Short answer
A Trusted Web Activity opens your site in the user's Chrome, full-screen, sharing Chrome's cookies, sign-ins, web push and autofill — but only for a site you own and verify with Digital Asset Links, and it should meet PWA quality bars. A WebView app renders the site inside your app, works with any URL and lets the app intercept links, uploads and downloads, but has its own cookie jar and can't use Google sign-in directly.
Comparison
| WebView app | Trusted Web Activity | |
|---|---|---|
| Works with any URL | Yes | Only verified domains you own |
| Site requirements | None | Digital Asset Links; PWA recommended |
| Cookies & logins | Separate from Chrome | Shared with Chrome |
| Google sign-in | Needs Custom Tab | Works |
| Web push | No (native push instead) | Yes |
| Control over links, uploads, downloads | Full | Chrome decides |
| Off-domain pages | Load inside if allowed | Show a Custom Tab bar with URL |
| Depends on Chrome installed | No | Needs a TWA-capable browser |
Pick a TWA when
- You own the domain and your site is already a good PWA.
- Google sign-in, web push and payment request APIs matter.
- You're comfortable with tools like Bubblewrap or PWABuilder.
Pick a WebView app when
- You want it done from a phone in minutes, with no site changes.
- You need to control what links do, handle uploads, downloads, WhatsApp or payment-app intents.
- Your site isn't a PWA, or you can't publish files on the domain.
FAQ
Is a TWA a WebView?
No. A TWA runs in the user's browser (Chrome), not in an embedded WebView.
What happens if the TWA verification fails?
The app falls back to showing a Custom Tab with a URL bar, which looks like a browser rather than an app.