10 Best Progressive Web App Frameworks with Pros and Cons

A suitable framework shapes your development process, budget, and app performance. It reduces costly development delays and makes it easy to add new features or scale your application in the future. All this is done while ensuring your users never stop enjoying a fast, reliable application experience.

For you, the best PWA framework also means a lower total cost of ownership and a faster application launch. It's like investing in a resource that aligns with your business goals, reduces risk, and optimizes resources.

Choose from the top 10 progressive web app tools and frameworks suggested by the best PWA development company. We have also mentioned the unique strengths and cons of each one to help you make an informed decision.

List of the Best Progressive Web App Framework

1. Ionic

Targeting audiences on Android and iOS? No need to hire app developers for separate platforms; choose iconic.

The framework supports common web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It has over 100 pre-built UI components that save developers time building UI for different platforms.

Suitable for cross-platform application development, Iconic is best known for removing dead code and auto-adapting UI. That means the look and feel of your PWA application will adapt to the platform. The latest version of Iconic 8.3.4 makes this framework more developer-friendly and the best choice for applications with native-like quality.

2. Angular JS

Enterprise-level apps are complex and scale with time. A framework that can handle both while maintaining interactivity is good for developing such apps.

This JavaScript framework developed by Google has it all. Service Workers, a powerful CLI, and a Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture-all these features of Angular can handle your business's complex workflows, making it the best PWA framework for data-heavy applications.

It also has built-in support for PWA development since these apps can work in offline mode. Additionally, its compatibility with TypeScript results in a more reliable end product, as finding errors is easy in Angular v18.

3. React

React is the best decision for making your business highly discoverable with PWA. It supports virtual DOM, which renders changes faster and easier to load.

Maintained by Facebook, React is also known for its flexibility and ability to handle heavy data without hurting user engagement. So, use this framework for applications such as an eCommerce platform, a customer portal, or a dynamic dashboard.

4. Preact

Though not a framework but a library, Preact is best for apps that require higher efficiency. The developer community uses this library when less data usage and high loading time are required.

Preact is the best alternative to React and delivers a similar experience at a lower overhead. For companies with a global reach, Preact can be a strategic choice without stressing about internet connectivity and performance.

Learn here which is better- Preact or React Js.

5. Polymer

If you are developing progressive web apps for multiple browsers, consider Polymer your ultimate tool. Created by Google, this open-source JavaScript library for web app development is good for developing custom and reusable elements.

Making changes to each element or component is not a problem with Polymer, as individual changes do not impact the entire application.

Therefore, Polymer is a highly opted framework for businesses that want personalization, efficiency, and interactivity in their applications. McDonald's and Google 1Maps are popular apps built on Polymer.

6. Lighthouse

Whether you have an eCommerce application or ride-sharing android mobile app, it's important to ensure it's accessible, performing well, and optimized for search engines. Luckily, Google has released a tool to measure all three things with just one tool: Lighthouse.

Lighthouse runs automated audits and gives you a clear view of your application's readiness. Each audit provides a detailed report on what went wrong in your application or web page. This helps your developers fix everything and make your PWA ready for deployment.

7. Magento PWA Studio

E-commerce stores are rapidly shifting to PWA because of its offline accessibility, minimum memory consumption, agility, and native-like experience. Magento, a popular eCommerce platform, has in-built PWA capabilities to offer these benefits to online retailers.

It has pre-built components for product listings, carts, user accounts, and push notifications. With all these features, Magento PWA Studio reduces the complexity of deploying eCommerce stores.

It also makes back-end integration easy and creates an eCommerce app faster with the existing Magento infrastructure.

8. Svelte

Unlike other frameworks, Svelte compiles your application code at build time. This feature reduces runtime processing, minimizes the browser workload, and enables faster user interactions.

Therefore, Svelte is a top PWA framework for applications that demand quick loading and higher performance.

Furthermore, the framework's efficiency makes a meaningful difference in the applications where user retention is a priority.

9. Vue.js

Vue is a versatile open-source JavaScript framework for android development. It suits businesses with dynamic needs and teams new to JavaScript frameworks. Vue.js's component-based architecture eases the development of even complex user interfaces.

Vue.Js is often compared with React.js because of its rich ecosystem, PWA plugin, and modular structure.

10. ScandiPWA

If you are using Magento, use ScandiPWA. It gives you the best of Magento and PWA in just one theme without the need of any additional layer or extension. With this integration, you get a powerful tool to optimize your product pages, checkout process, and customize the store for heavy traffic.

Time to Pick the Best Framework for PWA Development

Choosing a framework is not just a technical decision. You are deciding on how your application will be developed, its cost, and its performance. The right framework can set you up for sustainable development and long-term success.

From Angular's scalability to Svelte’s lightweight performance, all the progressive web app tools are suitable for your different priorities and budgets. Here is a glance at each one and their pros and cons.

Besides the best features, pros, and cons of the progressive web app framework, you must consider the following things:

• Familiarity and experience of your team with that framework.
• The size and complexity of your project.
• Any specific feature and functionality that requires different frameworks.

You might need more than one framework for your application. Worry not. These frameworks are interoperable and easy to learn, even for new developers. Still cannot decide?

Our PWA Experts Can Help

Building a progressive web app that delivers a reliable and responsive experience requires a team of experts. Softude’s PWA development team has hands-on experience in the above-mentioned tools and frameworks. We also bring decades of experience developing enterprise-level apps or eCommerce stores. Connect with us to discuss the best options for your PWA project and take the next step in your digital strategy.