Difference between Mobile App and Mobile Website
Most of the companies, at this time, have taken their businesses online. Most of them have done it i.e. they have made their website and the rest are in process of doing it. Now basically when we talk about internet market, there are only a few ways through which you can access these websites. The mostly used platforms were desktops and laptops. But now as per the advancement in technology, the world has transformed into a smart world, having a more powerful tool to communicate, share or view any kind of web related data; and that platform is called mobile or more specifically smart-phones.
Now the people are using internet more on smart-phones as compared to laptops or desktops. And so the need for mobile websites is increasing. And there is also one more upgrade to this feature that is more flexible and easy to use i.e. Mobile Apps.
To know more about Mobile Apps, you can read out article – Why do we need App Development.
The web technology has transformed itself on a regular interval. At first there came websites, then their mobile versions, then a responsive website which is compatible for all kinds of platforms. And after all those, came Apps. Mobile Apps are nothing but a separate platform for accessing everything that a website gives to you but with more flexible and easy to use approach. And the companies, mainly the e-commerce one, are spending thousands of dollars to launch their App in the market.
Although mobile website and mobile App look similar, but technically, they are not. So if you are planning to create a web platform for your business, your first consideration should be whether you want to create a mobile application for users to download (app) or a mobile website, or perhaps both. And the decision will be on the basis of a number of factors including target audiences, available budget, intended purpose and required features.
What is the Difference Between a Mobile Website and an App?
It is necessary to know the difference between a mobile responsive website and app before you can evaluate the benefits of a mobile website vs. an app. Because both apps and mobile websites are accessed on handheld devices such as smart-phones and tablets. Like any other website, mobile websites can display text content, data, images and video. Plus they can also access mobile-specific features such as click-to-call or location-based mapping like features.
Apps are developed applications or software that are downloaded and installed on your mobile device, rather than being delivered within a browser. Normally you must have downloaded different Apps like Whats App, Facebook, Gmail or any other gaming app like Temple Run, Subway Surfer etc as per the compatibility of your smart-phone. The App can work with or without internet connectivity depending upon the need. While working with the internet, it will normally work as a website as it will be accessing data through the internet, but it can also download the required data which can be used in the offline mode.
Which is Better – an Mobile App or a Mobile Website?
It is very difficult to tell, but I must say, the answer lies within your requirement or your end goals. If you are looking for developing an interactive game, an app is probably going to be your best option. But if your goal is to offer mobile-friendly content to the widest possible audience then a mobile website is probably the way to go. In some cases you may decide you need both a mobile website and a mobile app, but it’s pretty safe to say that it rarely makes sense to build an app without already having a mobile website in place.
Note – Personally speaking, an App is only required when you are unable to access something through a web browser. So if you think your business works well with a browser itself, mobile responsive website is a better option for you at the start.
Advantages of a Mobile Website vs. Mobile Apps
A Mobile Website has a lot of advantages over a Mobile App like,
- More Broader Accessibility
- Instant Availability
- Highly Compatibility Across Devices
- Fast Updating
- Easy to be found
- Easily Sharable
- Broader Reach
- Can’t be Deleted
- Can be an App
- Much Easier and Less Expensive
- Support and Sustainability
Why Choosing a Mobile App?
Although the mobile websites have numerous advantages over mobile Apps but apps are still very popular and there are a number of reasons for this,
- Interactivity
- Regular Usage
- Complex Calculations or Reporting
- Native Functionality or Processing Required
- No Internet Connectivity Required
Please Note – While doing any project, prepare your website or an app plan but within limits to your budget. When developing an app, you might want to ensure that you are getting an optimal return on your investment. And please be specific that you really have a need for an app or not because it can save you thousands of bucks.
Conclusion of Mobile Website and Mobile App
As long as the smart-phones era is about to run, there will always be a debate between Mobile Responsive Website and Mobile App. If your mobile goals are mainly marketing-driven, or if your goal is to deliver content and establish a wide mobile presence that can be easily shared between users and found on search engines, then the a mobile website is the ultimate choice. On the other hand, if your goal is interactive engagement with users, or to provide an application that can run on a mobile platform easily without any internet connections and will be able to serve its purpose, then all you need is a Mobile App.