Native App and Also Mobile web App vs Responsive Website: How they matter?

In the age where mobile application development is nonstop and continues to grow exponentially across borders, demographics and industries, entrepreneurs are fighting to reach the stakeholders on devices of all sizes with varying levels of computing power. You may wonder if a responsive mobile site should be built that work across various devices or a native mobile app instead. Each option has its own pros and cons. Let have a look at the following comparison for your decision.

From now on, mobile marketing becomes more and more dominant and more outstanding comparing to the traditional one. It’s hard to find a teenager not using his or her cell phone to get online. Let’s go through some pros and cons of each mobile optimization method: Responsive Web, Mobile Web and Native App.

Responsive Web


Responsive web design allows you to manage a website that fits the screen size of the devices on which it is being viewed. Responsive Web is developed to adapt the content, design, navigation and interact to deliver the same comfort and usability to mobile users as to desktop users. It can work on any platform as it is a custom CSS stylesheet that makes the website look great on any device, whether it is PC, iPhone, Android or any tablet.

The pros: You need just one website for all devices with one URL which ensures your website can be found by users on all mobile devices without having to redirect. No one wants to wait for the redirects especially when internet connection is weak. About SEO tactics, content on desktop website will be used for responsive ones without having to re-create particularly for mobile devices, which is a plus to save cost and enjoy more benefits. Comparing to mobile app, a responsive website will be much less expensive. A responsive website usually eliminates the need for a web app (or vice versa). Unless you are building the web app to complement your company’s website and brand, there really isn’t a need for both.

The cons: Single website on all devices may not be easy for users, which accordingly forces you to put different emphasis on the same page to maximize conversions using the advantage of the platform. in addition, responsive web on mobile devices may harm your overall UX on both platforms because it is different from desktop one. You may end up failing to satisfy both mobile and desktop users with the same user interface.

Mobile Website


Mobile site is a copy of your site where server does the work to deliver an optimized page that’s smaller and easier to navigate. This design for mobile devices is limited to be appropriate to many platforms. With mobile site, you have to create a different domain. However, this option can dilute domain and hurt organic search traffic. Because a mobile site uses a separate domain, links shared from mobile browsers won’t count as search link equity toward your primary site. In addition, re-working of a mobile site might be needed in order to stay current with next-generation phones ans mobile browsers.

The Pros: Your website will load faster and more easily on mobile platforms. Though cost of building Mobile web is not as affordable as responsive web design, you still can manage it with reasonable price. The other benefits are better chances to rank your website in local search results and users can pass through download and installation process immediately.

The Cons: Since mobile web has a different URL, your customers may find it inconvenient to remember at least two URLs. Also, you have to consider that there are two different types of mobile devices: touchscreen and keyboard navigation. A single mobile website won’t look and work the same way across all device types.

Native app


A Native App is an app developed essentially for one particular mobile device and is installed directly onto the device itself. Users of native apps usually download them via app stores online or the app marketplace, such as the Apple App Store, the Google Play store and so on. An example of a native app is the Camera+ app for Apple’s iOS devices.

Each mobile platform that the native app is developed for, stipulates its own unique development process. Every mobile platform uses a different native programming language. While iOS uses Objective-C, Android uses Java, Windows Mobile uses C++ and so on. A native app is totally compatible with the device’s hardware and native features, such as accelerometer, camera, etc.

Which one is the best for your business?

Determine your business goal before jumping to the conclusion. If you are not able to afford to pay for various options, choose the most appropriate for your need such as responsive web for desktop and tablets or a mobile web for mobile phone, etc. your budget is the first element to consider and the next is the scale of your business. Keep in mind those factors and make a decision of which methods is the best for your business.

-Source: Native App and Mobile Web App vs Responsive Website: How they matter?

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