The answer to the question starts to become clearer when you can define what "best" means. If "best" means - looks and works perfectly on an iPhone (or latest

The answer to the question starts to become clearer when you can define what "best" means. If "best" means - looks and works perfectly on an iPhone (or latest Android version) then native it is. If "best" means - shortest way to develop an app that works on the greatest range of devices then HTML5 is a strong contender (I am just building such an app for an old customer). If the app needs access to device hardware (accelerometer, live camera feed etc) then you have to ask if PhoneGap or such can meet your needs or if you are pushed back to native app development. You don't need a long debate - with a definition of "best" and a clear idea of the requirements then 5 minutes debate should cover it. I just don't understand the endless web posts and blogs turning over the same ground.