Web App vs Cloud App: How Can You Choose The Right Technology?

8 min readOct 4, 2019

Do you want to start your online venture, but confused between two terms: cloud-based apps and web-based apps? Do you want to turn your idea into reality, but don’t know where to proceed: cloud or web way? This is the exact case with many people. Let’s find out the answer to these questions in this blog.

Just because you have a good idea for a web app or cloud-based web app doesn’t mean you also have the technical expertise to turn it into reality by yourself. Most people need to defer to a good web development company to get the right guidance in the same. Even if you do not think you have a good idea for a web or cloud-based app and you just need one developed for your business, you should find a cloud-based application development firm.

In a technical way, cloud-based technology is an exciting tool for doing online business. On another front, it is a topic that causes jitters to many people due to its complex terms and tools involved in it. On the same line comes web apps that give support to cloud-based technology but these 2 are not synonymous. In addition to this, a vast majority takes these two as similar and can hardly differentiate where to go.

A closer look at the functionality and the components opens up a wide rift between these two technologies, but in the ever-changing digital world, one would help but wonder if the people will get a good glimpse of their work. Without a detailed view of these two technologies, the line remains blurry, but they have a great difference between them.

Cloud-based applications

A cloud-based web app is what comes when the existing web world evolves. This concept is entirely dependent on web apps; therefore, the need for web apps before creating cloud applications.

Like web-based apps, cloud-based applications access online service using the internet. However, the cloud-based application doesn’t rely on browsers for it to properly function. Maximum customization in software is possible when it comes to cloud, and the web interface may be used in order to access the cloud when there is a need for online services on the cloud.

Let’s have a quick glance over some stats based on cloud-based applications:

Research firm IDC estimates that nearly one-third of the worldwide enterprise app market will be SaaS-based by the year 2020, driving annual SaaS revenue to $80.8 billion, from 22.6 billion in the year 2018.
81% of all the enterprises have a multi-cloud strategy already laid out. (Source: LogicMonitor/ Forbes)
By the end of the year 2020, 67% of the enterprise infrastructure will only be cloud-based. (Source: IDC)
In addition to this, 82% of the workload will reside on the cloud. (Source: LogicMonitor/Forbes)
As a result, when the next decade begins, over 40 zettabytes of data will be flowing through networks and cloud servers. (Source: IDC)
Even today, the average person uses about 36 cloud-based services every day. (Source: LogicMonitor/Forbes)
Back in the year 2017, the public cloud market generated over $130 billion
The private cloud-based market is expected to generate more than $206 in the year 2019. (Source: IDC)

Features of Cloud-based applications

The cloud-based application has a plethora of features that are advanced including:

Online data storage is a cloud-like feature
Data can be stored on a temporary basis to be used later when the device is offline
The cloud-based application is user-friendly in such a manner that it supports various customers’ prerequisites which include; security, backup schedule, and compression of data.
This can be operated under a device that’s connected to the internet on the web-based browser. The devices may include your cell phone or your desktop.

While it is still possible to identify one through the features, it is crucial to include some existing apps, including; Sugar Sync, Mozie, Evernote, Dropbox, and NetSuite.

In addition, other web emails such as Microsoft Hotmail, Google, and Yahoo are able to function well, they similarly rely on cloud-based technology.

Many websites have brought crucial information regarding cloud-based applications. When you come to the cloud-based application you want to test them and www.getapp.com proves to be reliable and detailed. It has further classified applications and provided reviews and even enabled cloud applications to be easily evaluated and analyzed on their own.

Web Applications

Unlike cloud-based applications, web applications are built to function through a web browser. Web-based applications are created or developed through the integration of server-side scripts (PHP, .Net) and user-side calligraphy-like HTML and Adobe Flash. The browser on the web relies on the webserver components that have been inserted on the device for lifting for the purpose of enabling central web-based services functionality.

Unlike the former, web-based applications provide you convenience as you can access it through browsing from any location. Thanks to its great computing model.

Examples

Online services that you get such as online banking, online shopping, Web-X, and eBay are examples of web-based applications. Although they are web-based, they have limitations when it comes to alternative user customization. In different cases, many people view Facebook as a cloud-based application despite performance designed to be and do web-based applications.

A look at key areas indicates that most cloud-based or web-based application service providers have used the technology’s benefits. It has a revamped web application creation block that gives users the ability to reach a wider audience, which translates to higher productivity.

Cloud-based applications can be called web-based applications, they can work through web browsing, but web-based applications, on the other hand, cannot match cloud applications in functionality. Most web app development companies take web applications in bundles and sell them as “cloud” applications, therefore making them influential in the modern technological era. However, buyers should be aware that bundled web-based applications do not perform the same activities as real cloud applications.

Misfits occur when software development companies confuse functionality over the Internet and cloud-based applications. The fact that the app can run natively on a web browser is not eligible to be a cloud app. To fit in a cloud-based app, it has to display basic properties such as:

Genuine multi-tenancy to enhance various needs and functions for users.
Enhance virtualization functions that form the basis for cloud operation. Web developers should build apps that either support cloud technology or remake them to fit the new infrastructure.

With technological advancements and development frameworks and platforms, it’s easy for a software developer to deliver products to users at the discretion of users. The underlying need arises whether the vendor wants to upgrade an existing web-based application to a cloud-based application or to create a new cloud-based application from scratch. The good news is that they can still afford services, and can enjoy agility that eliminates functional downtime. The result is less time required in order to reach the market and to respond promptly to customer needs.

Differences between Web-Based and Cloud-Based Technologies

Difference 1: Origin

One of the most obvious differences between the two phrases is when they came into use. The term web-app was used & coined earlier than cloud-app and can refer to any type of web-based application. When web or mobile app developers started using a front-end framework based on JavaScript, it was later used to differentiate the new generation features of the upcoming application.

Difference 2: Technology

Web apps are usually associated with early web technologies and are built-in powerful back-end languages such as Python, PHP, Ruby and .NET and remote databases such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server and so on. While JS and its early frameworks like JSON, JQuery, and AJAX are used to improve the user experience on the front-end, web apps only work when connected to the Internet.

While cloud-based apps still require a back-end framework, they also use powerful JavaScript-based frameworks optimized for performance such as Angular, React.js, and nodes. Cloud apps embrace alternative database options such as Firebase & local, browser-based options. The use of cloud apps is the biggest distinguishing factor in these frameworks and HTML5 offline caching features to enable them in order to perform even without an Internet connection.

Difference 3: Uses Cases

Since cloud apps can work partially or fully offline, they are actually a developed web app. As such, they are great for applications requiring very high computations, or that need to operate reliably in places where Internet connectivity is sporadic. They are the preferred option for collaboration-heavy processes, however, there are far more collaboration-based web applications. Since web applications only work in the browser when there is an internet connection, they are great for transactional applications such as bulletin boards, e-commerce sites, information sharing portals & booking services.

Difference 4: Cost

Creating reliable web-based applications that also work offline is more expensive than creating a traditional browser-only web application. There are fewer web or mobile app developers with the requisite skills, and the team building cloud-based apps are always going to be bigger than building those simple web apps. For these reasons, cloud apps can be significantly more expensive than web-based apps.

Difference 5: Popular Services

From a non-technical point, perhaps looking at the products we use is the best way to understand the difference between these two words. The most popular web apps are websites that require a continuous connection or they do not work. Sites like Wikipedia, Airbnb, Amazon, and YouTube are good examples of this. Cloud-based apps are expected to work offline and sync in the background when the Internet is restored. Identified names like Salesforce, Evernote, Gmail, Dropbox, and Slack are some of the heaviest cloud apps.

Let’s Wrap Up:

However, 90% of these two technologies share the same DNA, cloud app and web app, serving different objectives and audiences. We recommend those who are considering their software development options to question the needs of their users before committing to one or the other.

Choosing the wrong option can cost you twice as much as you need to pay, or unfit your application for the intended purpose.

Choose wisely and create the web or cloud-based application you need financially and efficiently. If you want to have your own mobile app, you can choose to hire mobile app developers that help you choose the right technologies as per your specific business requirements.

Choose wisely and create the web or cloud-based application you need financially and efficiently. If you want to have your own mobile app, you can choose to hire mobile app developers that help you choose the right technologies as per your specific business requirements.