Start with user value
A native feature should remove friction, increase trust, or make an action possible on the phone. Avoid adding permissions just because they are available.
Documentation
What WebNativeApp can add to your mobile app.
WebNativeApp starts from your existing website, packages it as a real iOS or Android app, then adds selected native capabilities where they improve the product. This guide explains the options without implementation details, so you can decide what is useful before anyone writes mobile-specific code.
How WebNativeApp works
A WebNativeApp project keeps your website as the main product surface. Users install an app from the App Store or Google Play, tap an icon on their phone, see your branded launch screen, then enter the same product experience they already know from the web.
The important difference is that the app is not just a browser shortcut. It is a native mobile project with a controlled app shell, store metadata, app icons, splash screens, device permissions, and optional bridges to phone features. Those bridges are what make the app feel native: Face ID prompts, document scanning, voice input, NFC reads, Dynamic Island status, widgets, review prompts, and similar interactions.
The website still drives most screens and updates. Native features are added only where the phone can do something better than a normal website. That keeps the project simpler than a full mobile rewrite while still giving users moments that feel built for iOS and Android.
Pick native features that change the user experience.
Ask at the right moment
Camera, location, contacts, microphone, and tracking permissions should appear after a user action, with clear product copy explaining why the app needs access.
Keep a visible result
Each native plugin should create something the user can see or feel: faster login, a scanned PDF, a saved event, a spoken command, a map route, or a better app review flow.
15 additions with the strongest product impact.
This shortlist is based on the Capgo plugin catalog and favors capabilities that are easy to explain, useful across many products, and likely to make a website feel like a real app.
Biometric unlock
Add Face ID, Touch ID, or Android biometrics to protect sensitive screens and speed up repeat access. This is one of the clearest native upgrades because the user immediately recognizes the familiar system prompt.
- Best for
- Accounts, dashboards, finance, healthcare, admin tools, private content.
- User impact
- Less password friction, stronger trust, and a more app-like login moment.
- Plugin reference
- Native Biometric
Passkeys
Passkeys replace password entry with device-backed authentication. For users, it feels like approving a secure login from the phone itself, usually with biometrics or the device passcode.
- Best for
- Products that want modern account security without making login feel heavy.
- User impact
- Fewer forgotten passwords and a premium security impression.
- Plugin reference
- Passkey
Camera capture
Show a live camera view inside the app for profile photos, product photos, check-ins, augmented product moments, identity steps, or visual reporting. The capture experience feels direct because it uses the phone camera instead of a basic upload field.
- Best for
- Marketplaces, creator tools, field work, inspections, identity, inventory.
- User impact
- Users can take action in the moment instead of leaving the app to prepare files.
- Plugin reference
- Camera Preview
Document scanner
Turn the phone camera into a scanner that detects document edges, cleans perspective, and exports a usable document. This is a strong upgrade for any app that asks users to submit paperwork.
- Best for
- Invoices, contracts, certificates, medical forms, onboarding documents.
- User impact
- Cleaner submissions and less back-and-forth caused by bad photos.
- Plugin reference
- Document Scanner
Photo library access
Let users browse, pick, save, and manage photos or videos from the native photo library with proper permission handling. It is useful when media is central to the product rather than a small attachment.
- Best for
- Creator tools, portfolios, listings, social apps, support forms, before-after flows.
- User impact
- Media selection feels familiar and reliable on both iOS and Android.
- Plugin reference
- Photo Library
Speech recognition
Add voice input for search, notes, commands, accessibility, or hands-free workflows. The user speaks naturally and the app can react as words arrive instead of waiting for a full typed form.
- Best for
- Search, note-taking, support, education, field work, accessibility features.
- User impact
- Less typing on mobile and a memorable voice-first interaction.
- Plugin reference
- Speech Recognition
NFC reading and writing
Allow the app to read or write NFC tags. Users can tap a phone against a card, badge, product, label, or device and trigger a real-world action in the app.
- Best for
- Events, access passes, retail, inventory, physical products, loyalty cards.
- User impact
- A clear physical interaction that websites cannot normally provide.
- Plugin reference
- NFC
Calendar events
Let users save appointments, reminders, classes, renewals, or booking times into the native calendar. The app becomes part of the user's real schedule instead of only sending another email confirmation.
- Best for
- Appointments, ticketing, education, fitness, healthcare, subscriptions.
- User impact
- Better attendance and fewer forgotten commitments.
- Plugin reference
- Calendar
In-app review prompts
Ask satisfied users for an App Store or Google Play review without forcing them to leave the app. The prompt should appear after a positive moment, not immediately after install.
- Best for
- Consumer products, marketplaces, learning apps, service apps, communities.
- User impact
- More natural review requests and less interruption.
- Plugin reference
- In App Review
Live Activities and Dynamic Island
Show an ongoing status outside the app on supported iPhones: delivery progress, a timer, a workout, booking status, match score, or order state. It is one of the most visible ways to feel native on iOS.
- Best for
- Delivery, bookings, timers, sports, logistics, fitness, real-time workflows.
- User impact
- Important progress stays visible while the user does other things.
- Plugin reference
- Live Activities
Home screen widgets
Add small native surfaces on the home screen so users can see a status, shortcut, countdown, saved item, or summary without opening the app first.
- Best for
- Habit apps, content products, finance summaries, schedules, tracking, saved items.
- User impact
- The app earns a permanent place on the phone and becomes useful at a glance.
- Plugin reference
- Widget Kit
Social login
Let users sign in with Google, Facebook, or Apple Sign-In through native account flows instead of a generic web form. The result feels more trusted on mobile and can reduce sign-up abandonment.