"We need an app" is one of the first things many clients tell us. Sometimes they're right. Often, a good website would do the same job for less money and reach more people. Here's how we help people decide, in plain words.
Start with what your customers actually do
Forget the technology for a minute. Ask one question: how often will a customer come back?
- If they visit once or twice (to book a service, read about you, buy something now and then), a website is enough.
- If they come back every day or every week (to order, track, chat, check something), an app starts to make sense.
People install very few apps and delete most of them. An app only earns a place on someone's phone if they use it often.
When a website is enough
A website is the right first step when:
- People find you through Google. Apps don't show up in search results, websites do.
- You sell products or services that people buy now and then.
- You need to launch fast and keep the cost low.
- You want one thing to update, not three (a website, an iPhone app and an Android app).
A modern website already works great on phones. It can take payments, bookings and sign-ups, and it's fast when it's built well.
When an app pays off
An app is worth it when:
- Customers use it often. A delivery app, a booking app for regulars, a tool people open every day.
- You need the phone itself. Push notifications, the camera, location, working offline.
- Speed and comfort matter. One tap from the home screen, the user already logged in.
- The app is the product. If your business is the software, it belongs on the phone.
We built our own Android app, GigAlert, for exactly this reason: it has to send alerts the moment something happens. A website can't do that as well.
The smart order: website first, app second
For most businesses, the best plan is:
- Build the website. It brings visitors from Google, takes orders and shows you what customers really want.
- Watch how people use it. Which pages do regulars come back to? What do they ask for?
- Build the app for those regulars. Now you know exactly which features matter, so you don't pay for the ones nobody uses.
If you already have a WordPress or WooCommerce site, an app can use the same products, orders and accounts. You don't start from zero.
One app for iPhone and Android
You don't need two separate apps any more. We build with React Native, so one code base runs on both iPhone and Android. That means one team, one budget and updates that reach both at the same time.
Questions to ask before you build an app
- Will people open it at least once a week?
- Does it need notifications, the camera, location or offline use?
- Who will keep it updated when iOS and Android change?
- Can a website test the idea first?
If most answers point to "no", start with a website. If they point to "yes", an app is likely a good move.
Not sure? Ask us
Tell us what you have in mind and we'll tell you honestly whether you need a website, an app or both. You get a written quote within 48 hours, and we usually reply within 5-10 minutes. Start a project or read more about our app development and web development.