The main differences
| Question | Desktop app | Web app |
|---|---|---|
| Installation | Installed on each computer | None, opens in a browser |
| Works offline | Usually yes | Usually limited |
| Large files | Handled directly from local drives | Uploaded or streamed |
| Access from another device | Needs installing there | Any browser |
| Updates | Downloaded and installed | Applied by the provider |
| Access to other programs and files | Direct | Restricted by the browser |
| Where data lives | Often on the computer | Often on the provider's servers |
Strengths of desktop apps
Desktop apps can use the full power of the computer, which matters for video and audio editing, large spreadsheets and heavy documents. They work without a connection, integrate with local files, printers and other programs, and often keep data on the machine. They are also more often sold on a one-time licence.
Strengths of web apps
Web apps are reachable from any device with a browser, need no installation or update management, and are well suited to many people working on the same data at once. For light tasks and occasional use they are convenient.
Limitations on each side
Desktop apps must be installed and kept updated on each computer, and usually run only on the operating systems they were built for. Web apps depend on the connection and the provider, can be slower with large media, and are limited in what the browser lets them do with your files and hardware.
Examples of where each fits
Video editing, audio production, a shop till and bookkeeping tend to suit desktop apps. Shared team calendars, collaborative documents and occasional one-off conversions tend to suit web apps. Many people use a mix, choosing per task.
Security and updates
Both kinds of software need looking after, in different places. A desktop app is updated on each computer, through an installer, a store or a built-in updater, and depends on the computer's own protection: operating system updates, security software, disk encryption and a locked screen. A web app is updated by the provider, and its security depends on the provider's systems and on the strength of your account sign-in, ideally with two-factor authentication.
For a business, the practical question is where responsibility sits. With desktop apps it sits with whoever manages the computers. With web apps much of it moves to the provider, together with your data.
How to decide
Ask three questions: does the work need to continue without a connection, does it involve large or sensitive files, and do many people need to edit the same thing at once? The first two point towards a desktop app, the third towards a web app. The desktop software hub lists desktop options by task, and local-first versus cloud software looks at the data side of the question.
Desktop apps from Aevornix
Aevornix builds desktop applications for Windows 10 and 11, from the Aevornix Suite for office work to Aevornix Studio for video editing, which keeps projects and media on your own drives.
Frequently asked questions
Are desktop apps faster than web apps?
For heavy work with large files they usually are, because they use the computer directly. For light tasks the difference is small.
Can a web app work offline?
Some can, in a limited way, if they were built with an offline mode. Most need a connection for full use.
Are desktop apps more secure?
They avoid sending data to a provider, but depend on the computer being secured and updated. Neither type is secure by default.
