Compatibility

• A native application for the iPad is limited by its nature. It has been designed especially for one device. Web apps, however, can be used on a number of different devices without losing any functionality. This is because the programming used for Web apps are universal to all browsers. When any tablet or smartphone visits your app website, the device should be able to render the Web app with minimal fuss.
  
  

Flexibility

• Web apps use JavaScript, HTML5 and CSS3 -- standards that are relatively easy to learn and generally well-known to designers and developers. You can create a Web app from any computer at any time. Native apps for the iPad, however, must be programmed on a Mac with the Apple development tools. Creating a Web app may be more realistic for casual app creators who do not already own a Mac computer.
  
  

Convenience

• While Web apps can be a more convenient solution for app designers, it may actually be a less-convenient choice for app users. To use a Web app, you'll need to be connected to the Internet and access it through your browser. Apps for the iPad tend to have some sort of offline capability, unless their entire purpose is to augment the online experience. Also, native apps tend to run faster than their Web app counterparts.
  
  

Distribution

• To release an app for the iPad, you must go through the Apple App Store. This means having your app reviewed and risking a rejection if your content is found lacking or simply inappropriate for the App Store. With a Web app, it's simply a link to a website. Anyone can access it at any time, without any middleman between your app and the visitors who want to use it. However, the Web app can be more difficult to distribute, since it's not included in the oft-searched App Store.
  
  

Control

• You're in total control of the content of your application, without any interference from the "gatekeeper" of the App Store. If you find that some aspect of your app doesn't work, you can make a change and have it live in the same day. At no time are you obligated to change your content to meet any Apple's standards, nor do your users have to wait until the update is available from the App Store.