Build Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) Using Flutter in 2025

Introduction: Why PWAs, Why Now?

This makes Flutter a powerful choice for teams that want to move fast and serve users across devices without doubling their workload. You build once — and Flutter helps you deliver a great experience everywhere.

In this blog, we’ll unpack everything you need to know about building Progressive Web Apps with Flutter — from what PWAs really are, to how Flutter supports them, when it makes sense (and doesn’t), and how you can actually roll out a working Flutter PWA step by step.

By the end, you’ll not only understand the how, but also the why — and whether Flutter’s PWA capabilities are the right fit for your next product build.

Let’s begin by decoding what a Progressive Web App really is — beyond the buzzwords.

What is a Progressive Web App, Really?

You've likely heard the term PWA in tech forums, strategy calls, or developer retros. But beyond the jargon, what exactly is a Progressive Web App?

A Progressive Web App is a website that behaves like a mobile app. It loads in a browser but feels fast, fluid, and installable—without needing the App Store middleman. Think of it as the best of both worlds: the reach of the web, with the experience of a native app.

So, What Makes a PWA “Progressive”? 

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) blur the line between websites and native mobile apps. They are built using standard web technologies but offer capabilities traditionally reserved for platform-specific applications. The term “progressive” reflects how these apps enhance user experience step-by-step, based on the device’s capabilities.

Here’s a quick checklist of what defines a PWA:

• Responsive: Fits any screen size — mobile, tablet, or desktop.

• Installable: Users can “add to home screen” just like an app.

• Offline-Capable: Via Service Workers, PWAs can run without internet.

• Secure: Served over HTTPS, blocking any data snooping.

• Discoverable: They appear in search results like any web page.

• Fast: Asset caching and instant load times are part of the experience.
  
  

Think of PWAs as the sweet spot between websites and mobile apps — they blend the reach of the web with the experience of an app

The PWA Adoption Curve 

The appeal of PWAs is no longer theoretical — it’s measurable.

• The global PWA market is projected to grow from USD 5.23 billion in 2025 to over USD 21.44 billion by 2033, at a CAGR of nearly 19%. That’s not hype — it’s serious growth in enterprise and mid-market adoption
  ➤ Source: Globenewswire – Straits Research

• By some industry analyses, less than 17% of websites globally meet all the technical criteria to be considered full-fledged PWAs — leaving a vast gap and opportunity for modern product teams
  ➤ Source: HTTP Archive – State of the Web
  

PWAs aren’t just a trend — they’re an evolving standard for digital reach and performance. Now that we’ve covered what they are, let’s talk about why 2025 might be the most compelling time yet to build one.

Why Build Progressive Web Apps in 2025?

If you're exploring how to build your next digital product — whether it's a customer-facing platform, an internal tool, or a scalable MVP — chances are you're torn between web, mobile, or both. Users today don’t care where your app lives — they expect it to load fast, work offline, feel native, and be ready when they need it.

That’s where Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) come in — offering the reach of the web with the experience of a mobile app. And in 2025, this hybrid approach isn’t just viable — it’s often the smartest move.

But what makes now the right time to go the PWA route? And more importantly, why choose Flutter to build it?

This isn’t just about developer convenience. It’s about solving for speed, cost, and user experience — without sacrificing performance or future flexibility.

Let’s walk through the business case, user behaviour trends, and real-world proof that make Flutter-powered PWAs a serious contender for your next launch.

Build Once and Launch Everywhere

One of the most tangible benefits of a PWA is its platform independence. You no longer need to manage three separate codebases for Android, iOS, and web. A single Flutter PWA can run on any modern browser — mobile or desktop — without losing the app-like experience users expect.

This is particularly powerful when speed to market matters. Whether you're testing an MVP, launching a pilot product, or building a tool for internal use, PWAs allow you to skip the app store queues and go live immediately. And when using Flutter, that speed multiplies — because the same codebase can be adapted later into full-fledged mobile apps without starting from scratch.

For startups and lean teams, this kind of time efficiency translates directly into competitive advantage.

Avoid App Store Hassle Without Sacrificing Experience

App stores were once gatekeepers — today, they’re often blockers. From compliance rejections and update delays to 30% commission cuts, getting your app live on iOS or Android is no longer just about development — it’s negotiation and patience.

PWAs sidestep all of that. A user can open your app directly from a browser, install it to their home screen in one tap, and get a near-native experience — full screen, offline-capable, and fast.

This frictionless distribution is why many businesses now launch their internal tools, limited-market pilots, or early-stage SaaS products as PWAs first. When time, control, and access matter more than app store exposure, PWAs win.

Lighter, Faster User Experience

Storage space matters — especially in emerging markets and on low-cost devices. Users don’t want to download a 200MB app just to book a service or view a dashboard. PWAs are significantly lighter. They load in seconds, often under 1MB, and rely on the browser’s cache for fast repeat visits.

There’s proof in the numbers. Starbucks’ PWA uses 99.84% less data than their native app. Twitter Lite is under 1MB and still delivers 90% of the core Twitter experience. Flipkart Lite, built as a PWA, saw a 70% increase in conversions.

This kind of efficiency isn’t just about performance. It’s about user trust — no one wants to feel punished for not installing your app. PWAs make access lightweight and respectful of users’ time and resources.

Gain SEO, Shareability, and Reach in One Move

Unlike traditional mobile apps that live behind app store walls, PWAs live on the open web. They’re linkable, searchable, and indexable — which means you’re not invisible to Google.

For content-rich apps, SaaS platforms, or B2B tools that depend on discovery, this matters. Users can find your app through search, click a shared link, or embed it in their workflow — all without needing a download.

This kind of frictionless reach is something native apps can’t match. Even if your app eventually moves to the App Store or Play Store, starting as a PWA helps you reach users sooner and more organically.

Always Stay Up to Date — Without Asking the User

PWAs are deployed just like websites. That means when you push a new build, everyone gets the update immediately — no app store delays, no outdated versions running in the wild, and no version mismatches creating weird bugs.

This is especially useful in products with fast iteration cycles — dashboards, learning apps, and internal tools where updates are frequent. And when using Flutter, where the same code serves mobile and web, keeping everything synced becomes significantly easier.

You get the benefits of continuous deployment — but with the user-facing polish of a traditional app.

Is Flutter the Best Tool for Building PWAs?

You now know Flutter can power Progressive Web Apps — but is it the best choice? Or are other frameworks like React, Vue, or Angular better suited for the job?

The answer isn’t black and white. It depends heavily on what you're building, who your users are, and how your team prefers to ship and maintain code.

Let’s walk through this with a product-first mindset.

Where Flutter Outperforms

One of Flutter’s standout strengths is design consistency. The app looks and behaves exactly the same across mobile, desktop, and browser. This is possible because Flutter doesn’t rely on the browser’s default UI elements — it draws everything from scratch using its own rendering engine. So whether your user is on an Android phone or a Chrome tab, they’re getting a unified, polished experience.

Another key advantage is code reuse. You don’t need to build separate interfaces for web and mobile. You don’t even need to switch libraries. A single Flutter project can serve users across platforms, with over 90% of your logic, screens, and state management untouched. This dramatically reduces time-to-market and cuts long-term maintenance costs — which is a major win for lean teams or fast-moving startups.

Flutter also delivers what many frameworks struggle with: custom, app-like UIs in the browser. Most traditional web apps still feel like websites. But Flutter PWAs can offer smooth transitions, native-style navigation, and immersive layouts that are closer to a mobile app than a web page. That kind of experience matters — especially for tools that users engage with often.

Flutter vs React/Vue — Playing to Strengths, Not Weaknesses

It’s easy to get caught in tech comparisons. But here’s the thing: Flutter, React, and Vue each win when matched to the right goal.

If your product is meant to look beautiful, behave consistently, and ship across web and mobile — with minimal dev effort — Flutter is hard to beat. It’s tailor-made for dashboards, B2B platforms, client portals, internal tools, and startup MVPs that need to evolve quickly without codebase sprawl.

React and Vue, by contrast, are perfect for web-first apps — especially those where discoverability and load speed are paramount. They plug into the browser more directly, support advanced SEO strategies, and feel lighter on initial visits.

What Flutter offers is alignment: one framework, one team, one shared product vision — across platforms.

In our experience at Flutternest, that kind of focus often delivers better outcomes for real-world teams than marginal improvements in load time or metadata control. You don’t just ship faster — you ship with confidence, and you’re ready to grow into mobile when the time comes.

“We picked Flutter for our PWA because our mobile team was already using it. For our use case - a booking tool with dashboards - the benefits of code reuse and fast UI outweighed the slower load time.”
— Jitesh, Product Manager at BookMyTask

The Verdict?

Flutter isn’t the best for every PWA. But for many use cases — especially ones that blend functionality, repeat usage, and cross-device needs, it might be the smartest choice in 2025.

You get speed, unification, and a future-proof codebase — all wrapped into a single development experience. Just be clear about where your product sits: Is it an app or a site? Do your users find you on Google or come back daily for utility? Are you optimizing for install time, or for reusability and scale?

Make that call first — and Flutter will either be your superpower, or the wrong tool for the job.

How to Build a Progressive Web App with Flutter (Step-by-Step)

Once you’ve decided to use Flutter for your Progressive Web App, the next step is understanding how to bring it to life — from initial setup to live deployment. This process is straightforward and well-structured, and it doesn’t require managing multiple codebases for different platforms.

Whether you're overseeing development or planning product delivery timelines, the following breakdown outlines how a Flutter project evolves into a fully functioning PWA.

Step 1: Set Up a Flutter Project with Web Support

Flutter supports web out of the box. When you create a new Flutter project, it automatically includes the web alongside Android and iOS. If you already have a Flutter mobile project, enabling web support can be done without restructuring your codebase.

This unified approach allows you to maintain one source of truth for your logic, design, and functionality — significantly reducing time-to-market and simplifying maintenance.

Step 2: Configure the Web Manifest and App Metadata

For browsers to treat your application as installable, you need to define a Web App Manifest. This file specifies how your app should appear when installed — including its name, icons, background color, theme, and launch behavior.

In Flutter, this file can be found under web/manifest.json. Proper configuration here ensures that users can add your app to their home screen and launch it in a standalone mode, mimicking the behavior of a native application.

Step 3: Implement a Service Worker for Offline Capability

One of the core benefits of a Progressive Web App is its ability to operate without an internet connection. This is made possible through a service worker — a script that enables caching of essential assets and previously visited pages.

Flutter includes a basic service worker by default (flutter_service_worker.js). For production-grade PWAs, however, it’s recommended to customize this to better control what gets cached and how offline behavior is handled. This ensures continuity of experience, particularly in low-connectivity environments.

Step 4: Evaluate the PWA Experience Across Devices

Once your application is functional, it's important to test it in real-world scenarios. This includes verifying performance and responsiveness on both desktop and mobile, simulating offline behavior, and ensuring the install prompt appears where expected.

You can use tools like Chrome DevTools' Lighthouse Audit to measure PWA readiness and highlight areas for improvement — such as speed, accessibility, and best practices. The goal is not just to meet technical benchmarks, but to ensure the app feels stable and intuitive across environments.

Step 5: Deploy to a Secure Hosting Platform

After successful testing, the app is ready for deployment. Running flutter build web will generate a production-ready set of static files in the build/web directory.

These files can be deployed to hosting platforms such as Firebase Hosting, Vercel, Netlify, or a custom server. Regardless of your choice, it’s essential to serve the application over HTTPS. Secure hosting is required for service workers to function properly, and for browsers to recognize your app as a PWA.

Step 6: Enhance with Optional Engagement Features

While the core app may be complete, certain enhancements can further improve user experience and retention. These include push notifications, custom splash screens, install banners, and shortcuts for frequent actions.

These features are not mandatory, but they contribute to a more app-like and polished experience — especially for users who install the PWA on their devices.

By following this process, you can take a Flutter project from concept to a fully operational Progressive Web App — one that runs in the browser, installs on devices, works offline, and provides a consistent user experience across platforms.

This approach not only reduces development complexity, but also positions your team to scale efficiently, using a unified codebase to serve both web and mobile users. 

Checklist — What You Need Before Going Live

You’ve built your Flutter PWA. It works. It looks great. But before you hit publish, pause.

Because the difference between an app that works and one that delights often lies in the last 5%. This checklist helps ensure your launch doesn’t stumble on things that could’ve been caught earlier — and that your product feels polished from day one.

✅ Make Sure the App Installs Properly

Install prompts should appear on Chrome, Edge, and other modern browsers. When users tap “Add to Home Screen,” the app should open like a native one — without browser tabs or search bars.

Your manifest.json must include icons, name, theme color, and display mode set to standalone. Test it on both desktop and mobile.

✅ Check Offline Behavior

Turn off your internet and try using the app. Can users still access previously visited pages? Do they see a helpful offline screen?

Offline mode isn’t automatic — you have to decide which screens or data should be cached. If your PWA promises “always available,” make sure that’s actually true.

✅ Run a Performance Audit

Use Chrome DevTools → Lighthouse. Run a full audit and aim for a score above 85 in the PWA and performance sections.

This audit will flag issues like large images, render-blocking scripts, or layout shifts — all things that can quietly ruin your first impression on slower networks.

✅ Test Responsiveness Across Devices

Try the app on a low-end Android, a tablet, a 13” laptop, and a high-res iMac. The layout should adapt cleanly across all sizes, with no broken elements or horizontal scrolls.

Flutter’s responsive widgets help, but they’re not foolproof — especially if you’ve used absolute widths or padding. A quick device pass can save you from embarrassing layout bugs.

✅ Confirm Secure Hosting with HTTPS

Your app must be served over HTTPS — or it won’t be treated as a PWA by modern browsers. No service worker, no offline mode, no install prompt.

Use Firebase Hosting, Netlify, or Vercel — all provide free SSL. After deploying, double-check that all pages load securely and don’t throw mixed content errors.

✅ Polish Meta Tags and Social Sharing Info

Update your index.html with a clear title, description, and Open Graph tags. When someone shares your app on WhatsApp, Slack, or LinkedIn, it should show a proper preview.

If the app is going live with a public URL, give it a proper face.

✅ Add Basic Analytics (Even Just One Metric)

Install Plausible, PostHog, or Google Analytics — even if it’s just for tracking installs or first visits.

You’ll want early feedback to understand what’s working and where users drop off. A week after launch, this data becomes your roadmap.

✅ Test in the Wild, Not Just Your Laptop

Simulate real-world use: try the app on café Wi-Fi, airplane mode, and 4G. Install it on an actual phone. Tap through it like a new user. Then hand it to someone outside your team and just observe.

That 10-minute real-use test often reveals things that your internal QA never will.

Launching a Flutter PWA isn’t just about writing code. It’s about delivering a product that feels fast, fluid, and frictionless - from the first click to daily use.

You’re almost there. Now make sure your app is too.

Conclusion: Should You Build PWA with Flutter?

Let’s step back.

Flutter has moved beyond mobile. In 2025, it’s proving itself as a capable and increasingly popular way to build Progressive Web Apps — installable, fast, and beautiful across screens. And the promise of writing once and running everywhere? It’s no longer just theoretical. It’s working in production, for real businesses, across devices and use cases.

But the real question is: should you use Flutter to build your next PWA?

If your app needs to deliver a seamless user experience across mobile and web, if your timelines are tight, and if your team wants to maintain a single codebase without compromising on design — then yes, Flutter is likely your most efficient bet. You’ll get faster development, cleaner handoffs, and a product that doesn’t need to beg users to download it.

Of course, it’s not a fit for everything. If you’re building a content-heavy site where SEO is critical, or your app lives and dies on extreme performance in low-bandwidth environments, a more traditional web stack may serve you better. But for the large number of business apps that live between those extremes — tools, portals, platforms, B2B dashboards, or early-stage products — Flutter PWAs sit in the sweet spot.

At Flutternest, we’ve seen this firsthand. Whether it's an internal dashboard for logistics or a multi-region PWA for a digital learning tool, we've helped teams move fast, scale confidently, and deliver responsive web apps that feel truly native. Our approach to building web apps with Flutter doesn’t just replicate mobile experiences — it rethinks how web apps should feel in 2025 and beyond.

“Flutter let us validate our idea quickly — one team, one codebase, three platforms. We started with a PWA and scaled into mobile once we had traction.”
— James, Co-founder at DaMixHub (Entertainment app)

At the end of the day, your choice of framework matters — but only as much as your ability to ship. Flutter, when applied to the right use case, lets you move quickly, deliver confidently, and meet users where they are.

And if you’re considering your next move? You don’t need to decide alone.