I'm a "FOSS person" and spend a fair amount on apps that behave well. Just bought Brave Origin for $60 on Sunday, as an example.

I've been in the room when companies talk about web vs. app. It's always a business decision that basically comes down to "The LTV of app users is higher, because we live rent-free on their home screen and we can push notifications to get people to re-engage." Doesn't matter what company: apartment searches, rideshare, communications app, etc.

The reason I will always prefer web experiences is because:

* I have a user agent that I can configure the behavior of. I can examine, and even change, app behavior to suit my needs. I can intercept and black-hole telemetry. I can remove distracting UI elements. uBlock Origin allows me to do this. Vimium gives me a keyboard-centric interface to help avoid mouse usage, since lots of mousing gives me RSI.

* I write web apps that are self-contained HTML files. These are awesome because they endure. An app written that way will open in 20 years just as well as it does today. Tiddlywiki is a living example of this.

* Browsers provide a baseline of functionality: selecting, cutting, pasting, and editing all work the same (or can be made to). Apps randomly prevent me from selecting text, or pasting a password.

* Apps are a constant treadmill. Staying up to date with APIs and app store fees and reviews all cost money, which means apps have to make money. This discourages hobbiest coders from releasing cool tools like the did 15 years ago, but it's those apps, the ones made for fun or utility, not for profit, that tend to behave the best. App stores are selecting against the very thing that brings me the most value, in favor of what brings them the most value.

* Finally: control. App stores increasing think they should not only vend money-making software, but they should be the only source where users can go to get functionality. I reject this outright; it's my computer, I decide what runs on it. The web is the last bastion of this on mobile, so I prefer the web.

FOSS enjoyer here. I actually prefer native apps. I already got too many tabs and windows opened with my browser(s) and also, I really hate when a web app decided to rearrange the UI and I have no clue until I am in it. With native apps, its seems like people are not as eager to change the UI and I also know the possibility is there when I see the update happen. I can also generally look at the version number and see its a patch release, so generally, my UI should not have changed.

I encourage you to actually read the OP if you haven't, because I think it gives the most obvious example for that. That kind of app makes much more sense (for the user) to be a web app, especially when you don't intend to become a repeat customer.

I'll bite (I did not downvote). Why should I have to go to an app store to see text/images with occasional buttons that make GET/POST requests? This is what most "apps" in the world do.

The question should be reframed in the opposite direction: why do apps need to be siloed into multiple incompatible systems (appstores).

At least with web app I have a browser sandbox to protect my system.