App vs Website: What Should Small Business Owners Build First?

TL;DR — Quick Wins for the Time-Strapped

A website is usually the better first step for most small businesses
Choose an app if your service depends on features like notifications, GPS, or camera use
A web app offers a hybrid experience — good for interactive tools or customer portals
No coding needed: no-code and app builder tools can help you launch quickly
Still unsure? Ask: “Where will my customers engage more — browser or phone?”

What’s the Real Difference Between an App and a Website?

Glad you asked, since this is also important to understand the difference between web design and web development. A website is a collection of interlinked web pages hosted on a web server, accessible through any web browser. It’s your digital storefront. A place where potential customers can learn about you, view your services, and take action.

An app, on the other hand, is a software application often downloaded from an app store, and it usually lives on a mobile device. It’s designed for rich interaction, personalized experiences, and direct engagement.

Then there’s the web app: the sweet spot in the middle. Built with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, it behaves like an app but runs inside a browser. You don’t download it, but it feels just as responsive. It’s one of the smartest ways to create interactive experiences without the overhead of app stores.

Website vs App: Which One Comes First?

Let’s settle the website vs app debate for small business owners.

If you’re just launching, need visibility, or want to attract search traffic, a website is almost always the right starting point. It supports search engines, lets people use your website to contact you, book services, or even purchase products.

Websites are ideal for building credibility and giving customers a low-friction way to engage. Plus, modern platforms make website development more accessible than ever. You don’t even need to be a web developer to develop a website that looks professional.

But what if you’re trying to offer a tool or service that requires interaction beyond browsing? That’s where an app or web app makes more sense.

When Should You Build an App Instead?

Ask yourself this: will your business benefit from real-time alerts, GPS, camera access, or offline mode?

If yes, an app must be part of your strategy. Mobile apps are designed to make use of phone hardware and native features. For example, a delivery service may need geolocation, or a fitness app might require motion sensors. These are apps that require more than what a standard website can do.

This is where choosing between a web application and a native app becomes critical. Each type of app comes with trade-offs. Native apps offer high performance and better UX, but are costlier. Web apps are easier to build and update.

But once you have the great app idea, don’t try and jump to getting an app developer straight away. Since developing a native mobile app, the ones that run on your smartphones is usually more costly. Plus, imagine spending money on the development and then not having users? Ouch.

What Is a Web App, Really?

Think of a web app as an evolved website. It’s dynamic, interactive, and often includes user logins, dashboards, or real-time updates. You can create a web app that allows customers to manage bookings, track orders, or even customize products.

Technically speaking, web apps are built using modern web technologies like HTML, JavaScript frameworks, and sometimes server-side logic for dynamic data.

If your business idea requires user interaction but not deep native phone functionality, it may be smarter to develop a web application first before investing in a full mobile application.

Mobile App vs Mobile Website: Which Performs Better?

Let’s talk about the user side. If most of your customers are using the mobile version of your site, you need to make sure it’s responsive. A mobile website adapts to smaller screens, loads fast, and works across all devices.

But here’s the catch: if you’re offering a service that customers will use repeatedly—and you want to live right there on their home screen—a mobile app can create deeper engagement. That said, during a testing phase to evaluate if there is actually a demand for your idea a progressive web app (basically apps that run in a web browser) might do the job just fine without requiring a download.

Also consider this: people are less likely to open the app if it’s only useful once. In such cases, your website or a web app is the better investment.

Can You Build Without Code? (Hint: Yes, and Fast)

You don’t need to hire a team of app developers or web developers anymore. With the rise of no-code platforms, it’s easier than ever to create a website, build an application, or even launch a sleek interactive web platform.

Platforms like:

Webflow or Wix for websites
Glide or Adalo for apps
Bubble for full stack web application development

They help you develop your app without touching a line of code. These tools are used to build MVPs and internal tools, and they’re getting more powerful by the day.

But let’s be honest: there is quite the learning curve with any of these tools and is quite time consuming. Basically, ideal for those that have the time to learn them and are just starting to launch their business. And this is also when business like Hinterland Web come in handy. So, if you are keen to start a conversation about how we can help you with your app idea just book a call

App Design and UX: What Really Matters?

Whether you choose a website and app, or just one of the two, app design is key. If your layout feels clunky or confusing, users will leave.

The layout of your app should guide users naturally. Whether you’re building for web or mobile, great design means intuitive navigation, accessible features, and snappy performance.

And don’t forget performance isn’t just design—a slow site can kill conversions. Invest in web technologies that ensure fast loading, and use server-side rendering when it helps.

Budget & Build Process: What Can You Afford?

Here’s the truth: building an app is more expensive. Not just up front, but over time. That includes updates, platform compatibility, and marketing.

A website or web app, on the other hand, is more budget-friendly. You can build one quickly, test it with users, and scale. And thanks to no-code tools, you can even build your app yourself.

Thinking about the full build process is essential. From planning to testing, launching to marketing, having an app development partner (even if it’s a tool) helps you avoid costly mistakes.

Getting Found: SEO, Visibility, and Promotion

Search engines love websites and web apps. A regular app? Not so much. Unless people already know your name, they’re unlikely to find your app by accident.

That’s why it still makes sense to start with a website. It helps you promote your app, tell your story, and capture traffic through content and keywords.

Plus, you can also create a landing page to gauge interest, collect emails, or pre-launch your product.

Still Can’t Decide? Use This Simple Checklist

Want visibility and quick wins? Create a website
Need deep interaction and real-time features? Create a web app
Releasing a tool that lives on phones and uses hardware features? Build an app
Tight budget and short timeline? Use no-code or a trusted app builder
Still stuck? Start small. Test. Improve. Iterate. That’s how the smartest businesses roll.

Final Takeaways: What to Remember

Websites are still the backbone of small business online presence
Apps work best when they truly offer more than a site can
Web apps look and feel like apps, but live in the browser
Tools exist that let anyone learn how to create their digital product
Modern web tools allow businesses to build faster than ever before

Now it’s your move. Whether you’re ready to build an application, develop a web product, or simply get online, the tools are in your hands. Make it count. And if you are curious how we can help, just click the button below 👇.