‍Mobile App vs Website: What is the Best Platform to Engage Users?

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More than 50% of internet traffic comes from mobile devices, and studies indicate about 90% of internet users access information on mobile phones. With the increase in internet bandwidth, the rise of digitalization, and the growth of global services made available online, the number of internet users continues to rapidly rise. This highlights the importance for businesses to build websites and mobile apps to attract users, generate leads, build relationships, and penetrate the market. With limited budget and resources, how should business leaders prioritize between building a website vs a mobile app? Read the pros and cons below to help you make this decision for your business. 

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Top Pros and Cons of Building a Website vs a Mobile App

Pros for building website:

• Creating a website is often cheaper than developing a mobile app. The average cost of building a website ranges from $200-$10,000, whereas the average cost of building a simple mobile app can range from $40,000-$60,000.
• Websites can support larger datasets hence they are preferred for office and business applications that require accuracy and reliability. 
• Websites often provide a better, larger screen experience and are compatible with many screen sizes.
• The loading speed on mobile is slower than on a website as desktop computers have better processors and connection speeds. According to Google, about 53% of users abandon their mobile visits due to this reason. The minimum threshold for the web to load is less than 2 seconds and an ideal app should load in 2 seconds. While 5 seconds is acceptable, it’s very crucial to optimize the loading speed for maximum mobile user experience.

Cons for building website:

• Users prefer mobile apps because they can access them quickly and on the go. 
• Mobile apps are gaining importance over websites for business as they are the best way to launch dedicated apps. If users download your mobile app, the app will have dedicated screen space on their device, and businesses can send users push notifications to increase engagement.
• Mobile apps are a good option for e-commerce transactions as many companies are moving to mobile commerce, and many mobile apps facilitate tracking, payments, and alerts. 
• Mobile apps offer notifications, offline accessibility, and help businesses create a personalized experience when compared to website user experience.

How to decide if you should build a website or mobile app?

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                                                Image Source: Stock images, Depositphotos

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What is the size of your business?

If you are a start-up, it’s a challenge to determine the right platform to launch your online presence. All businesses want to build websites and mobile apps; however, the challenge is determining which option will help you drive more ROI. Small businesses may need a mobile app to drive their business to the next stage as these apps are necessary marketing tools. Large businesses may also need apps to compete with their competitors.

What is your budget?

To establish your online business presence, a mobile app or website is inevitable. However, a business must consider its stage of development and budget to decide what to prioritize. A start-up may have a smaller budget and therefore decide to opt for a website. As it grows and offers more personalized service, its business may need a mobile app later in its development.

What are your competitors doing?

‍Research the ways your competitors are grabbing the attention of their customers and find statistics on how their websites and mobile apps are performing. This data can greatly help you prioritize the best platform that suits your business and needs.

Bottom line

The app market is growing at a rapid pace and the number of users with mobile devices continues to grow globally. As you consider whether to build a website or mobile app, keep in mind the importance of ensuring performance, quality, and security On websites, loading speed must be optimized with the right servers, caching, and checking page speed through Google analytics tools. For the best mobile app-friendly loading experience, encourage your users to install updates. Trust and reliability of mobile apps can be enhanced by regularly updating your app, and developers must regularly check with the platform providers Apple (iOS) and Google (Android) for updates to ensure features continue to work properly. If you are looking for the easiest way to build a mobile app without worrying about updates or maintenance, reach out to Alta today to see how we can help you build and launch your next mobile app.