demonstrated facile installation features and good performance, particularly on iOS systems.

For example, Twitter Lite PWA has improved user experience by 65% page growth in sessions, decreasing session bounces by 20%.

Multiplied interaction and retention

Applications and websites get optimized user activity through regular alerts, which provide their audience with personalized, useful reminders and promotional deals. Push notifications can boost traffic by 88%, particularly for e-commerce and content-driven applications. 

Users perks from easier app downloading through the "Add to Home Screen" feature, allowing quick service access with only one click. People can easily find brands, motivating them to use the products repeatedly. For example, in such a way, Starbucks’ PWA doubled in their daily active customers. More sales and loyal customer retention stem from how PWAs develop a streamlined user journey that hooks customers.

Cost-effective development

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) represent an efficient, cost-saving approach, operating across multiple platforms. Clients avoid high costs because they do not require separate iOS, Android, and web application development.

Eliminating separate coding systems for different operating systems enables businesses to reduce their progressive web app development expenses by 70% relative to traditional native application creation.  Everyone on any platform receives automatic and instantaneous PWA updates, eliminating native application software update expenses and delays.

SEO and discoverability advantages

Mobile apps allow businesses to obtain online visibility through the Google search engine. It considers PWA apps standard website pages, allowing businesses to achieve higher search rankings. Faster load times and mobile-first performance directly improve search rankings. Page speed is a serious factor in ranking algorithms, especially for mobile searches.

Boosted conversions and revenue

The business advantages of PWAs stem from improving purchasing convenience and driving more sales. According to studies, website load time beyond a second decreases expected purchases. The combination of quick loading speeds and offline functionalities in PWAs produces better results with buyer conversion rates.

When AliExpress rolled out its PWA, its conversion rate grew 104%. The application provided faster speed and better interface features.

Better security

By default, PWAs function with HTTPS, which encrypts data between users and applications. Security measures implemented during PWA creation decrease data breach vulnerabilities and various malicious risks, including man-in-the-middle attacks.

PWAs use service workers for secure data caching, enabling them to access content off the internet without jeopardizing their information security.

Instant updates and instant access

Members can receive instant updates online rather than waiting for new versions through app stores. It grants them access to upgrade features, bug fixes, and performance advancement. They can bypass app store review procedures while instantly receiving new features because PWAs function directly from their browser. 

Progressive Web App pros and cons

The solution introduces cost-efficient connectivity that enables businesses to reach consumers through various platforms. PWAs contain favorable aspects and drawbacks, similar to all other technologies. Here's a look at some pros and cons:

Common objections and how to overcome them

“We already have a mobile-friendly website.”

The features offered by mobile-friendly websites cannot match those of PWAs. It operates offline, has quick load times, and delivers an extra interactive experience.

“Building an app sounds expensive.” 

Native app development costs money. However, deciding to build a progressive web app will be less expensive. The codebase for PWAs serves every platform, while simpler maintenance requirements lead to decreased development costs.

“Our customers won’t know how to use it.”

The design of PWAs focuses on simplicity while providing comfortable usability patterns like push notifications and adding to the home screen.

Conclusion

A PWA represents a wise cost-saving solution and speedier development route versus an entire app creation process. Famous brands, including Starbucks, Twitter, and Uber, implement PWAs alongside native apps to fully satisfy user needs.

It allows you to focus on UX-centric development on a single solution rather than wasting resources on multiple native platform-specific applications that perform poorly in search results. A PWA might be your solution to maintain leadership status against your market competitors.

Read next: 5 ways tech tools enhance client retention in service-based businesses