Alternatives to Median.co (formerly known as GoNative): WebViewGold, Apache Cordova, and Flutter 

If you’re considering transforming your website into a mobile app, you might be familiar with Median.co, formerly known as GoNative. While Median.co offers a convenient way to create native mobile apps, several alternatives provide robust features and might better suit your specific needs. In this blog post, we’ll highlight three noteworthy alternatives: WebViewGold, Apache Cordova, and Flutter. Each of these platforms has unique advantages that make them worth considering. 

WebViewGold 

Origin and Background WebViewGold, established in 2014, is a European-based (German) solution designed to convert websites and web apps into native mobile apps for iOS and Android. Over the years, it has garnered a reputation for its reliability and rich feature set. 

Key Advantages 

1. European Origin: As an EU/German-based company, WebViewGold complies with stringent European data protection regulations, offering peace of mind regarding privacy and security. 
2. Powerful Plugins: One of WebViewGold’s standout features is its extensive range of powerful plugins, including NFC support. This makes it a versatile choice for developers looking to leverage advanced functionalities in their apps. 
3. Cost-Effective: In May 2024, WebViewGold is significantly cheaper than Median.co. For budget-conscious developers or small businesses, this cost difference can be a critical factor. 
4. User-Friendly: WebViewGold is known for its ease of use, making it accessible even for those with limited technical expertise. 

Summary If you’re looking for a reliable, cost-effective, and feature-rich solution to convert your website into a mobile app, WebViewGold is an excellent choice, especially if you value compliance with European regulations and advanced plugin support. 

Apache Cordova 

Origin and Background Apache Cordova, previously known as PhoneGap, is an open-source mobile development framework that allows you to use standard web technologies—HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript—for cross-platform development. 

Key Advantages 

1. Cross-Platform Compatibility: Cordova enables you to create apps that run on multiple platforms, including iOS, Android, and Windows, using a single codebase. 
2. Plugin Ecosystem: Cordova boasts a vast plugin ecosystem, allowing developers to access native device features like the camera, accelerometer, and GPS. 
3. Community Support: As an open-source project under the Apache Software Foundation, Cordova benefits from robust community support and extensive documentation. 

Summary Apache Cordova is ideal for developers who prefer open-source solutions and want to leverage their existing web development skills to create cross-platform mobile apps. Its extensive plugin ecosystem and community support make it a powerful tool for mobile app development. 

Flutter 

Origin and Background Flutter, developed by Google, is a UI toolkit for building natively compiled applications for mobile, web, and desktop from a single codebase. It has gained substantial popularity since its release due to its performance and flexibility. 

Key Advantages 

1. High Performance: Flutter’s performance is close to native apps because it compiles directly to native ARM code. 2. Expressive UI: With Flutter, you can create highly customized and expressive UIs with a rich set of pre-designed widgets. 
2. Hot Reload: Flutter’s hot reload feature allows developers to see changes in real-time, significantly speeding up the development process. 
3. Single Codebase: Like Cordova, Flutter allows you to maintain a single codebase for multiple platforms, reducing development time and effort. 

Summary Flutter is a powerful choice for developers looking to build high-performance, expressive mobile apps with a single codebase. Its native-like performance and rich UI capabilities make it an attractive alternative to Median.co. 

Conclusion 

While Median.co (formerly known as GoNative) offers a straightforward way to convert websites into mobile apps, alternatives like WebViewGold, Apache Cordova, and Flutter provide compelling features that might better suit your needs. WebViewGold stands out with its European origin, powerful plugins, and cost-effectiveness. Apache Cordova offers flexibility and strong community support for those who

prefer open-source solutions. Flutter, with its high performance and expressive UI capabilities, is an excellent choice for creating beautiful, native-like apps. 

Choosing the right platform depends on your specific requirements, budget, and technical expertise. Explore these alternatives to find the best fit for your mobile app development needs.