Frequently Asked Questions

A web app is a real application that runs in your browser — a photo editor, a whiteboard, an IDE, a converter, a game. Unlike a plain website, it does work: you create, edit, compute, or play directly in the tab. Modern browser technology (WebAssembly, WebGL, IndexedDB) lets web apps match desktop-class software — Figma and Photopea are the proof.

No. Every app in this directory runs in a normal browser tab. Some apps additionally offer an install option — in Chrome/Edge via menu (⋮) → Install, on iOS via Share (↑) → Add to Home Screen — which gives them their own window and icon. We flag those with an 'Installable' badge, but it's always optional.

Many are free to use, fully or with optional paid plans, and some are paid software delivered through the browser. Each listing on Web Apps Directory shows a 'Free' tag if the core app costs nothing for normal use.

Some do. Apps built with offline caching keep working without a connection once loaded — those are flagged with an 'Offline' badge in the directory. Apps that need a live connection (collaboration, multiplayer, streaming) won't work offline, and the badge tells you which is which.

Everything listed here runs in every major browser: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, Samsung Internet, Brave, Opera. Some advanced features (file system access, certain codecs) vary by platform, but the core experience is universal — that's the point of the web.

Every listing must be served over HTTPS — no exceptions. Web apps run in the browser's sandbox, which is more restrictive than a native app: no arbitrary file access, no kernel hooks, no background processes. Permissions (camera, location, notifications) are explicit and revocable at any time.

Three big wins: (1) nothing to install or update — open a URL and you're working, (2) it runs on every OS including Chromebooks and locked-down work machines, (3) your work is often a shareable link. Trade-offs exist (some apps need a connection, browser memory limits on huge files), but for many use cases the browser is simply the better platform.

PWAs are web apps that ship an install manifest and offline support — the app-iest end of the spectrum. We list them and flag their superpowers ('Installable', 'Offline' badges), but a PWA manifest is never required to be listed here: plenty of world-class web apps, Figma included, are not installable PWAs. If PWAs specifically are your thing, our sister site pwa.directory covers them exclusively.

Every listing is reviewed by a human against four criteria: it must genuinely work in the browser, provide real value, be served over HTTPS and currently working, and behave honestly (no dark patterns, no cryptominers, no misleading 'free' claims). We reject weak submissions.

Yes — browsing is free, no account needed, no email gate, no cookie tracking. Revenue comes from optional fast-track submissions (€49 per submission, paid only on approval) and clearly-labelled sponsored entries. See /pricing for details.

Go to /submit. Standard review is free and takes up to 4 weeks. Fast-track is €49, reviewed within 48 hours, with 72-hour featured placement. You only pay if we approve — full refund on rejection.

Web Apps Directory is operated by Hugo Boccon, a French micro-entrepreneur based in Aix-en-Provence. The site is hosted on an EU VPS and fronted by Cloudflare. We comply with GDPR — see /privacy and /mentions-legales.