App or website first? How to make the right call

Why the website usually comes first

A website does a few things an app can't:

• Found on Google: people with a problem search Google, not the App Store. A website can show up for those searches.
• No barrier: visitors don't need to install anything. One tap on a link and they see what you offer.
• Trust: new customers check your website, reviews and contact details before they do anything.
• A base for marketing: ads, social media, your Google Business Profile and emails all point to a web page.
• Lower cost: one website works on phone, tablet and laptop.

That's why an app without a website is often hard to find and hard to trust. Even if your app is the main product, you need a page that explains what it does and where people can download it.

When an app can come first

An app takes priority when the core of your service is something users do on their phone, often and repeatedly. For example:

• Your product is an app, such as a training app or a tool people open every day.
• The app needs phone features, such as the camera, background location or working offline.
• You're building an app for your own staff, which doesn't need to be found on Google.
• You already have a loyal group of customers asking for one.

Even then, put at least a simple website or landing page live. It helps people find you, and Apple and Google ask for a privacy policy and contact details on a web page anyway.

App vs website: the difference for your customer

Think like your customer. When do they use your website, and when would they open an app?

• Researching and comparing: website. The customer doesn't know you yet.
• First contact, a quote or an appointment: website, with a clear form or booking button.
• Ordering or booking again and again: app or web app, with saved details.
• Tracking progress, getting messages or viewing documents: app, web app or customer portal.
• Doing something quickly on the go with the camera or location: app.

The website brings in new customers, the app keeps existing ones. They work together. Read more about the difference between regular apps and apps in the browser in native app or web app.

The middle route: a website with a web app or portal

It doesn't have to be all or nothing. Many businesses start with a website and add a web app or customer portal later. Customers log in through the website and can add it to their home screen. It feels like an app, but you don't need the app stores and you pay for one version.

Rijschool Benz in Den Helder is a good example. Its website lets visitors request a trial lesson in 30 seconds, shows lesson packages and is available in Dutch, English and Arabic. There's also a student portal. So one platform serves both new and existing students. See more examples in our work.

If it later turns out customers really want an app from the store, you build it on the same foundation. Also read what a progressive web app can do.

Checklist: app or website first?

Answer these questions with yes or no:

• Do new customers need to find you on Google?
• Do most customers buy or book once or a few times a year?
• Do you not yet have a good, modern website?
• Is your budget limited and do you want to go live quickly?
• Do your customers come back weekly or more often?
• Does your service need the camera, location or offline use?
• Is the app itself your product?

Mostly yes to the first four: start with a website. Mostly yes to the last three: an app or web app can come first, with a simple website alongside it. Mixed answers? Then the middle route with a web app or portal is often the best choice.

Website first, app later: how to plan ahead

Starting with a website but expecting an app later? You can plan for it now without paying for it now. Have your website built so data such as products, services or appointments sits neatly in a database or CMS. A CMS is the system where you edit text and data yourself. A future app can then use the same data through an API.

That way you don't build the app from scratch later, and customers see the same information in the app and on the website. So ask your developer at the start: can an app connect to this website later?

Common mistakes when choosing between app and website

• Building an app because competitors have one, without knowing whether customers will use it.
• Launching an app with no plan to promote it. An app in the store doesn't get found by itself.
• Leaving an outdated website in place while the whole budget goes to the app.
• Building two separate systems that don't share data, so customers see different information on the website and in the app.

Violexa's advice on app or website

At Violexa we build websites as well as apps and web applications. That means we can give you honest advice on what your business needs first, and make sure both connect later. Read more about website and app development. A custom website, app or web application starts from €1,799 excl. VAT (€2,177 incl. VAT) per project. That includes design, build, a design that works on every screen, the SEO basics, Google Analytics, CMS integration and a walkthrough.

Still unsure? Book a free quickscan. In 30 minutes, online or on site, we look at your business and your customers. Afterwards you get short written advice with a price indication, with no obligation.

Frequently asked questions