Website or Mobile App – What’s the best choice for Startups? Pros and Cons
Enterprises must think and research before they invest in any platform, sector, software or program.
The digital era has several opportunities to make its online presence on the internet. As of 2024, 5.07 billion people are using the internet and so all the companies, entrepreneurs, and businesses need either a website or mobile app to spread their brand and services. It allows organisations to reach the targeted audience.
The applications have become the popular platform among all the categories as they work as eCommerce and marketing. It was forecasted that by 2025, worldwide consumer spending on apps would reach $270 billion. In 2022, the combined Apple and Google application store earned $65 billion.
It is because the proliferation of mobile phones and tablets is enticing for small to large companies. However, when it comes to making a crucial decision about where you should invest first in an app or website, then it’s not something to take lightly.
This article, website vs mobile app will help you make the right decision by comparing the benefits and disadvantages of both website and mobile app with the cost, timeline and more comparison.
Website vs Mobile App
A website is a set of related pages that merge into a single domain name that a person or organisation build whereas an app is a software application intended to submit to a particular authority, institution or enterprise, runs on a smartphone, tablet and other devices
So, how did both help in your online presence? It’s important to make a final decision on if you’ll build the website or a mobile app. The choices may be different depending on your business industry; hence you need to consider the business requirements and objectives.
Research your industry type and ensure what the target audience is looking for; also decide if you want to approach a huge audience or a specific one.
For a larger audience website is the better option whereas to reach a more specific audience, an app is the better choice.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Creating a Website
It’s said that a business should have a website to showcase its products and services through an online platform. A website consists of many advantages, for example, reaching a larger audience, customisable designs and easy to access.
How is a website beneficial for your business?
Key Benefits –
- Create Presence – The website builds your presence in the digital world so that people can know about your business. Your website helps to make the brand value professionally.
- Extend the reach – Anyone in the world can easily access a website via a web browser. It allows more people to access the website, which means easier to connect with a huge audience base.
- Leverage social networks – The website is easy to gain traffic through social media strategies. Simply establish your digital presence on the social media platforms, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter and use links to take your audience onto your website.
- Customizable Design – The website comes with flexible themes, design and other customised features and functionalities that a designer can change, edit or customise anytime. It’s beneficial for businesses as it meets their demands.
- User-friendly – Compared with mobile apps, websites are easier to use as users don’t need to put much effort, no downloads, no installs. It is straight to access from any device with an internet connection.
Why website may not be a good option for business?
Disadvantages –
- No offline access – Dissimilar to mobile apps, websites don’t provide full-featured access in offline mode. The only precious cache pages are usable, but other elements are not intractable.
- Un-optimised for mobile phones – For mobile devices, websites can lead to a suboptimal experience. If this has not been built, optimised, and structured specifically for mobile devices, it may convey the wrong message to your viewer.
Pros and Cons of Developing Mobile Apps
Mobile apps are built to offer tailored experiences for all users. Applications are mobile-specific and hence provide a better user experience for smartphone users.
How is a mobile app beneficial for your business?
Advantages of Mobile Apps-
- Communication – An app is easy to interact with your customers as it has the capability to attract their attention immediately.
- Immersive Experience – Mobile apps offer a tailored and engaging experience as they have a specific set of features that meets the specific audience’s requirements.
- Productivity – App-based interactions are better to streamline communication with everyone. Apps category like e-commerce apps takes special benefits in terms of productivity.
- Specific Services or Information: Apps are used to circulate specific information or services to the targeted audience and it’s something that’s not available on website platforms.
What possible Disadvantages are of Apps?
Disadvantages-
- Costly- Compared to the website, the mobile app is expensive and needs more time to build as apps are complex and go through the testing process, which lifts the cost.
- Maintenance and timely Updates – Maintenance and updates are required in apps regularly because of compatibility requirements with different operating systems and it can be challenging most of the time.
Factors to consider while choosing to develop a website or mobile app?
Deciding what is best to invest first in between a website and application for your business needs to consider some factors.
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Functionality
Think about your business and its functionalities that are meant to add to your platform. For information and content, websites are a better option whereas the interactive and complex platform prefers mobile apps where advanced features like geolocation, audio, cameras etc require.
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Target Audience
Customers are critical determinants when making any decision in your business. Hence, you must analyse your buyer preferences, psychometrics, personas, and demographics.
Mobile app users increase by 41% in comparison to a 1% increase in web users. But you should analyse your audience type to understand which suits you best for your audience type. A more professional audience is more likely to use a laptop or large screen instead of mobile phones.
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Monetisation
Monetisation is important when it comes to business. You should plan the Monetisation technique and way for your platform. Mobile apps run in-app purchases to generate revenue whereas Websites run with advertising and affiliate marketing to create revenue.
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Development, Branding and Marketing
Time is a critical factor for business success. So if it’s your beginning phase and need to reach more customers earlier or shortest time, then a web app is the best option. Mobile app development is a time taken process and you need to see every aspect of operating systems and different categories like Android and iOS.
Websites are search engines optimised and social media optimised offering analytics tools whereas mobile apps provide a direct and personalised experience.
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Maintenance
When it comes to maintaining a platform websites are the best platform. Websites can easily follow the trends and update without any new version downloads. Mobile apps need some extra effort to maintain and update which is time-effective and costly.
In conclusion, the final decision will be yours as it considers your business requirements and audience type. Above mentioned factors can help you choose one platform.
The Cost Comparison – Choosing the Cost-Effective Platform for Your Start-Up Business
Selecting a platform to invest money consider some important factors that influence the development cost –
- Size of project
- Design complexity
- Marketing product price
- Backend development
- Customisation requirement
- Server infrastructure
- Maintenance and updates
If we compare website and app depending on cost, then the website is less costly as it needs less maintenance and is easy to update, however, mobile apps take up 55% and the website takes 45% of the online time that a user spends. However, you should take care to connect with the right and reputable development company to make your complex project within less time, with accurate cost estimates and reasonable prices based on your project requirements. The website or app development cost will vary depending on multiple factors.
How to choose between the mobile app and website for your business?
Coming this far, we have discussed many factors that can help you take the decision of what to invest in – web or app. However, it still can be challenging for some. The below guidance may help you finalise the decision.
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Finalise Platform Purpose
It’s the critical factor that every business should decide, its goal or objective or purpose of searching such platforms. If the purpose is clear like the online presence, interactive platform, information-based platform etc, then it becomes easy to select web or app.
A website is the better option for those, who are startups and need an online presence and branding of their business whereas an app is best for an existing business that wants to provide its users with an interactive and immersive experience.
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The cost is important
Every business has different revenue and so the cost factors affect each organisation, especially start-ups. The developing websites and app costs are different. Also, adding specific functions and features asks for more additional charges. The website tends to be less expensive compared with mobile apps.
- Even though it seems cost-effective but an app gives you long-term benefits and adds value to your business. Through apps, customers can stay connected in the long term but website build can’t ensure such customers long run. Websites are faster to develop than apps. A general website build takes around less than a months to get completed. Therefore, when choosing a platform, ensure how urgent is there for your business to jump into customers’ digital lives.
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Don’t forget the user experience consideration
Websites are user-friendly and easy to access whereas apps are mobile-optimised but need some effort to use like downloading and installing. For users, websites are easier to use and apps are more tailored though need to download the app. Hence, analyse your target audience type if they are desktop workers or mobile ones.
Conclusion –
This digital era asks for start-ups or established businesses to come online to show their presence. Whether it’s an app or a website, targeting the audience is important in both and for business; both can connect with their relevant audience. Multiple options affect your decision from the platform objective, cost, timeline and experience. Consider all the factors and make the final decision of choosing between an app and a website.
We understand that you may need more information before you make any decisions. We are always available for a free discussion and ready to jump on a call. Feel free to contact us, and our expert developers will help you make the right decision for your business. For more useful resources you can browse our blog and keep an eye on our Medium page (coming soon).
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