Nowadays most web developers and business company owners get confused whether to showcase their products on a mobile based (responsive) website or a mobile app. It is often confusing to understand which format might fit your business needs – a local mobile app or just a good responsive website which can easily fulfill a business’s need.
It is also to be acknowledged that each format offers its own benefits and if you are well aware of your requirements then you can make huge profits through them.
Let’s dig a little deeper into the details of the above mentioned formats:
Mobile App or (Mobile Based) Responsive Website?
There are few fundamental differences between the layout and design of a website and of a local mobile app. Moreover it is also to be understood that there is a huge difference between the design of a responsive desktop website and a mobile based website.
A mobile website design will show few features or subsets of the desktop website and it will be on a different URL too. For instance if you will visit Facebook.com or Youtube.com on a mobile then its URL will look like (m.youtube.com or m.facebook.com)
On the other side, the mobile apps are the applications based on a specific operating system such as Android or iOS with unique designs and features. The world is moving towards mobile based technologies and local mobile apps are becoming more popular among the people.
Pros of a Responsive Website:
Creating a mobile based website is an older way of showcasing a business profile. It is not considered as fashionable now as it was 5 years ago. The pros of a responsive website comprises of two major points:
Time:
A website can be developed faster than an application and you can launch it in days after planning whereas launching a mobile app takes a lot of time.
Price:
A responsive website costs far lesser than a local mobile app. If you want a website developed for your business requirements and you have low budget then a responsive website might fulfill your needs because it is cheaper than a mobile app.
Cons of a Responsive Website:
Although a website costs a lot lesser than an app but it is slower and it does not offer customized features as compared to a mobile app. When we use a mobile based responsive website then mostly we come to a conclusion that it is more time consuming to navigate through a website as compared to an app.
These days, the world has started to use mobile phones for every day to day work and people prefer precise and rapid solutions as a result mobile websites are not preferred in today’s world.
Pros of a Mobile App:
Mobile app requires more time to get developed and it is a costly solution too. Here are some advantages of a well designed and developed mobile app:
Functionality:
A mobile app is developed according to the requirements of a business model and its features are crafted according to that as well. Thus it offers better solutions and functionality to the end user. Apps can also integrate with other features of the mobile device to offer better services and this is not possible with websites based on HTML.
Speed:
Mobile apps are designed according to the requirements of a business company and by keeping efficiency in mind. Mobile apps load faster than a responsive website with a well optimized user experience.
Business Recognition: Nothing can match the level of an app for business recognition and marketing. It comes with unique desktop layout and functionality. An app can give information about behavior and preferences of the users using the app which in the end helps the developer to make better changes/ improvements in the app.
Cons of Mobile app:
It takes a lot of time and good skill set to develop a mobile app. If a mobile app is designed and developed by someone who is not aware of what solution can be apt for a business company then the end user will start disliking the app and in the end they will consider the business as an amateur. To overcome this issue, most companies spend a lot of money to find and hire best developer for their business app.
Which can be best for your business?
Most companies have their own websites nowadays. If you have a website and it is already well optimized then you should not try to spend more money on development of a mobile app. But it is also to be known that a mobile app offers better user experience, brand awareness and marketing ability so if you have good amount of cash to spend to showcase your business then you should go for a mobile app.
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