Website or mobile app: which should you build first?
· 2 min read · By the SYNTVEX team
It is a common question for new businesses and startups. The short answer is that most should start with a website, and add an app when there is a clear reason.
Why a website usually comes first
- It costs less to build and to maintain
- People can open it from a link, with nothing to download
- Google can find it, so it brings in new customers
- You can change it quickly, without waiting for app store approval
When an app makes sense
- People will use it every day or every week, not once in a while
- You need things a browser does poorly, such as reliable push notifications, offline use or heavy use of the camera and location
- You already have customers who are asking for one
- The product is the app, as with delivery, booking or fitness tracking
The middle option
A responsive web app works on any phone through the browser and can be added to the home screen. For many internal tools and customer portals, this is enough and costs far less than building separate Android and iOS apps.
A practical order to build in
Start with a website that explains what you do and collects enquiries or orders. See how customers actually use it. If they clearly need something an app would do better, build the app with that knowledge. You will spend less and build the right thing.
If you do need an app, we build Android and iOS apps with React Native or Flutter, so one team and one codebase can cover both.