Custom web apps and PWAs
Short answer
A web app is used from the browser, with nothing to install on each device; a PWA is a web app that can also be installed on the phone like an app. That is how the software we deliver works: hotel housekeeping, for example, is used as an installable app.
Web app, PWA and website are not the same
A website informs: it shows your company and products. A web app works: it has users, permissions, forms and data, like a program, but it opens in the browser. A PWA (Progressive Web App) is a web app the browser lets you install on the home screen of a phone or computer; it opens like an app, full screen, without going through an app store. What we build are web apps and PWAs to run your company.
Why web and not just desktop
- Used from the front-desk computer, the register or the team's phone.
- One version for everyone: no updates to install device by device.
- With users, roles and permissions per employee.
- Data lives in one database: what is logged at one location shows up at the others.
What to check before choosing a PWA
- Which devices your team uses: computers, Android phones, iPhones or a mix. Installation and some features vary by system and browser.
- Which hardware must connect: receipt printers, barcode scanners, scales or cameras. It is checked in the diagnosis, device by device.
- Whether work happens without signal (warehouse, farm, plant). Then it is worth defining what is stored on the device and how it syncs when the connection returns.
- Whether you need to be listed in an app store. If that is a requirement, the option is a native app; if not, a PWA skips that step.
Where we already use it
- Hotel: front desk and cash on the computer; room housekeeping as an installable phone app, with photos.
- Stores and cafés: point of sale with barcode scanning, cash counts and register closing.
- Food factory: processes, batches and quality records from the plant floor (the one Juan Choconat uses).
- Management: OKRs, margin by channel and treasury in one panel.
Web app, PWA or native app: comparison
| Criterion | Web app | PWA | Native app |
|---|---|---|---|
| Installation | None: opened with a link | From the browser, no app store | From each system's store |
| Versions | One for every device | One for every device | One per operating system |
| Updating | Immediate for everyone | Immediate for everyone | Store review + each user updates |
| Phone icon | No (browser bookmark) | Yes | Yes |
| Notifications | Limited | Yes, with support that varies by system and browser | Yes |
| Best for | Dashboards, reports and back office | Teams working from the phone | Advanced phone features or store presence |
How we work on a PWA
- Diagnosis of your operation and who uses what from which device.
- Choice of the closest base software, which already runs in the browser.
- AI-assisted adaptation of screens, flows, roles and reports; phone screens are designed for one-handed use.
- Installation, training and handover of code and documentation.
- Timing depends on scope and is set in the diagnosis: how many processes, locations, roles and data have to go into the software.
Before asking for a PWA, be clear on
- Which tasks are done from the phone and which from the computer.
- Whether there are places with poor signal (warehouse, farm, plant) where offline work is needed.
- Which roles exist and what each one can see or edit.
- What data you have today and in what format, in case it must be loaded.
Price
The published price of the matching line applies (for example, store POS from COP 4,000,000 or hotel software from COP 8,000,000, before VAT). Anything else is quoted with a proposal.
Support
- Implementation runs until the whole process is working with its roles; then you get 2 months of support.
Frequently asked questions
What is a PWA?
Progressive Web App: a web app you can install on a phone or computer and open like an app, without going through an app store.
Does a PWA work offline?
It can keep part of the information on the device and keep working for a while offline, if built for it. If your operation needs it, we define it in the diagnosis.
Do I need a native app?
Only if you need phone features the web cannot give or a listing in an app store. For internal operating apps, a PWA is usually enough.
Who owns the code?
One-time payment, no monthly license: at handover you receive the code, the accounts and the access credentials, with installation, operation and code documentation.
How much does it cost?
Quote with a free diagnosis: we review your operation, tell you which base software applies and send you the proposal. Book the diagnosis in the calendar or message us on WhatsApp.
You may also need: glossary: PWA, POS, PMS and more · app development for companies · custom software development · hotel software
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