Let’s get straight to it: native apps are losing ground. Fast.
In the fast-moving world of business events and conferences, Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) are quickly becoming the tech of choice. They’re lighter, faster, easier to use, and—most importantly—they work. Unlike native apps, which still require users to jump through hoops to download, PWAs launch instantly. And that’s just the beginning.
This isn’t just about convenience. It’s about serious performance gains, SEO visibility, and attendee engagement—the stuff that directly impacts your attendance numbers, sponsor ROI, and event experience.
Let’s unpack exactly why PWAs are pulling ahead—and why native apps are starting to look like yesterday’s news.
📈 SEO Matters: If It’s Not Indexable, It’s Invisible
Native apps are a black hole for content. The only way people find them? App store listings—good luck standing out there.
PWAs, on the other hand, are fully searchable websites. Every session, speaker, sponsor, and schedule page can be crawled by Google. That means:
- More organic traffic from people searching your event's topic
- Event content showing up in Google’s event-rich results
- Higher awareness and attendance—without spending more on ads
👉 Whova added search indexing in 2023 because they knew: events locked in apps weren’t getting discovered.
Bottom line: If SEO is part of your strategy (and it should be), PWAs are non-negotiable.
⚡ Speed Is a Feature—And PWAs Are Built for It
Google ranks fast pages higher. Users bounce from slow ones. PWAs solve both.
- Service workers = instant loading even on flaky Wi-Fi
- Lightweight by design—BookMyShow’s PWA was 54× smaller than their native app
- Faster interaction—users get what they need without delays
A PWA isn’t just faster on the first load. It gets faster every time someone comes back. That’s the opposite of a native app, where you need to download updates just to get the latest info.
💡 One PWA case saw bounce rates drop from 51% to 7%. Imagine the impact that has on engagement.
🚫 Installation? Forget It. Access Is Instant.
With PWAs, there's zero friction. No searching the app store. No account setup. Just:
- Scan a QR code at check-in → app opens instantly
- Click a link in an email → agenda loads in seconds
- No downloads, no IT issues, no excuses
For organisers, this means near-100% adoption. With native apps, you're lucky to get 60%. That means a third of your attendees miss out on updates, polls, and messages.
💬 "Not everyone wants to download another app for a two-day event." — Literally every attendee, ever.
💥 One Build, All Devices
PWA = build once, run everywhere. That’s mobile, tablet, desktop—whatever your attendees are using.
Native apps? You’re building for iOS, Android, maybe web (if you can afford it). That’s triple the cost, triple the maintenance, and still limited reach.
For hybrid and virtual events, this matters. A PWA gives remote users the same experience as in-person ones. Everyone's on the same page—literally.
📲 Engagement That Actually Happens
Here’s what happens when more people use your event platform:
- More session views
- More sponsor interactions
- More survey completions
- More networking
PWAs drive that usage with their ease of access and speed.
Starbucks saw 2× the daily active users on their PWA compared to their native app.
Why? Because people actually used it.
Imagine doubling your platform engagement overnight—without begging people to install anything. That’s the PWA effect.
🎯 Real-World Impact: Attendance, Sponsors & ROI
Let’s connect the dots:
More attendees = more session traffic.
More users = more sponsor views.
More engagement = more event ROI.
And PWAs drive all three.
Sponsors notice when their booths are empty. They notice when banner ads aren’t seen. With PWAs, they get full exposure—because everyone’s on the app, not just the 63% who downloaded it.
EventMobi and Whova are already pivoting to offer PWA options. Why? Because web-first = results.
❌ Native App Shortfalls: What You’re Losing
If you’re sticking to native-only apps, here’s what you’re sacrificing:
- ✅ Search engine traffic
- ✅ Frictionless access
- ✅ Cross-platform reach
- ✅ Full attendee adoption
- ✅ Instant updates
- ✅ Shareable content
And you're spending more to build and maintain less flexible tech. It doesn’t add up.
Even the old guard (like Whova) now offers web access—because organisers demanded it.
✅ Key Takeaways
Here’s why PWAs are the smart choice for modern event organisers:
- SEO-friendly – Your sessions and speakers show up on Google
- Faster – Instant loading with service workers
- Easier access – No downloads needed
- More inclusive – Works on any device, even locked-down corporate phones
- More engaging – Higher usage, longer sessions, lower bounce rates
- Instant updates – No app store delays
🚀 Final Word: PWAs Aren’t the Future. They’re the Now.
Events are fast-paced. Your tech needs to keep up. PWAs do exactly that—they deliver what attendees expect without making them work for it.
They look like apps, feel like apps, but act like websites. And in a world where discoverability, speed, and engagement decide event success, that’s exactly what you need.
Still building for the app store? Time to break up with native—and give your event the web-first power it deserves.
Need help switching to a high-performance PWA for your next event? Talk to us at Presso Network. We’ll help you launch smarter.