Web App or Mobile App: What Is The Best Pick For Your Startup?

Web App or Mobile App: What is The Best Pick for Your Startup?

Web App or Mobile App

A business idea without a suitable platform is just like a cruise without an ocean. Technical advancements in cell phones have made passage for all sorts of businesses to appear online. Either you want to have a pizza, or you want to travel the world, you will get the best resources only on your cell phones for doing the same. The mobile app or web app company these days is also focusing on app development rather than that of websites.

65% dependability on smartphones and more business opportunities have made this shift happen. Although websites are still in the game for their reasons, the app market grows day by day. Users want to perform just a few clicks to get what they want. Opening a website, navigating it on cell phones seems troublesome. Therefore, web development services have become less prominent in front of mobile app services.

Now comes the point, which is best the resource to kick off the startup? Is it the web apps or mobile apps to go with? The article is a good guide on which platform will serve you best if you plan to start your business online. So let’s take a tour of what will be best?

What Are Web Apps & Mobile Apps?

When you plan to be an entrepreneur, you have to contemplate various aspects. It would help if you had a roadmap within your head of all possibilities. That is why we are up with a guide on what to choose: web app or mobile app? But before we kick start our research, let’s take a look at the sense, utility of both platforms. 

Web Applications (Web Apps)

Web apps are self-managed systems that only operate on the web (Internet). The software is known as an application and is capable of being operated on any operating system. Simultaneously, you have entered the name on the browser, and you are good to go. No need to download and install. These apps are made up of single pages or multiple pages and are termed Websites. 

You can find any business’s website over the Internet. The best examples are Apple, Samsung, Zomato, Swiggy, Paytm, e-Commerce Website, etc. All these run over the Internet. However, they carry their mobile apps, too, for more reachability. But first comes the website or web app, and then comes the mobile apps. 

Mobile Applications (Mobile Apps)

Mobile apps are shorter versions of websites and are downloadable from their respective platforms. There are two kinds of the app available in the market, i.e., Android app and iOS app. Android app development is meant for people having android smartphones. iOS apps are available for people having iPhone or Apple gadgets. 

In the present world, every business has created its online presence via mobile apps. From entertainment to games, doctor to medicine, food to fashion, all businesses are online by creating their mobile app version on the respective platform. 

You must have ordered pizza from Zomato using a mobile app or purchased a summer collection from Myntra or any other brand via app only. Mobile apps are fast to operate, give a seamless experience, and are available anytime on your cell phone. Moreover, this is the most significant source of generating revenue for companies instead of websites or web apps. 

How to Pick Between Web App or Mobile App For My Startup?

It is kind of troublesome to choose between web apps or mobile apps. Both have their perks and target audience. For instance, any person with shopping habits won’t like to visit websites again and again. Here, the best services are rendered through mobile apps only. Accessible anytime, anyplace. 

But, when it comes to healthcare startups, the website will perform great as it will showcase the entire service and facility properly. Simultaneously, it will show you as an established solution provider. So here, the healthcare provider will choose a platform for web application development.

For a precise understanding of both of the apps, let’s take a look at the significant differences and benefits. After this, one can make up their mind on what to prefer: mobile or web apps. 

Advantages of Web Apps 

1. Visibility:

Web apps offer superb visibility to your business as it is available over the Internet. The best example goes like “find urban claps near me.” For this query, you will not go to the respective app store to find it. You will google it. 

Now, that is where you get the visibility of your business. Anybody who is looking up for something online (over browser) will reach your business directly. Around 39.2 billion searches are conducted on google each week. This clearly states the dominance of web apps over the browser.   

2. Cost-Effective:

It is always affordable to have web apps instead of mobile apps. An explanation here goes like, in developing an iOS or Android app, native features and functionality require your hired app developer to manage that. 

Now, if the app has to be displayed on different screen sizes and compatible with different devices, the developer must do more coding. It will be time-consuming, tedious, and needs more expertise than that of web apps. So, people prefer websites.

Disadvantages of Web Apps

1. No Offline Functionality:

It is as simple as it is that it won’t work offline. Although the offline operation of the app is infectious, this is not guaranteed all the time. 

2. Slower than Mobile Apps:  

Web applications are always available on the Internet and work comparatively slower than mobile apps. 

Advantages of Mobile Apps 

1. Personalization:

Mobile applications are meant to serve the audience’s preference. These are customizable as per the client’s customer needs. Moreover, it is also convertible according to the marketing & business conditions. Mobile apps these days are convenient, and people prefer using one instead of websites. 

Moreover, mobile apps can work both offline or online mode. Websites cannot do that much. Hence, there is no bar for connectivity, and it works much faster than web apps. Thus, people once building their business’s website prefer to have applications as well. 

2. Convenience & Security:

It has already come to the attention of the experts; people are spending around 18 times of their valuable time using smartphone apps. Simultaneously, they perform different sorts of activities on the app online or offline. 

Such activities like surfing pages to pages, sharing some information, etc., are not that much seen over the web apps. Moreover, mobile apps are more securely developed rather than web apps. 

Disadvantages of Mobile Apps 

1. Support & Maintenance:

A mobile app needs a timely bug fix and updates. It is only possible by deleting the old version and downloading and installing the new version of the existing mobile app. While in the web apps, the updates are provided automatically. 

2. Compatibility:

Everybody knows that mobile apps are built from scratch, making any mobile app development time-consuming and tedious. Simultaneously, after all, such efforts mobile applications lack compatibility with all devices or with different versions. 

Final Thoughts

The article gives immense information on the benefits, disadvantages, sense of web apps vs mobile apps. These days, mobile apps are much more common because of the flexibility, facility, and affordability it gives to the users. Moreover, the user can access anything, anytime, using the apps through their smartphones. Thus, we believe that for startups, it is better to build a mobile app instead of a web app in the long run. 

FAQs

Q1. Which is more cost-effective to develop, a web app or a mobile app?

It depends primarily on the project requirements. However, the web apps-because of its limited features is more cost-effective to develop.

Q2. What factors should I consider to decide between a web app and a mobile app?

For startups, the choice should be made after analyzing factors like the target audience, user experience, and required features.

Q3. Can a web app and a mobile app be developed simultaneously?

Yes, we have the resources to develop a web app and a mobile app for the same services simultaneously. However, this will increase the development costs considerably.

Q4. What are some advantages and disadvantages of each?
Web apps need easier maintenance and updates, but they offer limited offline functionality. On the other hand, mobile apps perform better and have a more engaging user experience. But they do have higher development costs.

Q5. Can I switch from one app type to another later on, if needed?

Yes, you can switch from one type of app to the other later on. It may however need hiring developers with specific expertise. 

Sanjeev Agrawal

Sanjeev Agrawal

My name is Sanjeev Agrawal. I am a Director and Co-founder of Dreamsoft4u, IT Consulting Company. I am having a keen interest in the latest trends and technologies that are emerging in different domains. Being an entrepreneur in the field of the IT sector, it becomes my responsibility to aid my audience with the knowledge of the latest trends in the market.