Website, web app or mobile app: what does your business actually need?
Many people arrive with the idea "we need an app", when sometimes a good website is enough, or a web app is a faster and cheaper start. Here is how to decide.
Website: so people find and contact you
A website presents your business: who you are, what you do, where you are and how to reach you. If you want customers to find you on Google and call, start here.
An online store is a website that also takes orders and payments.
Web app: when the system needs to do something
A web app runs in the browser, with nothing to install, on desktop and phone. It makes sense when users need to log in and get something done:
- bookings and scheduling
- a client portal with documents and statuses
- an internal tool for records and calculations
Updates reach everyone instantly, and one version works on every device.
Mobile app: when people open it every day
A mobile app for iOS and Android is installed from the App Store and Google Play. It makes sense when people use it often and you need phone features:
- notifications (push)
- camera, location or offline use
- loyalty programmes and frequent orders
Building and releasing it takes longer than a web app, so it is worth being sure people will actually install it.
How to start sensibly
Start from the problem, not the technology: what do customers or staff do by hand today, and what would save them time? Often the best order is:
- a website first, so people find you
- then a web app for the repetitive work
- a mobile app once you see people using it every day
On a free 30-minute call we can work out together what makes sense for your case.