What is the Difference Between a Web Application and a SaaS Application?

While “cloud application” and “web applications” are being used interchangeably, there are differences between the web applications and software as a service (SaaS). Software as a service (SaaS) is more a software licensing and delivery model and currently part of cloud computing service model. Most of the “real SaaS” are paid professional and/or enterprise grade software, Adobe Photoshop CC is closest example of what a SaaS is. Adobe Photoshop CC is designed to run on computers as thin clients. Always-on internet connection not a criterion to be SaaS.

Is SaaS Forced to Be Confusing For Marketing?

The fundamental difference between cloud applications and web applications is hosting. Cloud applications can be designed to be hosted by software as a service (SaaS) or platform as a service (PaaS) or infrastructure as a service (IaaS) with many technical challenges involved in applications development. One of which is multi-tenancy. Similarities and differences exist between multi-tenancy and isolated tenancy applications as both have several common layers such as database, web user interface. But a multi-tenant application has distinguished service pattern as a result of a difference in technical implementation. Isolated tenancy applications have authentication and access control for single-tenant users. A tenant management console required for the multi-tenancy applications (which can be understood thinking of Adobe CC, IBM Cloud accounts).

Definition of Web Application and SaaS Application

A web app is an application which can be accessed through a browser. WordPress running on a shared server modified to work as an application is also a web app. As individual developers, we usually develop a web app or traditional software. A SaaS need to meet the criterion of cloud computing. That is technically difficult and costly for common usage. Adobe Photoshop CC is a SaaS. Because it fulfils the criterion such as scalability, accessibility, persistence, on-demand computing power etc. Netflix is another example of SaaS. To make a particular WordPress installation a SaaS, we need to fulfil the criterion set by NIST such scalability, availability, service continuity etc.

NIST defines Software as a Service (SaaS) as the capability provided to the consumer is to use the provider’s applications running on a cloud infrastructure. The applications are accessible from various client devices through either a thin client interface, such as a web browser, or a program interface. Partially the definitions are been distorted for marketing purpose and marked service as SaaS and partially the consumers confused the true goal of SaaS. One of the essential attributes of the SaaS model is multitenancy. Multi-tenancy enables the users sharing of resources and costs. However, not all SaaS are multitenant.

Most of the web applications such as online banking are limited by scalability and availability. Vertical SaaS answers the needs of a specific industry like healthcare, finance. Horizontal SaaS answers the need of a software category like marketing, developer tools.

Can We Convert a Web Application to a SaaS Application?

Yes. SaaS is about meeting criterion by the internationally accepted bodies, such as NIST. We can any web app to a SaaS, by making a change in the backend and coding to make it scalable, flexible, redundant, multi-tenant. You can use Kubernetes, microservices, add load-balancers and a fail-proof DNS.

Commonly Asked Questions Around Web Application and SaaS Application

• Is a Web application is a SaaS?

A web application runs on a remote server and is accessed through a web browser usually over the port 80 or port 443.

• How do I make a cloud based web application or a SaaS?

Read our articles on Characteristics For Being a Cloud Application, What Is Cloud-Native Application and 6 Steps to Application Hosting as SaaS

• Is Office 365 like services are public cloud or private cloud?

All of these are public cloud. A private cloud is really a “private room”.

• What is the difference between SaaS and software?

The licensing model. We install Adobe Photoshop CC and “rent” the usage license. We used to purchase the license of the older full software Adobe CS6.

Conclusion

SaaS applications are mostly delivered via the Web, but this is not mandatory and that point makes SaaS completely different from the other two cloud computing service models, i.e. PaaS and IaaS. SaaS is typically accessed by users using a thin client and has become a common delivery model for many business applications, including office software, management software, CAD software, development software, customer relationship management (CRM), Management Information Systems (MIS), enterprise resource planning (ERP), human resource management (HRM), Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and so on. It is agreeable that SaaS is a vague terminology and thereby the licensing and style of the delivery part taken as points to count a service as SaaS.