Most clients who come to us asking for an app do not need an app. They need a good mobile website. The confusion is understandable — apps feel more serious, more permanent, more like a real product. But the distinction between an app and a mobile website is technical, not psychological, and the technical distinction has real cost implications.
What an app actually is, technically
A mobile app is a piece of software installed on a device, distributed through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, that has access to device hardware (camera, GPS, push notifications, biometrics, Bluetooth) and can function offline. A mobile website is a website that works well on a mobile screen — it does not install, it does not have offline capability by default, and it does not have direct access to device hardware through the browser (though modern PWA technology has closed much of this gap).
When you genuinely need an app
- Your product requires offline functionality — data that must be accessible without an internet connection
- Your product requires deep device integration — camera scanning, biometric authentication, Bluetooth connections, background location tracking
- Your product is used repeatedly by the same user, multiple times per day, in a way that benefits from home screen presence and push notifications
- Your product will be distributed and discovered through the App Store or Play Store — you are relying on app store discovery as a distribution channel
When a mobile website is the right answer
- Your product is used occasionally — users find you through search, use the service, and leave
- Your product does not require offline access or deep device hardware integration
- You are pre-revenue and need to validate the product before investing in a native build
- Your budget is under £25,000 — building and maintaining native apps for both iOS and Android typically costs more than this
- Your users are business clients using desktop or laptop computers at least half the time
The React Native middle ground
React Native allows a single codebase to produce apps for both iOS and Android, reducing development cost significantly compared to building two separate native apps. For HBF's mobile app, we are using React Native with Expo — because the app genuinely requires push notifications, biometric authentication, document camera capture, and home screen presence for a recurring-use product.