Mobile app or mobile website – which is better for your business?

The number of smartphone users is continuously increasing and almost all of them use the internet regularly on their mobile devices. Businesses that want to meet expectations of their customers need to adapt to the trend and implement mobile solutions. One of the frequently asked questions is: what is better – a mobile app or a mobile website? What’s the difference between them and which is one more suitable for your needs?

Mobile website

The main difference between a mobile and normal version of a website is that a mobile website perfectly fits small screens of mobile devices. Thanks to that, a page loaded on a smartphone still looks attractive to its users. When designing a mobile website, several parameters are taken into account i.e. screen dimensions or internet connection speed. A Mobile website usually has less advanced functionalities, in comparison with a traditional one and fewer elements in UI. That aims at making it easier for users to navigate on small touch screens of their phones.

Is it worth investing in a mobile website? One of the cons is the fact that they are hard to update. Developing a mobile website requires brand new code. The changes that are made on a normal page won’t always be visible in its mobile version. Another disadvantage is positioning in search engines. To create a mobile version, you need to divide your page into two different addresses and actually duplicate the content. That results in having to do SEO for two channels, which can place pages lower in Google search. The need to have an internet connection is another drawback. On the other hand, the fact that the content on the page is displayed properly, regardless of a device type, is an obvious benefit.

Mobile app

Mobile apps have many benefits, but, due to relatively high cost, they might not be achievable for every kind of business. For what purposes is an app undoubtedly more suitable? For sure, it’s the best alternative for websites that require user login, so it would be ideal for banks or social media platforms. A mobile app will also be a good choice in the case when users are supposed to use such native features of smartphones like camera, contact list or GPS. It’s worth taking into consideration.