Mobile apps vs responsive web – the case for better UX

The moment when Steve Jobs presented the original iPhone in January 2007 was the exact time when webpage creators really needed to start thinking about how to adapt the webpages to fit a 3.5-inch touch screen with 480x320 pixel resolution. That was a challenge because such a small screen was far away from 720p or Full HD 1080p desktop monitor screens. In the first reaction to the new trend, webpages had two distinct versions visitors needed to switch between manually. That was not a perfect user experience, but it did not stop the rapid growth of the mobile device market.

Mobile market growth pulls new HTML and CSS standards presented by W3C, which introduced the age of WEB 2.0. Then we got a Responsive Web Desing (RWD) to enable the web to recognize whether it is displayed on a computer or mobile screen, then adjust the design without switching (in other words, got to a different subpage). To strengthen WEB 2.0 adoption since 2015, Google has promoted responsive web in search results. As a result, in 2024, a website or app is (or should be) mobile by default because, according to the Digital 2024 report, 57.94% of the internet traffic is generated by mobile devices vs 40.06% from desktop computers. The world is now mobile.

In 2008, Apple announced the App Store and enabled a community of software developers to create and publish their own native applications for iPhones (iOS). In a similar move, Google launched the Google Play Store (then known as Android Market) for Android devices. In 2010, Apple started a TV ads campaign, “There’s an app for that,” to show off the multitude of apps available, but it does not mean every business has an application for their customers. Many business owners and directors assume that having a responsive website and app is enough, so why should they invest and provide mobile applications? At first glance, both solutions look very similar; let’s disassemble the advantages of the mobile applications available in-store over the mobile web.

Firstly, eMarketer research shows that smartphone users spend over 4 hours daily on the web, 88% of that time utilizing applications. The mobile app is more engaging for the users. Globally, individuals use daily mobile apps for three to five hours, based on research by data.ai.

Secondly, mobile applications outperform mobile web apps and webpages in user engagement and conversion. Metrics exploration of conversion rates and engagement shows that:

• Users explore 4 times more products during one session on mobile apps than on mobile websites
• Mobile apps have three times higher conversion rate than websites, according to liini.agency for on-demand app experience
• Apps, in general, boost on average conversion rate 1.5 times that of mobile

Why do people prefer mobile apps? They offer a mix of advanced features, speed, improved experience, and UX adjusted to touch screens, which leads to enhanced convenience.

The mobile device is not only a telephone with a big touchscreen and internet access but a “Swiss army knife” of the digital era, a Mr. Spock’s tricorder. The mobile device allows the applications to utilize a wide spectrum of its sensors, GPS, and cameras. Thanks to that, mobile apps can use that technology advances and provide a higher degree of interaction.

Push notifications accelerate access to information through the app. As soon as you press publish, you can send notifications to every mobile app user, selected group, or even a particular very important one. This is a far better experience than one another email or message in the web app inbox.

An application is downloaded and then installed on your device, so it is significantly quicker to run than a mobile website. A website is not available when you are offline, while an application installed can have all the needed resources downloaded and ready to use, so it is also independent of cellular or Wi-Fi connection quality.

Mobile responsive websites have to adjust to every smartphone and tablet; that’s not easy, so some mobile websites have a perplexing layout. Navigating a minefield that is a website not designed for your device might be a rough experience. Mobile apps have easy-to-use navigation, unambiguous graphics, and even training for novice users to make their experience even more convenient. If users have fun when they use your app, that will encourage them to stay on it longer and promote your company.

At the beginning of the smartphone market, some devices had physical keys or even a whole Qwerty keyboard, but now touchscreens are the only interface. RWD has come a long way and is not always optimized for touchscreens. Many times, users attempt to tap one element, but the browser chooses another. Dropdowns and text input boxes can also be challenging to operate, especially when they’ve been built primarily for desktop usage.

The browser is not the perfect environment for running a web application. There are plenty of web engines, browser plugins, and vendor modifications, which make it difficult to ensure a good experience and performance.

Last but not least, sandboxed mobile applications have much better security than web applications accessed via mobile web browsers. Solutions for Mobile Device Management can, for example, not allow users to use the app if their device is cracked (jailbroken, rooted) or some malicious apps are installed.

Finally, the mobile applications are distributed over stores like Google Play, App Store, or Gallery App. This fact enables your business to use their powers such as:

• Extended analytics for data-driven decision making
• Improved SEO over mobile ads
• Easy way to handle subscriptions or payments for your application usage

How do you get into the mobile world? Check our article about Exploring Mobile App Development Frameworks, which explains which approach to take.

Piotr Pacewicz

Product Manager at Comarch