Skip to main content
Capgo logo

Median comparison

Median vs Capgo: managed lock-in or open Capacitor?

Median is convenient when you want to hand the app to a managed platform. Capacitor plus Capgo keeps the mobile app, update path, plugins, and hosting choices in your hands.

Start with Capgo See live updates

Architecture first

Pick the stack you actually have

The useful comparison starts with ownership, runtime, and the codebase your team wants to keep maintaining.

Choose Capgo when

  • You want a web-to-mobile path based on open-source Capacitor and Capgo projects.
  • You want to keep native iOS and Android projects, plugins, and the release pipeline portable.
  • You need live updates, rollback, channels, native builds, device logs, and direct Capacitor plugin control.
  • You want options later: Capgo Cloud, self-hosting, another provider, or maintaining the stack yourself.

Choose Median when

  • You want Median to handle most native shell, app-build, publishing, and update complexity.
  • You prefer App Studio, Median bridge plugins, and managed services over owning a Capacitor project.
  • You have budget for a vendor-led web-to-app service and want someone else to package the app.
  • You accept that moving away later may require rebuilding or migrating the mobile layer.

Side-by-side

The practical differences

A direct view of the operating model, update path, pricing path, native APIs, and migration tradeoffs.

Core job

Capgo

Own an open Capacitor app and add live updates, rollback, native builds, logs, and support around it.

Median

Create and maintain a managed native webview app powered by web content.
App architecture

Capgo

A Capacitor app with web assets, native iOS and Android projects, and Capacitor plugins in your control.

Median

A Median native shell around web content, extended through Median App Studio, JavaScript Bridge, and native plugins.
Ownership

Capgo

Open-source updater and backend, with Capgo Cloud, self-hosting, source access, and a path to change providers or maintain it yourself.

Median

A managed platform centered on Median app builds, bridge features, app updates, publishing, and support plans.
Support

Capgo

Discord community help for normal questions, plus Premium Support for teams with budget, deadlines, and hard production needs.

Median

Median support, publishing, app updates, plugin work, and custom services are delivered through the Median platform.
Exit path

Capgo

If Capgo Cloud is no longer the fit, keep the Capacitor app and choose self-hosting, another provider, or your own maintenance path.

Median

If Median is no longer the fit, plan for a migration from Median shell, bridge, plugins, and workflow into Capacitor or native code.
Native features

Capgo

Use Capacitor plugins, Capgo-maintained plugins, or your own Swift, Kotlin, Java, and Objective-C code.

Median

Use Median JavaScript Bridge and Median native plugin integrations from the Median platform.
Best migration

Capgo

Web apps that want a mobile app path without vendor lock-in, plus existing Capacitor teams that need release control.

Median

Websites that value managed packaging and publishing convenience more than long-term portability.

Decision guide

Choose by the tradeoff that matters

01

When Median wins

Median can be the fast path when the business priority is to hand a website to a managed platform and get an app-store presence with less native engineering work.

  • Managed web-to-app packaging.
  • Publishing and update services available.
  • Useful when convenience matters more than ownership.

02

When Capgo wins

Capgo is stronger when tomorrow matters. If you stop liking the cloud service, you still have Capacitor, open-source code, self-hosting, community help, paid support, competitors, and your own engineering path.

  • Avoid vendor lock-in.
  • Self-host or change providers later.
  • Get expert help without giving up source control.

03

How to choose

Choose by the exit path. If you want someone else to own the app wrapper, Median is convenient. If you want the app to remain yours, build on Capacitor and use Capgo for delivery, builds, and support.

  • Choose by ownership.
  • Choose by support model.
  • Choose by how expensive switching later should be.

FAQ

Common questions

Is Median a Capgo replacement?
Not if the goal is ownership. Median is a managed web-to-app platform. Capgo is for Capacitor apps where your app code, plugins, update service, and hosting path can stay portable and open source.
What happens if I want to leave Median later?
A Median app is built around the Median native shell, App Studio, JavaScript Bridge, native plugins, publishing service, and update workflow. If you later want the Capacitor ecosystem, expect a migration. With Capacitor and Capgo, you can use Capgo Cloud, self-host, move to another provider, or maintain the stack yourself.
Does Capgo offer help if I do not want to do it myself?
Yes. Capgo has community help through Discord and Premium Support for teams with production needs, hard migration problems, deployment issues, crashes, or native-side work. The difference is that support sits on top of open-source Capacitor and Capgo projects instead of becoming your only path forward.
When should I choose Median?
Choose Median when you want to hand most of the native app shell, configuration, publishing, and update work to a managed platform and you accept the platform dependency that comes with that convenience.
When should I choose Capgo?
Choose Capgo when you want a Capacitor app you control, with live updates, rollback, channels, native builds, device logs, open-source code, self-hosting options, Discord community help, and paid expert support when needed.

Capgo next step

Ship Capacitor updates without waiting on every store review.

Use Capgo for live updates, rollback, channels, device logs, plugin maintenance, and native builds when your app is built on Capacitor.

Start free trial Read live update guide