This is a great question - I've worked with dozens of entrepreneurs to launch both native mobile and web apps, and this is usually one of the very first questions explored in the discovery process.

So there are a few answers already referencing this topic, but the short response is: it depends. The reality is that there are circumstances for new apps that make a responsive website/app the preferred solution, and then others where native mobile apps are the clear winner. A lot of times this can have to do with factors such as 1) level of integration needed with phone hardware (cameras etc) 2) importance of offline functionality/content caching 3) how rich of a user experience are you seeking to design and 4) how people will be discovering and utilizing your app on a regular basis.

There are some secondary requirements to consider as well, such as methodology for scheduled updates to your app and resource realities such as available budget and target timeline. Oftentimes people will look at a responsive web app as the first step on their journey to validate/promote their concept, then start investing in a supplemental app experience on the native iOS and Android platforms. Since your mobile apps are going to utilize the same backend through the same API (albeit altered) as your web app, building this first can often be the lowest common denominator.

As a broad statement on native vs. web app development, more times than not I generally find myself advising more people to utilize both options as a supplemental user experience story, but commence with native development first; or at least in parallel with their web app development. The reality is many of these applications being launched require offline functionality (more easy to enable with native) and integrations with mobile tech such as cameras or geo-location mapping. While the cost of native mobile development can be a bit higher, the cost of a work-around of feature sacrifices is many times untenable for entrepreneurs in the long run of using just a web app.

If you'd like more info, there are a myriad of resources out there that can help map the path forward. My team has produced several blog posts on the topic, most recently:

https://www.farshore.com/blog/mobile-app-or-responsive-website/

So check that out, or if you like feel free to reach out and we can chat more about your needs and matching the appropriate solution to them.