4 ms·

Yes: 1. web apps don't need an expensive development environment. So you don't need to buy or rent a mac just to submit the app to apple 2. Tools are free, no

by stop50 3y ago

Yes: 1. web apps don't need an expensive development environment. So you don't need to buy or rent a mac just to submit the app to apple 2. Tools are free, no 99$ fee for ji'ust the right to submit apps. 3. No person can reject your app because you violated an vague rule or are thrown out because apple provides an very similar app.

dtagames 3y ago
All true. You'll also find the overhead of dealing with Apple on any topic will come back to haunt you again and again. On the web, no one can force you change the app you already shipped and no one can change the rules under which it operates. On iOS, Apple can and does do these things, which cost you money to keep up with.
- jfoster 3y ago
  > On the web, no one can force you change the app you already shipped and no one can change the rules under which it operates. This isn't entirely true, in practice. It's not as bad as iOS, but browsers & search engines can effectively change the rules on you, even on the web. APIs you rely on can be deprecated, browsers can change their behavior, search engines can change your app's visibility, etc.
  - dtagames 3y ago
    Browsers really don't change to remove features very often. You can still use HTML 1.0 if you'd like and it works fine. API's, on the other hand, are a service like Apple provides with their store. If you rely on someone else's service (APIs), they might change. Your own don't have to.
al_borland 3y ago
As a counterpoint to this… 1. A lot of people are doing their web development on a Mac, so this becomes a moot point. 2. While it does cost $99 to get in the store, the app can be used by millions for no additional cost. Hosting fees for a web app will grow along with the user base. Even without users, a domain plus a basic hosting plan will easily be more than $99/year. 3. This is valid, but a problem for some apps more than others, and it doesn’t relate to cost.
- meiraleal 3y ago
  > As a counterpoint to this… I saw no valid counterpoint for the question "Does it cost more to build an iOS app than a web app?". 1 is obvious, you can develop for web everywhere but can't build iOS apps everywhere. 2 also apply for web but without the $99 fee. 3 is the most nonsense defense of apple gatekeeping I read today, it obviously relates to cost if apps get denied for marginally competing with Apple.
- chunkyguy 3y ago
  > While it does cost $99 to get in the store, the app can be used by millions for no additional cost. Hosting fees for a web app will grow along with the user base. Even without users, a domain plus a basic hosting plan will easily be more than $99/year. $99/year is just to host the 'client-side'. Most likely you still the backend so that cost is still the same.
  - al_borland 3y ago
    This is highly dependent on the app. Many apps use iCloud as the backend, if it’s just data and syncing that’s needed.

by stop50 3y ago

dtagames 3y ago

All true. You'll also find the overhead of dealing with Apple on any topic will come back to haunt you again and again. On the web, no one can force you change the app you already shipped and no one can change the rules under which it operates. On iOS, Apple can and does do these things, which cost you money to keep up with.

jfoster 3y ago
> On the web, no one can force you change the app you already shipped and no one can change the rules under which it operates. This isn't entirely true, in practice. It's not as bad as iOS, but browsers & search engines can effectively change the rules on you, even on the web. APIs you rely on can be deprecated, browsers can change their behavior, search engines can change your app's visibility, etc.
- dtagames 3y ago
  Browsers really don't change to remove features very often. You can still use HTML 1.0 if you'd like and it works fine. API's, on the other hand, are a service like Apple provides with their store. If you rely on someone else's service (APIs), they might change. Your own don't have to.

al_borland 3y ago

As a counterpoint to this… 1. A lot of people are doing their web development on a Mac, so this becomes a moot point. 2. While it does cost $99 to get in the store, the app can be used by millions for no additional cost. Hosting fees for a web app will grow along with the user base. Even without users, a domain plus a basic hosting plan will easily be more than $99/year. 3. This is valid, but a problem for some apps more than others, and it doesn’t relate to cost.

meiraleal 3y ago
> As a counterpoint to this… I saw no valid counterpoint for the question "Does it cost more to build an iOS app than a web app?". 1 is obvious, you can develop for web everywhere but can't build iOS apps everywhere. 2 also apply for web but without the $99 fee. 3 is the most nonsense defense of apple gatekeeping I read today, it obviously relates to cost if apps get denied for marginally competing with Apple.
chunkyguy 3y ago
> While it does cost $99 to get in the store, the app can be used by millions for no additional cost. Hosting fees for a web app will grow along with the user base. Even without users, a domain plus a basic hosting plan will easily be more than $99/year. $99/year is just to host the 'client-side'. Most likely you still the backend so that cost is still the same.
- al_borland 3y ago
  This is highly dependent on the app. Many apps use iCloud as the backend, if it’s just data and syncing that’s needed.