I won't download your app. The web version is a-ok

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Overall sentiment: strong resistance to “app-only” experiences

  • Many refuse to install an app for one‑off or infrequent tasks (menus, parking, tickets, loyalty, ordering from a single restaurant).
  • Several say they will drop a product, venue, or doctor if an app is required.
  • Browser is seen as the “default client”; if the web version is crippled or missing, some take that as a red flag and walk away.

Deliberate degradation and lock‑in

  • Common claim: companies intentionally make mobile web UIs slow or broken, or block features, to funnel users into apps.
  • Examples mentioned: social media, ticketing, banking, news, job/real‑estate sites, and forums that hide content, remove features, or hard‑nag app installs on mobile.
  • Apps are seen as better for: lock‑in, pushing notifications, bypassing ad blockers, and keeping competitors out of “adjacent tabs.”

UX and performance tradeoffs

  • Some argue most native apps are faster, more responsive, and better designed than equivalent web UIs, especially for heavy or sensor‑based use (maps, messaging, smart home, GPS, payments).
  • Others note many apps are just webviews with worse UX, missing features vs desktop web, constant forced logouts, intrusive onboarding, and fragmented functionality between app and site.
  • Limited phone storage and weak hardware make large, frequently updated apps a real burden for many users.

Security, privacy, and permissions

  • Pro‑web side: browser sandboxing, easier ad/tracker blocking, and less access to contacts, location, device IDs, and background processes.
  • Pro‑app side: on mobile OSes apps are sandboxed too; stores add some review and hashing guarantees; open‑source clients can be audited and built once instead of trusting server‑delivered web code each visit.
  • Extended argument around E2EE: web clients can be silently modified per user; native audited apps are seen by some as safer for encryption. Others counter that trust and realistic threat models matter more than platform.

Generational and usage patterns

  • Older/power users tend to see phones as secondary to desktops and strongly prefer web apps.
  • Many younger users see “internet = phone apps” and may barely use browsers or understand filesystems.
  • Several commenters caution that HN‑style preferences don’t match the broader consumer base, who often prefer apps.

PWAs and platform dynamics

  • Many wish PWAs were the norm but note Apple/Google have historically constrained them and made install flows obscure.
  • Developers like PWAs for instant deployment, but report very low install rates; native apps still dominate discovery, monetization, and user expectations.