What Is a Progressive Web App (PWA), and Do You Need One?

A progressive web app is a regular website built with a few extra capabilities that let it behave a bit more like an installed app — without actually being one you'd download from an app store.

What it actually adds

• An icon a visitor can add to their home screen, opening straight to your site
• Faster repeat visits, since some content can be cached on the device
• Basic functionality even with a spotty or offline connection, depending on setup

How it's different from a real app

It's still fundamentally a website — no app store listing, no separate codebase to maintain, and none of the overhead that comes with building and maintaining a dedicated mobile app. A PWA is a middle ground, not a full substitute for either a plain website or a real app.

Do you actually need one?

For most small businesses, the honest answer is no — the added complexity rarely pays for itself unless customers are visiting repeatedly enough that an installable icon and offline caching would meaningfully change their experience.

When it might be worth it

Businesses with frequent repeat visitors — a loyalty program, regular bookings, content people check often — get the most out of it. A one-time service business that customers visit rarely has much less to gain.