Web app development refers to the creation of software applications that run on browsers. Web applications are built using web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, making these digital products dependent on browsers for users to access them. This reliance on browsers makes developing web applications less costly and complex, on average, compared to developing native mobile apps. 

A native app does not depend on browsers to run but has to be installed on a mobile device, making the app more closely connected to the device’s operating system and hardware resources. This means from a development standpoint that, for every native mobile app, one app has to be built especially for the Android operating system and another for the iOS. Developers need to make only one web app to cover more than one operating system since a web app primarily depends on browsers and remote servers for functionality.

But even though it often costs more to develop native apps for Android and iOS, the close link of these apps to their host operating systems enables them to perform better in general compared to their web app counterparts. 

Ultimately, the choice between web and native mobile app development depends on what use case you want to develop an app for. In general, web app development is suitable for relatively simpler use cases where app features and functionality don’t require much computing power or hardware resources. But to be sure, it’s best to contact your app development partner to see what type of application suits your business or organizational needs best.