Mobile app or mobile website? What does each mean?

📅 2024.01.15 - 👤 Borbély Viktor

For years, the trend has been that more and more people visit webshops and websites from mobile devices. In response, businesses have recognized that they need to make better use of mobile communication to acquire new customers. However, this is not always enough. We need to optimize our mobile apps or our websites so users enjoy using them. But these come with costs. To provide a clear view, I’ve summarized the key considerations in this article.

In 2021, ongoing events further reinforced the tendency for people to browse the internet and access digital content primarily from their mobile devices.

Mobile app or mobile website?

Mobile apps first appeared on iPhones in 2007. That’s when a new era began. Touchscreen phones emerged, which hadn’t existed before. We install apps from app stores on our iPhones or Android devices. By now, we’re entirely used to the idea that there’s an app for everything.

By contrast, responsive mobile websites are pages optimized primarily for phones that adapt to different screen sizes. With the spread of small displays, users need a very different experience. A responsive website is essentially a version of the same site purpose-built for mobile, which makes it easy to read on phones as well.

The user experience

Now that we’ve clarified the main differences, let’s look at the options.

More ways to engage users interactively

A mobile app can leverage capabilities on the phone that websites cannot. Think of a game that uses 3D graphics and sensors (like tilting left-right to steer).

There are also apps that offer more functionality than their websites. Instagram is one example, where you can view images on the web, but you can’t upload without the app.

Personalization

Our phone has become such a personal object that we can hardly imagine life without it. It’s natural to expect to tailor some settings to our needs. Apps are no exception. Do we want notifications about updates? What theme color should we use, etc.?

Apps learn our habits, so they can speak to us even better. Since a native app has access to all the phone’s capabilities, it’s worth taking advantage of them. For example, location-based features can show what’s most interesting nearby—what’s most relevant to me.

They can access my contacts, which can enable more efficient communication in a business app. Or think of Revolut when you want to send money to contacts.

According to a survey by Business of Apps, personalized notifications had a positive effect on engagement. Open rates improved. All of this can benefit users as well, because it helps them get the most out of the app.

Works offline, too

Even today, internet access isn’t always available. It’s frustrating when you want to view a site but can’t reach it.

Apps can remain usable without internet. Some of their functionality doesn’t require a connection. With this advantage, our users can access information anywhere, anytime.

Intuitive interfaces

Because of the small screen size, mobile apps’ user interfaces (UI) are generally more intentionally designed. They tend to offer a more intuitive UI, which makes completing tasks easier. A uniquely crafted interface lets users immerse themselves more deeply in the mobile experience. People accustomed to a given operating system already know how it behaves. During use, they get what they expect. A responsive website can’t always provide this.

Leverage device capabilities

Mobile apps can access built-in capabilities like the camera, GPS, location services, contacts, and fingerprint reader. Using them saves time and reduces frustration.

For example, using GPS data greatly helps ride-hailing companies find the passenger waiting for pickup, reducing wait times and increasing satisfaction.

Above, we looked at installable mobile applications. Let’s turn to mobile websites.

Responsive mobile websites

As mentioned above, a responsive website is a specially configured version of the same site. As a result, it’s also easy to use on mobile. Sometimes it’s hard to tell whether we’re using an app or a site.

Of course, if we opened it from our mobile browser, it’s a website.

The user experience

User experience is the foundation of every digital product. If potential users don’t enjoy using it, we spent on it in vain.

Accessible to everyone

Unlike mobile apps, which run only on certain platforms (iOS or Android), a responsive website is accessible on any mobile device, regardless of its operating system—as long as there’s an internet connection. Let’s not forget that internet access, its quality, and its speed are all factors that influence the web experience.

Responsive websites don’t need to be downloaded or installed and are completely free to access, unlike some paid apps in the stores. And even for apps, you often don’t pay for the app itself but rather for the digital content inside it. In games, for example, you can speed up your progress.

Always up to date

A strong argument for a mobile-optimized website is that, unlike mobile apps, users don’t have to deal with installing new versions. A website’s new version is immediately available. Because websites are easy to update, it’s easy to fix bugs on them—ideally without users noticing anything at all.

Cost-effective

While the cost difference between building a website and a mobile app seems to be narrowing, there’s still a meaningful gap. Mobile apps remain a specialized area. In return, they offer a more premium feel and experience.

Cost-effectiveness is more advantageous from a business perspective than from the users’ point of view.

Cost is a non-negligible factor. You must take it into account, especially if you want an app to be present on multiple platforms. A common practice is to launch the product on a simpler, cheaper website with minimal functionality, and when it gains traction, add the mobile app. By then, you’ll have the necessary market insights and the budget to invest.

There are now excellent solutions to reduce costs that let your mobile app be available on both platforms (iOS and Android) for roughly 65–75% of the total price. One such framework is Flutter, which is currently considered the best choice.

Conclusion: which is better?

Strictly by the numbers, mobile apps tend to pay off better. A 2020 report from Sensor Tower found that both consumer spending and installs among mobile app users grew significantly in the first half of 2020, reaching 50.1 billion dollars across the App Store and Google Play combined. While this growth can be attributed to COVID-19 and its effects, the figure has continued to rise.

The same report goes further, estimating that there were 71.5 billion new app installs in the first half of 2020. That represents 26.1% year-over-year growth. This trend can further encourage companies to develop app-based services.

The right choice depends on your business goals. If your aim is to deliver mobile-friendly content to a broad audience, a mobile website will likely suffice. If you want higher engagement, closer communication, and stronger loyalty, a mobile app seems the better choice.

A company may not want to give up either the app or the website. If your strategy calls for both because each provides value, it’s worth developing a mobile strategy.

Blending the above, there’s also a middle-ground solution that combines the benefits of both approaches: PWA, or Progressive Web App. It’s already more than a simple website but doesn’t have every capability of a mobile app. In many cases, it’s an excellent compromise. And “compromise” is in quotes here because if you know why you’re choosing it, you’ll get a solution with excellent value for money.

I’m Viktor Borbély, an experienced mobile app developer and editor of uira-tervezve.hu. If you’re considering developing a mobile app, feel free to contact me through any of my channels. In a free one-hour consultation, we’ll look at what you need and where to start.