Mobile app vs. mobile website: a UX comparison – which is the better option?

Day by day, the numbers of mobile users are increasing. According to statistics, 48% of websites have been visited by users using their smartphones last year. With each passing year, the count is rising rapidly.

Mobile users are spending 42% of the total time spending online globally and 90% of the total time spent on phone is in applications. This has made to bring a good debate all around for companies that whether a mobile app is a good option or a mobile website for their business.

One more popular question: why do you need that responsive website at all? Well, did you know that quantity of mobile phone users is going to increase worldwide from 4.01 in 2013 to 5.07 billion in 2019? (see picture below). In 2016 almost 63% of the Earth’ population already owned a mobile phone. During next years this amount will grow in particular thanks to China and India.

To come up with the decision, the businesses have to consider their budget, their target audience as well as their intent.

Let us first discuss mobile apps!!!

Mobile application development

The native mobile app company Atlanta designs mobile applications to work on a platform either on Android or IOS. To use these native applications, a user has to download these on their mobile phone. Usually, mobile applications are more responsive a user-friendly as compare to the websites.

Affect on user’s experience

Customization of web development

You can customize an application as per your preference as users get an option to customize the application based on own choice once they download a mobile application. Mobile applications also include a feature that enables it to track the activity of the user, therefore, offers some recommendations.

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You might have noticed that you always get pop up ads on your phone basis on the content that you have seen on a specific application. It is because apps track the user’s activities on their application to recommended goods and services in which the user is interested.

It does not only helpful for businesses to sell their products and services but as well as for customer with enhanced user experience.

Applications allow users to interact with some specific portions of it. It keeps the users engaged with engaging contents and components. You don’t have to see the same content and images over and over again.

There are some features in mobile applications that can be run without any Internet connection. User can access the saved information anytime even without an Internet connection.

These are nothing but the responsive websites that are enabled to access at all screen sizes. You can access these websites to your smartphone, tablet as well as on your desktop. These are the same as of progressive web apps differs in user’s experience.

No updates

Like in native applications, users need to update their application to use updated features of the application. There is no update available on mobile websites that you have to download to surf the new features of the web application. Users would not even notice the update process of mobile websites and still, they can use the enhanced features of the mobile applications.

Available for all platform users

Unlike mobile apps that are designed either for Android and iOS, these mobile applications can be used by all the users. The user experience depends upon the speed of the network so keep it in mind that you have good network access.

Maintenance services

The maintenance cost of upgrading the mobile website is cheaper as compared to iOS and Android application development and maintenance cost. Apart from this, it is easier to keep maintained a website. You just have to update a single version of the mobile website but in case of mobile applications, to reach out to the maximum numbers of the people, it is necessary to reach out maximum numbers of potential customers.

Mobile website development is a cost-efficient way

For all businesses with lower investment, a mobile website is an ideal option. However the cost of the mobile website depends upon the complexity of the website but on average, these websites are cost-effective. In case if you wish to have your application at all platforms then considering its cost is important.

Remember that mobile application is not just a one-time cost, even you need to pay regularly for maintenance of the application. While on the other hand, a responsive website can be run on every device.

Compatibility

As a mobile website is compatible to all the devices whether it is an Android or iOS, whether it is a phone or a desktop, users can access the mobile website on their device at any time and anywhere enhancing their user’s experience. Users who are using multiple devices get the benefit of mobile websites to access the information on the type of device he/she is using at that time.

So, at last, which one is a better option?

When we consider statistics, people are favoring mobile application as compared to mobile websites. This data might surprise you but if you check out the statistics, you will know that the mobile app industry is generating more revenue as compared to the mobile website owners.

A Newzoo report says that 92.1 billion of revenue has been produced by the mobile app industry only. But it does not say that a mobile app is a better option for your business.

Though nothing can be said that whether mobile app development is the right option or mobile website development is the right option. It depends upon the type of business you have.

If you wish to keep your customers engaged, it is an ideal option to choose mobile app development while in case if you wish to offer mobile-friendly content to your visitors then having a mobile website is an ideal option.

Your target audience and the type of your business will help decide which one is a better option.