Mobile Website or Mobile App
Posted By Jyoti Pawar on Friday 30th October 2015
Which is better mobile website or mobile app?
When it comes to deciding whether to build an or a mobile website, The choice will really depends upon
On your end goals. However, which one will better suite an enterprise depends upon target audience, available budget, intended purpose, and expected features.
Mobile site over Mobile app
- If an enterprises’ goal is marketing, generating brand awareness or public communication, then a mobile site makes sense. It has multiple benefits in comparison to a mobile app.
- Mobile sites can be instantly accessed through any device using a simple browser. However, app needs installation prior to use.
- A mobile site can be accessed from multiple operating platforms (iOS, Android, Windows, Black Berry or Symbian). However, native apps need to be specifically downloaded from OS specific app store.
- Mobile sites can be easily shared using the URL. However, apps cannot be shared, even if you wish to share something on app it needs support of other social apps.
- Mobile sites can be updated to reflect new content on any platform (operating system). However, apps need to be updated to each individual OS specific app store.
Mobile app over Mobile site
- Apps can easily access mobile functionalities such as camera, address books, light sensors, gravity sensors. Even though mobile websites have started doing so but security of data is always a concern.
- Think of banking, investment related apps. They may do lot of calculations or require higher processing power. This is easily handled using apps.
- User need not be online in case of most of the apps. Good example is e-book reader apps. User can decide when to go online and buy something. However, this is not the case for websites. Offline availability of sites is also possible however, full functionality cannot be realized.
- Mobile apps are interactive. Think of gaming apps or any e-commerce apps. These allow users to interact with the program and give desired results on a small screen as well. Mobile sites still need to go a long way in making this possible.