For years, the digital distribution of apps has been tightly controlled by centralized platforms like the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. However, this model is gradually evolving as more developers and companies turn to the open web as a viable distribution channel for apps. With the rise of Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), the concept of app stores is undergoing a transformation. PWAs promise a more flexible, user-friendly, and developer-empowered alternative to traditional app markets.
The web is fast becoming the new app store.
What Are Progressive Web Apps (PWAs)?
Progressive Web Apps combine the best of web and mobile apps. They are web applications that are reliable, fast, and engaging, effectively offering a native app-like experience right within a browser. PWAs can be installed on a user’s home screen, work offline, send push notifications, and load quickly, even on uncertain network conditions.
Thanks to modern browser APIs and service workers, PWAs can deliver much of what native apps offer—without requiring users to go through a central app store.
Why the Web Is Emerging as a New App Store
In traditional app development, companies must comply with the rigorous and often opaque approval processes of app stores. This includes adhering to tight design guidelines, revenue-sharing models, delayed approval timelines, and the possibility of app rejections that may not always be justified.
The web, in contrast, offers:
- Freedom of Distribution: Developers can publish updates and fixes any time, instantly.
- No Approval Delays: There’s no bureaucracy; simply deploy and you’re live.
- Cross-Platform Compatibility: A single code base can work across desktop, iOS, Android, and more.
- Lower Costs: No need to give a cut of your revenue to app store providers.
Major tech firms like Twitter, Spotify, and Pinterest are adopting PWAs—not as secondary platforms, but as first-class citizens alongside their native apps.
The Modern Installation UX of PWAs
One of the key benefits and challenges of PWAs lies in their installation user experience (UX). Unlike traditional app stores that present users with an obvious “Download” button, PWAs rely on the browser to surface the installation prompt.
Browsers like Chrome, Edge, and Safari have all introduced functionality to detect installable PWAs and prompt users with the option to “Install” the app. But there are nuances—and designing a smart install UX is critical for adoption.
1. Automatic Prompts
Some browsers, when they detect that a PWA is installable (via a valid web manifest and service worker), will automatically show an install prompt. For example, Chrome on Android might display a mini infobar saying “Add to Home Screen.”
While convenient, this behavior can be surprisingly easy to ignore. Designers and developers should not rely solely on the browser to handle this interaction. Instead, consider prompting users contextually after they’ve engaged with the app—say after their second visit or after completing a task.
2. Manual UX Components
Another solution is to design your own install button. Most modern browsers expose an event (such as beforeinstallprompt) that you can use to display a custom install button within your app’s interface. This button, when clicked, triggers the browser’s install dialog.
Adding this kind of UX component gives you full control over when and how you ask the user to install the app. It also creates a sense of ownership and polish that users associate with fully-featured apps.
3. Clear Value Proposition
Perhaps the most overlooked aspect of install UX is communication. Why should the user install the app? What benefit do they gain from doing so? Be explicit in messaging. For example:
- “Install for offline access”
- “Get real-time updates and push notifications”
- “Use it like a native app on your device”
Combining a call-to-action with a unique benefit increases install likelihood dramatically.
Case Study: Twitter Lite
To understand the true potential of PWAs and their install UX, look no further than Twitter Lite. With data savings of more than 70%, and a 30% increase in tweets sent, Twitter Lite delivered an exceptional experience without relying on a centralized app store.
Twitter cleverly implemented a custom install call-to-action on subsequent visits. They focused not just on technical performance, but on user-centric messaging and timing, prompting users to install once trust had been established. The result? More long-term engagement and increased usage over time.
Challenges in the PWA Install Journey
Despite the many advantages, it’s important to understand some limitations and roadblocks for PWAs today:
- Platform Inconsistency: Not all browsers behave the same when it comes to install prompts or PWA support. iOS, for example, lacks a consistent way to prompt users.
- Lack of User Education: Most users still don’t understand what a PWA is or why installation matters. They may close install popups thinking it’s a standard browser notification.
- No Central Discovery: There’s no universal “store” for PWAs, which means developers must market apps on their own.
Nonetheless, the web ecosystem is maturing rapidly. More initiatives like the Microsoft Edge Add-ons store and directories like PWA Store are starting to emerge, offering a middle ground between full decentralization and discoverability.
Future Outlook
The install UX is one of the final barriers to widespread PWA adoption. But as browsers standardize behaviors and users become more familiar with the install process, we can expect these experiences to become seamless and even preferred over native apps.
Imagine a world where instead of linking to the App Store or Play Store, a product website says “Use App Now”, directing the user to an instantly-usable web experience that can be installed with one tap—and consistently updated without user intervention.
Several exciting possibilities are in development, including:
- Deeper OS Integration, where PWAs support more native features like file access or full-screen video playback.
- PWA Payments APIs that make transactions within web apps just as simple as native apps.
- PWA badges in search results, giving them visibility and recognition equivalent to native apps.
Conclusion
PWAs represent more than just an alternative way to deploy apps—they symbolize a shift in power from gatekeepers back to developers and users. The freedom to distribute apps on your own terms, the drastically lower cost, and the ability to instantly iterate make the web a viable and powerful new “app store.”
However, success requires careful consideration of how users experience installation. The right UX can bridge the gap between “just a website” and “this is an app on my device.” As PWAs continue to gain momentum, mastering the installation journey will be a key differentiator in this new landscape.
The app store isn’t dying—it’s just changing addresses. And the web is where it lives now.
