Before you can evaluate the benefits of a mobile website vs a native app it’s important to understand the key differences between the two. Both apps and mobile websites are accessed on a handheld devices such as smartphones and tablets. (e.g. iPhone, Android ,etc)

A mobile website is similar to any other website in that it consists of browser-based HTML pages(HTML5,CSS, Javascript) that are linked together and accessed over the Internet (for mobile typically WiFi or 4G /5G networks). Increasingly, responsive web design is becoming the new standard for websites that are not only mobile-friendly, but that can scale to any sized device - from desktop down to tablet and handheld smartphones.

Mobile websites sites can display text content, data, images and video. They can also access mobile-specific features such as SMS, emailing, location mapping, etc..

Native Apps are actual applications that are downloaded and installed on your mobile device, rather than being run within a browser. Users visit device-specific portals such as Apple’s App Store, Android Play Store, etc .. in order to find and download apps for a given operating system. The app may pull content and data from the Internet, in similar fashion to a website, or it may download the content so that it can be accessed without an Internet connection.

• Availability – WebAppsites Are Instantly Available

A website is instantly accessible to users via a browser across a range of devices. Apps on the other hand require the user to first download and install the app from an app marketplace before the content or application can be viewed.This can be a barrier for implementation

• Findability – WebAppsites Can be Found Easily

Websites are much easier for users to find because their pages can be displayed in search results and listed in industry-specific directories, making it easy for qualified visitors to find you. Most importantly, visitors to your regular website can be automatically sent to your mobile site when they are on a handheld (using device-detection). In contrast, the visibility of apps are largely restricted to manufacturer app stores.

• Compatibility – WebAppsites are Compatible Across Devices

A single website (URL) can reach users across many different types of mobile devices, whereas native apps require a separate version to be developed for each type of device. Furthermore, mobile website URLs are easily integrated within other mobile technologies such as SMS, emailing, and near field communication .

• Minimal Storage Space - WebAppsites are less device storage space dependant

Websites will save you huge on device memory as they need not be downloaded. The users can access them whenever they want without compromising storage space.

• Upgradability – WebAppsites Can Be Updated Instantly

A website is much more dynamic than an app in terms of pure flexibility to update content. If you want to change the design or content of a website you simply publish the edit once and the changes are immediately visible; updating an app on the other hand requires the updates to be pushed to users, which then must be downloaded in order to update the app on each type of device.

• Shareability – WebAppsites Can be Shared Easily by Publishers, and Between Users

Website URLs are easily shared between users via a simple link (e.g. within an email or text message, Facebook or Twitter post). Publishers can easily direct users to a mobile website from a blog or website, or even in print. An app simply cannot be shared in this fashion.

• LifeCycle – WebAppsites Can’t be Deleted

The average shelf-life of an app is pretty short,(around 30days) so unless

the is something truly unique and/or useful (ideally, both), it’s doubtful that it is upto date on a user’s device. Mobile websites on the other hand are always available for users to return to them and upto date.

• A WebAppsites Can be an just like an App.

Websites can be developed as database-driven web applications that act very much like native apps. A mobile web application can be a practical alternative to native app.