Web apps are a convenient way to access software without needing to download it as individual programs on your PC. However, while I prefer using web apps over Windows apps, they do come with certain limitations that you should keep in mind. These include the lack of certain features and reduced performance, among other drawbacks.

6 Limited features

Certain features are reserved for native apps

Unless you're using a web-first platform, you'll often find the web apps for certain programs don't have all the features you might need.

For example, while I always use the Spotify web player, this locks me out of certain features that the Windows app has. This includes a higher bitrate for audio and offline playback. Meanwhile, using the Windows app for Discord gives you access to the in-game overlay.

Steam is a more obvious example, along with many other game launchers. You can access the storefront and your profile on the websites, but if you want to download and play games, you need to install the relevant apps.

While I'm happy to skip over a few additional features to save space on my computer drives, you may find there are certain apps where those extra features are must-haves for you. With something like Steam, the main features are dependent on you installing the native app.

5 Reliance on an internet connection

To connect to the cloud you need the internet

Since web apps run software on remote servers that allow you to access the service without needing your own local copy, an internet connection is essential. A benefit of this cloud architecture is that you can access the app from your web browser regardless of your device.

But this goes hand-in-hand with the drawback that you can't access the web app without an internet connection. I find this the most inconvenient when traveling, but with some preparation, you can get past it.

For example, with Google Docs, I use the Make available offline feature so that I can work on the document while not connected to the internet. Once I reconnect to the internet, my document is synced with my online account. Using this feature, I've been able to continue my work while on planes.

Using a mobile router can also help you keep connected to the internet while on the go. But if the web app doesn't have an offline function, and you have no Wi-Fi to connect to, you'll have to opt for the Windows app instead.

4 Reduced performance

Performance is traded for convenience

Native apps generally perform better than web apps since their performance isn't throttled by slow internet connections or the limitations of the browser you're using. Furthermore, they can run as a separate process rather than being among dozens of other browser tabs competing for RAM and CPU resources.

You'll notice this performance difference the most with more intensive apps, such as photo editors and design programs, rather than something lightweight like a media player. That's why, despite preferring web apps, there are some exceptions where I always use desktop apps — such as Discord and Wondershare Filmora.

3 Clashes with browser extensions

Web apps don't always play nice with extensions

Since web apps run in your browser rather than as separate apps on your computer, they can encounter issues with your browser extensions. After all, web app developers can't account for all the different types of extensions that you might use.

For example, I use Dark Reader to force dark mode on websites in my browser. While this generally goes smoothly, I have encountered issues with Canva and the web apps I use for my tax filing. On Canva, the site doesn't fully switch to dark mode. When editing designs, the color picker is forced into dark mode — with white no longer appearing in the picker. I have to switch off my extension to see the right elements and picker colors.

When it comes to filling in forms on my tax websites, I run into other issues caused by the extension. I can't fill in the relevant fields or move to the next page while the extension is active. To use these web apps, I need to completely switch off Dark Reader.

Your browser settings may also affect your web apps. Hardware acceleration, for example, has been associated with issues with Netflix streaming. I no longer experience this issue on Chrome, but have experienced it in the past.

2 Security and privacy risks

Web apps usually require an account

Most web apps require you to sign in with a linked account to use them. This opens you up to privacy and security risks in the event that your account is compromised since cybercriminals can get access to all the documents and data you've uploaded.

This is in contrast with offline desktop apps where data is stored locally. Someone will have to compromise my actual computer to get access to my Paint 3D designs and images. However, if my credentials are leaked online, cybercriminals can get access to all of my files saved on the cloud through something like Canva or Google Docs.

In fact, Canva has been breached in the past, and I needed to change my credentials on that occasion. The risk is greater if you reuse email accounts and passwords across accounts.

However, this issue isn't limited to web apps since more native apps are requiring account linking to verify licenses and subscriptions. In fact, sometimes the need to log into an account is why I use the website instead of a standalone app — since I can use Chrome's built-in password manager.

1 Managing tabs can become cumbersome

I almost always have too many tabs open

If you're disciplined with your tab management, then this wouldn't be too much of a problem for you. But if you're anything like me, at any given time, you have dozens of browser tabs open, even when you're not necessarily using the sites and apps you have open.

Companies have found ways to improve the performance of their browsers by suspending background tabs that aren't actively being used, which is probably the only reason my computer doesn't struggle with my endless tabs. But I often find several instances of the same web app open across my two screens.

As I'm writing this, I count four Slack tabs, two Google Drive tabs, two Gmail tabs, a Google Docs tab, and an Asana tab. If I had separate apps for each of these services, I wouldn't be doubling up on tabs since only one instance of the standalone app would be able to run. Whenever I need to speed up Chrome, I eventually do a mini audit of my current tabs and close my web apps, but it's not long before the status quo returns.

Web apps are great, but they have limits

Even with these drawbacks, I use web apps for the majority of the software needs. Canva, WhatsApp Web (instead of WhatsApp Desktop), Spotify, Slack, Asana, and Google Docs happily reside among my browser tabs and bookmarks. There are a few exceptions — like Discord, Steam, and Wondershare Filmora — where I use the Windows app to unlock better performance or exclusive features.

But for some users, managing dozens of tabs, the privacy risks of online tools, and performance limitations of web apps might be the reason they prefer standalone software instead.