Mobile Apps vs Web Apps — What’s The Difference?

Today, many owners of Internet resources are faced with a choice: to create a mobile version of the site or a regular mobile application.

Such a need arises in connection with the use of smartphones by a considerable number of people – for making purchases, ordering services, solving business-related issues.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of each of the options and what to choose? To make it easier to decide, you can reach out to a web and mobile application development company and estimate/consult about building the right app – mobile, web app, or progressive web app.

Right now, let’s first figure out how these two different mediums work and what is more profitable for your business.

What is a web application?

Web applications are significant due to a stir wave of smartphone users. Such apps are not hosted in specialized app stores and usually require the phone’s browser to work.

Such a mobile version of the site differs from the regular version as it adapts to all screens of devices, so it should be convenient for users to interact with the content on the website and online store.

When launching mobile web applications, the user performs the same actions as when going to any website and gets the opportunity to “install” apps on a desktop by creating a bookmark of the website page.

What is a mobile app?

A mobile application is software developed for mobile devices (smartphones, tablets, etc.) and adapted for a specific platform (iOS, Android, Windows). Unlike web resources, it works without network access. This is an undeniable advantage.

What are web applications used for?

• Help to easily find, organize and view the necessary information on sites with a wide variety of content
• Without using additional resources, they independently collect, store and process user data (for example, banks’ sites)
• Helps to automate many processes on the site (if the site content needs to be updated regularly, the application communicates with the editors and automatically updates the content (news sites))

What are mobile apps for?

• To spur a rapid increase in sales and stimulate repeat purchases
• Increase in the average check amount
• Constant communication with the client and the growth of his loyalty
• Process automation
• Ultimately reducing costs

Related Post: Custom Mobile Application as a Compelling Need for Modern Business

Mobile Apps vs Web Apps : Difference between a mobile application and a web application

According to the stats, many emerging digital markets omitted the desktop internet phase entirely and moved straight onto mobile internet via smartphone and tablet devices.

If you feel bewildered whether you need a mobile app or mobile website for your mobile marketing strategy, let us set things straight – apps and websites are not interchangeable.

Mobile Apps vs Web Apps – the differences listed below should not lead you to choose one over the other. In fact, by pointing out the differences, we’re only trying to help you prioritize and set reasonable expectations.

Mobile website:

• Accessible via browser
• Static, navigational interface
• Requires a web connection
• Several limited features

Mobile app:

• Available after download
• Interactive interface
• Available offline
• Can use phone functions such as like camera, location services, etc.

What You Should Consider When Choosing Between a Mobile App and a Mobile Website

Suppose you can’t decide between a mobile website and a mobile application. In that case, it is only natural to consider all the nuances and how you relate your expectations and priorities to the possible results.

First of all, the client must decide why their business needs a mobile application or a mobile website. If the client initially wants a mobile application, then it is worth considering that the mobile version of the site will bring profit faster and reach a larger audience.

A choice may fell on mobile applications if the client wants to avail of all the modern functions of smartphones, where web development technologies can be powerless.

Related Post: Why Mobile App is Important for E-commerce Businesses

Advantages of mobile website

• The cost of a mobile site is included in the overall price of creating a site design.
• Synchronized work on all mobile devices.
• The mobile website does not need to be uploaded to stores in advance.

Drawbacks of mobile website

• A website with poor responsive design can negatively affect the usability and speed of the website.
• No offline access.
• Lack of push notifications.

Advantages of mobile application

• Availability of adding push notifications to keep people informed of the current status of their order.
• Using a camera to scan barcodes and get product information.
• Augmented reality to empower.
• Face id identification to relieve customers of tedious routines such as password and login.

Drawbacks of mobile application

• Additional development costs
• Additional settings. Before a user can tell a mobile app from the store, it needs to be placed there.

So, we found out that mobile websites and mobile applications complement each other, so we recommend having both.

A mobile application engages customers more and helps quickly track changes in the online store as push notifications are a great advantage for online retail.

But unlike the mobile version of the site, the mobile application requires an additional investment of time and money.

Mobile sites are great for finding new customers, while mobile apps do a great job with loyalty and customer retention programs. All of this taken together creates a mobile strategy that will benefit any business.

Conclusions

In our humble opinion, a mobile apps vs web apps are two different niches that solve different problems. The mobile version of the site is aimed at an audience that is just looking for something or uses services from time to time.

The mobile application is needed for those who regularly use a mobile website that may expand your funnel activities, such as awareness and education.

A mobile app helps you achieve such goals as conversions, engagement, customer loyalty. Your business will be ahead of the competition.

But the final choice will depend on the target platform and the expected quality of the users’ Internet connection. What are you using in your mobile business marketing? Mobile site? Mobile app? Let us know what works for you.