“Should we build an app?” is one of the first questions many business owners ask us. Sometimes the answer is yes. Often the better first step is a strong website — and sometimes you need both. The right choice depends on what your customers need to do, and how often they come back.
What a website does best
A website is how new customers find you. People search on Google, click a result and land on your site without installing anything. That makes a website the best tool for being found, for explaining what you offer and for turning a first visit into an enquiry or an order.
- It works on every device, straight from the browser.
- Search engines can index it, so it brings in new visitors over time.
- It is usually faster and less expensive to build and to change than an app.
- You can share every page with a simple link.
What an app does best
An app earns its place on someone's home screen when they use it regularly. It is the better choice when customers come back often, when you want to send push notifications, or when you need features of the phone itself, such as the camera, location, offline access or in-app payments.
- Loyal customers who order, book or check something every week
- Push notifications at the right moment
- Access to the camera, GPS, Bluetooth or offline use
- A smoother experience for complex, repeated tasks
Four questions to help you decide
- How do customers find you today? If most new customers come from search, start with the website.
- How often does one customer come back? Daily or weekly use points towards an app; a few visits a year point towards a website.
- Do you need phone features? Camera, location, offline mode or notifications are strong reasons for an app.
- What are your budget and timeline? A website gets you online sooner; an app is a bigger project that pays off with frequent use.
Why many businesses start with the website
Even businesses that end up with an app usually need a website first. Nobody downloads an app from a company they have never heard of. The website builds trust, ranks in search engines and explains your offer; the app then serves the customers who already know and use you.
A well-built website can also behave like an app: it loads fast, works well on a phone and can even be added to the home screen. For many businesses that is enough for the first years.
When to build both
Online shops with returning customers, restaurants with online ordering, booking platforms and service companies with a customer portal often benefit from both. In that case, plan them together: the same design, the same accounts and the same data, so customers move between website and app without friction.
Ready to compare budgets? Our guides to what a website costs and what an app costs break down the prices, and you can see how we approach web design and mobile app development.
Not sure where to start? Describe your customers and what they need to do. We'll tell you honestly whether a website, an app or both makes sense — and in which order.
Free quote
