Web APP or a Developing a mobile APP?

Just landed and starting 2021, a year in which Digitization will undoubtedly be stronger than the previous one. Thanks to the bets and investments in Digitization of Europe and the Governments the expectation of Digitization is very great. That is why you probably want to scale your physical or online services in more orderly and concrete digital processes focused on key functionalities in your business that, thanks to digitization, will allow you to manage, analyze and scale much more effectively.

Developing a mobile APP or a Web APP

Should you develop an APP, Web or Mobile APP Development?

 

To answer this question, we must analyze the key needs for the launch of a digital product , in addition to reviewing these 3 fundamental aspects to understand which development platform is the most appropriate for your new APP.

 

1. Positioning of the APP

 

As we reviewed in the previous article SEO vs ASO , the disciplines of Digital Marketing are many and there are more and more optimizations that you must take into account when positioning your APP so that your users find it.

It is often said that ASO (App Store Optimization) is SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for mobile applications, although it is not 100% true. In fact, they have common characteristics, but although they are somehow connected, they are different optimizations, with different objectives. Both ASO and SEO have their own specifications and it is important that you know how to differentiate them, for this I recommend the following article: SEO vs ASO. What are the differences?

Web APPs are much easier for users to find because web pages can be positioned in search results and keywords for your sector can be worked through SEO, so your users can more easily find your APP through search engines such as Google, Bing, or Yahoo! However, thanks to solutions like Firebase App Indexing you can make your Mobile APP also rank in search results. For this, of course, you must associate the Mobile APP with a Website dedicated to this positioning purpose, with which you can give visibility to your Mobile APP through SEO.

 

2. Frequency of use and availability

 

To analyze the ideal type of development for your APP, you must analyze these two questions that are key to developing a mobile APP or a Web APP:

How often will your users use the APP?

Think about the regularity of use. If a person is going to use your APP regularly (2 or 3 times a day), then it will probably be better to develop a Mobile APP.

Will the APP be used in spaces with little coverage or without an internet connection?

Considering the internet connection is key. Imagine that you are in Moscow, without an internet connection. With a Mobile APP you can develop functionalities that do not require an internet connection in real-time, such as offline access to a map, as a Mobile APP like Google Maps is possible and will help you not get lost even if you do not have an internet connection . Although the application requires the Internet, certain functionalities are available offline. On the other hand, a Web APP works in a completely different way, without an internet connection, it will not work.

3. Mobile device functionalities

 

While a Web APP will have difficulties making use of many of the features of a mobile device such as GPS, Camera, NFC or Bluetooth, a Mobile APP has full access to all these functionalities that the mobile device has available.

Certain functionalities such as push notifications are available both in the Mobile APP and in the Web APP, but if you don't want to have problems connecting with the mobile device's operating system, you should definitely go for a Mobile APP.

 

Web APP vs Mobile APP

 

The development of a Web APP and a Mobile APP differ mainly by design and their functionalities.

Regarding the design of the user interface, a Web APP is a bit more complex, since each and every browser has screen sizes that must be taken into account, since a Web APP will also be available on a computer or On the other hand, a mobile APP will only be available on a mobile phone. The user interface of a Mobile APP, although it is also complex, has defined guidelines, both for the App Store and for Google Play and this will delimit the design of the functionalities, thus facilitating the designer's work.

Instead of thinking about the characteristics or functionalities of your APP, you should analyze the scenarios in which the APP will be used, considering the frequency of use, availability without internet, device characteristics such as GPS or Bluetooth, etc.

Clearly, Mobile APP development seems to have more advantages than a Web APP development, although you must bear in mind that the cost of a Mobile APP development is high since it must be developed for different platforms, such as iOS and Android, although there are developments in multi-platforms that facilitate management. It should also be borne in mind that updates to a Mobile APP are not immediate and will depend on the user updating their device.

 

Conclusion

 

Developing a Mobile APP or a Web APP will depend mainly on functionalities that require connection with the device such as Bluetooth or being able to access the APP without the internet. I share the following table that will help you see the differences between a Web APP or a Mobile APP.

Factors	Web APP	Mobile APP
Positioning	+	+/-
By hand at any time	-	+
Available without internet	-	+
Device connection	+/-	+
Design	+	+
Economic development	+	-
Access from any browser	+	-

In my case, as a developer, a Web APP is always the default option, mainly because it is easier to scale and add new functionalities, especially if it is a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) . But if the APP requires a connection without internet or connection to the device with access to Bluetooth or GPS with maximum precision, among others, a Mobile APP should undoubtedly be developed.