SiteTo.App vs Median (GoNative): Cost, Plugins, and Publishing

SiteTo.App charges $29 to $99 once per build. Median charges a one-time activation fee and then an annual fee, with Starter at $229 plus $179 per year. In return, Median offers a native plugin library, a JavaScript Bridge, and rebuilds through its App Studio. The choice comes down to how much native control you want and how you prefer to pay.

Median was called GoNative until 2023, according to Median.

Disclosure: SiteTo.App publishes this comparison and is one of the two products discussed. Median's prices and features were checked October 31, 2026 on its pricing page and publishing documentation. Confirm current terms with Median before buying.

Side-by-side comparison

The 24-month figures exclude Apple's and Google's developer fees, which you pay directly with either product.

How do the costs compare?

SiteTo.App lists $29 for an Android build, $79 for iOS, or $99 for both on its pricing page. There is no SiteTo.App subscription. The fee covers that build, and later rebuilds are quoted separately, so include them in your budget if you expect to change native settings often.

Median calls its first charge a "one-time license activation fee," but the plan is not one-time. Each paid personal plan also has an annual fee starting 12 months later. Starter is $229 and then $179 per year. Essential is $590 and then $399 per year. Plus is $990 and then $669 per year. Median's prices exclude some features and services, so check what your plan covers. Ask what happens if you stop paying the annual fee before you commit.

Over two years, a single app on Starter costs $408, and the next $179 falls due at month 24. That money also pays for something a one-time build does not include: Median lists new features, iOS and Android compatibility updates, and store compliance as included on every plan. If you rebuild often, that may be worth more than the lower first payment.

What can each product do natively?

Median has the wider native toolkit. Its plan table includes a JavaScript Bridge that lets your website control the app and device, along with a plugin library. OneSignal and Firebase Cloud Messaging plugins come with every plan. Essential plugins are included on Essential and Plus, and Plus plugins on the Plus plan, with limits on how many you can use. The free plan and Starter can only trial the other plugins for development and testing.

SiteTo.App has a smaller native layer: native menus and bottom tabs, push notifications through your own Firebase project, and a JavaScript SDK. The SDK lets your website set native titles, badges, the active tab, native sharing, notification permission, and app-resume events. If your requirement is on that list, you may not need more. If you need a specific device integration, check Median's plugin list before deciding.

Neither product replaces a working mobile website. Both display your website's content in the app, so a slow page or awkward checkout stays slow and awkward. Test it on a phone first. The guide to converting a website into an app gives a test sequence.

Who publishes the app?

With SiteTo.App, you do. iOS builds go to TestFlight in your App Store Connect account, and Android builds download as an APK or AAB. You prepare the listings and submit them. SiteTo.App does not guarantee approval.

Median offers two routes. You can publish it yourself using its guide and build outputs, or use its App Publishing Service, where its team submits using your existing developer accounts. Median advertises a guarantee of approval for that service, along with a money-back guarantee that applies when its team handles the initial submission. Its publishing documentation does not list a price, so request one. Its Business plan, from $7,200 per year, adds fully managed builds, publishing, and updates. Median says exclusions apply to its publishing guarantee, so read those terms.

Apple and Google still make the review decision. Our Guideline 4.2 guide explains how to prepare.

When should you choose Median instead?

Choose Median if at least one of these is central to your project:

1. You need native plugins. Its library goes further than SiteTo.App's native layer.
2. You have web developers who want JavaScript control. The JavaScript Bridge is built for that work.
3. You expect to rebuild regularly. Rebuilds through App Studio are part of the plan, while SiteTo.App quotes later rebuilds separately.
4. You want someone else to publish. Its publishing service and Business plan cover work that SiteTo.App leaves to you.
5. Several people will work on the app. Essential and Plus support team members, up to 3 and 5.

Choose SiteTo.App if your mobile website already does the job, the native layer above covers your needs, and you prefer to pay once per build instead of an annual fee.

Common questions

Is Median a one-time payment?

No. Median's activation fee is one-time, but its paid personal plans add an annual fee starting 12 months later. Starter is $229 and then $179 per year, as checked October 31, 2026. Our one-time payment comparison shows how it sits next to tools without an annual fee.

Is Median free?

Median has a free plan that shows a "Powered by Median.co" watermark in the app and on the splash screen. Paid plans remove the watermark. SiteTo.App's free option is a preview on your phone, and a build you can submit is paid.

Does Median guarantee App Store approval?

Median advertises a guarantee of approval on its paid publishing service, and exclusions apply. Apple and Google still make the review decision. SiteTo.App does not guarantee approval, and you submit the app yourself.

Does SiteTo.App include rebuilds?

Your live website's ordinary changes appear in the app without a new build. Changing the icon, launch screen, or native configuration needs another build, and later rebuilds are quoted separately.

Next step

Write down the native features you need and how often you expect to rebuild, then compare Median's plans with SiteTo.App pricing. You can preview your website in SiteTo.App before paying anything.