"Why isn't Wealio on the Play Store? Or the App Store?" This is the most common question I get since launching Wealio. And I always answer it gladly, because the answer isn't "we haven't gotten around to it," but "we made a deliberate choice."
Wealio is a PWA. If you're not sure what that means, this article is for you.
PWA stands for Progressive Web App. Simply put, a website that behaves like a native app. It can be installed to your phone's home screen, works partially offline, can send push notifications, and feels fast like a real app.
Not a regular website you open in a browser and close. Once installed, a PWA appears on your home screen just like WhatsApp or any other app, with its own icon and no address bar.
This is the part developers rarely explain openly. I'll be honest.
First: App Store distribution fees are expensive and ultimately unfair to users. Apple takes 30% of every in-app purchase. Google Play takes 15-30%. If Wealio ever has paid features, that cost either gets passed to users or absorbed as a loss. PWA has no middleman, no 30% cut.
Second: The App Store review process slows down iteration. Updates on the App Store require a 1-7 day review. If I find a critical bug today, I can't fix it for all users immediately; I have to wait for Apple's approval. With PWA, a fix today reaches you today.
Third: One codebase for all platforms. Instead of maintaining three separate versions (Android, iOS, Web), I can focus on one. That means all development resources go into features that actually help you, not into maintaining three separate platforms.
"I didn't choose PWA because I couldn't build a native app. I chose it because it's the best option for Wealio users right now." — Wealio Founder
Good question. In terms of experience, it's almost identical to a native app, especially for a finance app like Wealio that doesn't need camera access, GPS, or phone sensors.
What you don't get compared to a native app, access to certain phone hardware features (camera for receipt scanning; that's on Wealio's roadmap, not yet). But for logging expenses, tracking budget, and viewing net worth? PWA is more than enough.
The process takes about 30 seconds. I've written a full guide in a separate article:
Every time someone says "oh PWA is just a cheap version of a real app," I want to point out that Twitter (X), Starbucks, Pinterest, and Uber all have PWAs used by millions of people every day. Not because they couldn't build native apps. But because PWA makes sense for their use case.
For Wealio, what matters most is that you can track your finances anytime, from any phone, without the hassle. PWA makes that possible, without storage bloat, forced updates, or a 30% cut that you end up paying for.
And if there's ever a strong reason to build a native app, I will. But right now, PWA is the best choice I can make for Wealio users.
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