How to Convert Your Website Into an App [+ 5 Brands That Did It]

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When I bought myself an iPad Pro, I started to notice a change in my behavior. Instead of using a web browser to visit websites on my laptop or my iPad, I would almost always try to find an app instead, because an app offered a better experience than a website (in my humble opinion, at least).

It turns out that I'm not alone, and most people nowadays spend more time on apps than web browsers. So, if you only have a website that people can access via their web browsers, you're missing out on a great way to engage your customers and maybe even create a better experience for them.

And, that brings me to the topic of this post - why and how to make a website into an app so that you can go from only offering a website experience to letting people choose their preferred way of engaging with your brand.

Table of Contents

• Why Do You Need a Mobile App?
• Should My Mobile App Be Android or iOS?
• Variables to Consider When Converting Websites to Mobile Apps
• How to Convert a Website Into a Mobile App
• Examples of Apps Converted From Websites

Why Do You Need a Mobile App?

Mobile applications bring many benefits to customers and businesses - it's why nearly half of small businesses already have one.

Based on my personal experience, here are a few reasons why you might want to convert your site into a mobile app.

Ease of Access

Once a user installs an app, it's much easier to open and engage with that application than it is to open a website in a separate browser application. Fewer barriers between the user and your content is always a good thing.

According to recent research in 2022, mobile users spend 90% of their time in apps compared to 10% in web browsers. This is up from 86% in 2018 and will likely continue to increase going forward.

I think a large part of this is due to the convenience of having an application right on the home screen.

Of course, there's the challenge of getting the user to install your app in the first place - see our guide to converting mobile traffic to app downloads to help with that.

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Search Engine Optimization

An app can also help you more effectively reach your customers when they search for keywords based on your business.

This is because of features like Google's app pack, which is shown below.

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Because Google knows that visitors are interested in apps, it cuts out the middlemen and just displays app listings directly.

If your website doesn't have an app, it won't be eligible to appear in these app packs. This means that searchers will only discover your website if they scroll down in the search results pages.

Mobile-Friendly Interface

It's pretty disheartening to see that your favorite brand or product has an awesome website on desktop - but when you load it on your phone or tablet, the mobile version pales in comparison.

As a marketer, website owner, and/or web developer, your job is to create an experience that users will enjoy, but what if your site isn't geared for mobile? Should you tear it down and start from scratch, take on a website redesign, or try to patch the flaws potentially leading to more issues in the future?

One option is to create a mobile app for your website instead. This way, you keep your desktop version the same while offering a mobile variant that's more user-friendly.

Push Notifications

I think that one of the biggest advantages of mobile apps is the ability to send push notifications to users. You can proactively notify customers about sales, personal offers, new posts, and more without them clicking on and opening your app.

When push notifications are enabled, your alerts appear on the user's locked or home screen so they can see your messages as soon as they check their phone.

For example, according to data collected by MobiLoud, push notifications receive an average CTR of around 8%, whereas emails are more in the 1% range.

Basically, if you want to be able to proactively engage with customers, I think that push notifications are one of the best routes, which is why learning how to make a website an app can be so important.

Integrations

Another perk of converting your website into a mobile app is that mobile apps have access to features on your phone that a website does not.

For instance, you can add biometric login, access phone contacts, camera functions, and other mobile device features like GPS to make your user experience even more immersive.

You can also integrate your iOS and Android apps with third-party vendor-provided SDKs to provide advanced functionality, including deferred deep linking, app install ad attribution, in-app video calling, in-app chat, and a lot more.

Later in this post, I'll show you a cool real-world example where H&M enhances customers' shopping experiences with its mobile app.

Multi-Touch Feature

Multi-touch is a feature only available for iOS or Android apps. There are various gestures like swiping, pinching, and more that you can use to interact with an app.

As a result, users get a more personalized, engaging, and habitual experience versus what they would get with a desktop browser.

Offline Mode

During travel, and when in areas with weak or no internet connection, users may not be able to access your website.

Mobile apps provide offline functionality so that your users can still access some aspects of your app regardless of their connectivity.

For example, you may provide functionality to download audio, video, or other content for later offline consumption. Or you may offer functionality so that users can enter data while offline that can be later uploaded when back online - think notes from a meeting or job site visit.

Ready to get started with your mobile app? First, we need to decide if your app will be offered on Android, iOS, or both.

Should My Mobile App Be Android or iOS?

Android and iOS are different platforms requiring different apps. You may have to decide whether to focus on one platform or the other, or to build an app for each platform.

In an ideal world, you'd probably want to offer your app to both types of users. However, you may have to make a tough decision if you don't have the bandwidth or resources to build two unique apps.

Here are some of my thoughts on how to make the right choice:

Global and Geographic Usage

First, I recommend considering usage demographics in the area where your target customers are.

If you look globally, Android does have a larger user base than iOS. In Q1 2024, the overall Android OS market share was 70.8%, whereas the iOS market share was 28.5%.

However, that doesn't necessarily mean that Android will be more popular with your customers. For example, iOS is more popular in countries such as Japan, Canada, Norway, and the U.S.

If you're targeting one of these areas, I think that you might want to put more emphasis on iOS than Android.

Here's a great chart from app development platform Median.co that breaks down usage by region.

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Both operating systems offer comparable functionality, and you can build an app for both platforms if you choose. However, the underlying code for iOS and Android is completely different.

As a result, I generally recommend that you build native apps for each platform, rather than trying to re-purpose one app for the other platform.

App Store Approval Guidelines

Another difference between Android and iOS is the app store approval guidelines.

Apple's guidelines are very strict - it tends to only approve engaging and useful mobile apps that use features, content, and UI that elevate the app beyond a basic website.

While you can indeed convert your website into an app, the end product must look and feel like an app. According to Apple, "If your app is not particularly useful, unique, or 'app-like,' it doesn't belong on the App Store."

Therefore, it's more common for websites that are converted into iOS apps to be rejected by Apple App Store reviewers.

Apple also pays attention to the user interface (inappropriate UI is the most frequent reason for rejection). It offers "Human Interface Guidelines" and "UI Design Dos and Don'ts" for designers and developers to follow.

If your app's user interface is built using your web content, it's critical to ensure it meets Apple's requirements. If Apple feels your app's interface is substandard, it will reject it from the App Store.

Now, I want to run through some important factors to consider before jumping into app development.

Variables to Consider When Converting Websites to Mobile Apps

There are different approaches to converting websites into mobile iOS and Android apps. The approach you take will depend on the requirements and goals you have for your app.

Here are a few variables that I think you should consider before making the leap from website to app:

Development Cost

Apps are different from websites in the sense that you can't use a low-cost builder tool like a content management system to make them.

Instead, you'll likely need a developer or development team in your ring.

Native app development can cost a lot. However, I generally think that it's better to invest some money at the start of the process and get a good result right away, rather than paying a service over and over again to create the interface you're looking for.

I'll talk more about pricing in the next section, but when you're paying thousands of dollars to build an app, you'll want to get an idea of the total cost of the project before committing to app development.

Screen Size

The mobile market is full of unique devices, including multiple types of smartphones and tablets.

So, when creating a UI/UX design, you should consider different screen sizes and ensure that all images, charts, and buttons look great on various devices.

Pro tip: To avoid problems, you should cooperate with an experienced and skilled UI/UX designer.

Search Presence

Typically, people will search for your website more than they'll search for your mobile app.

While Google will help by adding "app packs" to search results, you can also add a popup on your website to tell users about your mobile app.

This will encourage people to download your app, especially if your site isn't responsive on mobile.

With all of our bases covered, let's put our plan into action and discuss how you can convert your website into a mobile app.

How to Convert a Website Into a Mobile App

1. Determine if you need a mobile app.

If you've got this far, chances are you're moving towards app development. However, I should note that not every website requires a mobile app.

If your website is already mobile-friendly, you may not need an app to improve your customer experience. In that case, a mobile app would just be extra work that won't pay off if more users simply prefer your website.

Here are some questions you can ask yourself to see if a mobile app makes sense for your business.

• Is my website responsive and mobile-friendly?
• Is my website only for marketing purposes, or do users visit it to get something done?
• Are there app-specific features that would elevate the experience of an app versus my website?
• How important is an app to the future success of my business?
• Do my competitors offer a mobile app?
• Are my customers asking for an app?

Duong Nguyen, a product manager at WebMD Health Services, also recommends thinking about your goals for the app. She says there are two very high-level purposes for making a website into an app:

1. To reach new customers who you might not have been able to reach with just a website.
2. To act as a utility for your existing website users.

Many apps are a combination of the two. But if you look at the apps that are out there, you'll often see that they emphasize one priority over the other.

If you don't think your app will help you reach new customers, and you don't think it adds any utility for existing customers, that might be another sign that your business won't get a lot of value from turning your website into an app.

2. Create a list of required features for your app.

Before you dive headfirst into app development, it's important to consider what features you'll include on your mobile app.

Not only does this give you an idea of what you'll need to build, but it will help you calculate costs and stay within budget.

After all, it's easy to get carried away thinking about all the possible functions your app can perform.

However, by coming up with a vetted list of features, you'll create an attainable vision for your app and ensure every one of its features is useful to your target audience - rather than just being a flashy extra.

3. Select a development approach.

In general, there are three routes that you can take when you develop a mobile app:

1. Hire an in-house team.
2. Outsource app development.
3. Choose an app development platform.

In my experience, all three approaches have pros and cons.

In-House Team

An in-house team tends to be more expensive. You'll need to pay for things like rent, hardware, software, taxes, vacations, and more.

However, in-house development allows you to control the development process completely and create an app that's tailored to your exact specifications.

Outsourced App Development

Outsourcing tends to be a cheaper option since you can hire developers internationally at lower rates.

The downside of this is that you can't oversee every aspect of development, and you have to trust that you've hired the right people to do the job.

You'll want to regularly check in to ensure you aren't delivered an app that looks nothing like your original blueprint after waiting for weeks or even months for your developers to build it.

App Development Platform

A third option is to leverage an app development platform like Median.co to deliver iOS and Android apps powered by your website content. This approach is often favored by SMBs and larger enterprises that have web development expertise but lack iOS and Android talent.

Opting to use a platform to develop your app can result in cost and time savings versus developing an app from scratch but you may be limited if you want to offer functionality not supported by the platform.

4. Estimate app development costs.

Once you have your feature list ready to go and have considered the different development approaches, it's time to start crunching numbers.

A good rule of thumb is that the more complex your app is, the more expensive it's going to be to develop. In fact, one analysis found that an app can cost anywhere from ~$13,000 for a simple app to ~$82,000 for a complex app.

Luckily, if you go the app development platform route, you'll see costs drop by an order of magnitude as you'll benefit from the scale of a solution that's built hundreds of thousands or millions of apps.

While a complex app might still cost $10,000 to develop with an app development platform, you may be able to launch a simple app for less than $1,000.

5. Create a user-friendly UX design.

Aside from the basic functionality of your app, your UX design is the most important factor to prioritize when building your interface.

After all, what's the point of developing a mobile app if it's not as responsive as your website?

If you can't make your mobile app more mobile-friendly than your website, then you may want to consider investing more in your website's design than building a brand-new app.

Duong Nguyen also highlights the importance of prioritizing features when converting a website into a mobile app. With a website, you can afford to be a little "greedy" because there's so much space. But with a mobile app, you're much more limited with what you can do and how you can present data.

She recommends analyzing user behavior (and speaking with users if possible) so that you can make sure you're prioritizing the right functionality in your mobile app.

Pro tip: If you're looking for tips to improve user experience, check out this complete guide to UX design.

6. Test your app.

Like with any landing page, social media post, or email campaign, you should test your app before submitting it to the app store. This will allow you to fine-tune your app's features and fix any glitches or flaws before your users discover them.

Not only will this help you retain users who might have deleted your app after experiencing these issues, but it will also save your support team time from having to respond to customers who are having problems with your mobile app.

Even if you can't fix all of the flaws before pushing it live, at least you'll be aware of potential issues and can prepare your service team before they're exposed to these types of inquiries.

7. Submit your app to app stores.

Once your app is ready to launch, the final step is to submit it to the app stores for review and, hopefully, approval.

Both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store have a review process wherein a reviewer will test your app to verify functionality and compliance with their respective policies.

While you need to be diligent to ensure a successful approval, it's possible your initial submission may be rejected.

If so, don't be discouraged. The rejection reason will hopefully be addressable and you can resubmit with success.

However, the app store reviewer will only call out the reason for rejection, and they will not provide guidance on a solution. Similar to getting any other type of professional advice, you'll want to ensure you're working with an expert who can help guide you to a solution.

8. Perform ongoing updates as needed.

Investing in your app doesn't stop once you've launched and started onboarding users. You'll want to continue to update your app with new features and functionality, and keep your app relevant for users in the ever-changing and innovating mobile market.

You'll also be forced to keep your app updated to support the latest iOS and Android devices and software updates, as well as changing app store policies.

To ensure no surprises - such as your app suddenly being removed from an app store - make sure to update your app at least every 6-12 months.

You can keep your app updated through an ongoing contract with your app developer (a contract will help make sure they're there for you when you need them), or by way of updates provided by your chosen app development platform.

Examples of Apps Converted From Websites

To give you an idea of what it's like to turn a website into an app in the real world, I want to share five examples from well-known companies.

The New Yorker

Since its inception, The New Yorker has adapted from print to website to mobile application. The desktop version of the website serves news stories, opinion pieces, cartoons, a shop, and more.

Looking at the mobile app version of The New Yorker's website, I can see how it adopts the visuals of the website while providing all the same features - even down to the crossword puzzles.

That last point is one of the things I like the most about The New Yorker's app - it really feels like it's giving you the full New Yorker experience. Beyond the inclusion of important elements like cartoons and crossword puzzles, I also like how all of the styling retains the classic "New Yorker" look.

While it works great on smartphones, I thought the app was especially enjoyable when I was browsing on my iPad because the extra space really gave the New Yorker's visuals the space to shine.

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H&M

Many online stores adapt their desktop websites to the mobile realm with apps. Take H&M, for instance: Its mobile app provides a shopping experience comparable to that of the website and allows you to tailor your experience to your preferences.

One thing that I really like is how the app builds in new features to enhance the shopping experience that customers couldn't get from the website. For example, the app lets shoppers scan an item's price tag to see more information, such as how many additional items the store has in stock.

In addition to scanning barcodes, there's also a really cool visual search feature. I can upload a picture from my smartphone photo library, and H&M's app will try to locate the actual product in the picture (or something similar to what H&M offers). That's super cool and a really smart way to engage customers.

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Blue Apron

Blue Apron provides meal kits to give home cooks a helping hand with their ingredients. On the website, members can order their meals and manage their subscriptions. By converting its service into a mobile app, Blue Apron has made it even easier for customers to explore new recipes, save their favorite recipes, and manage their accounts.

I like this app because it does a great job of onboarding new or prospective customers. That is, it's not just a tool for existing customers - I can really tell that Blue Apron put effort into designing its app to help them get new customers, as well.

For example, when I first opened the app, I was greeted with a short-but-sweet slideshow that highlights some of the unique value propositions that Blue Apron offers.

Blue Apron's app also lets me browse the menus without needing to create an account, which I think is a really smart way to get people interested in the Blue Apron service.

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Calendly

Calendly is a scheduling application for professionals. To accommodate on-the-go users, the company created a mobile application for iOS and Android to provide access to its essential features. Users can schedule meetings, review and modify appointments, and book meetings on the clean mobile interface.

I like this example because it kind of highlights the opposite of Blue Apron's approach. Whereas Blue Apron's app was trying to help them reach new customers, Calendly's app seems more like a utility for people who have already signed up to the Calendly website.

When I opened the app, I was greeted immediately with options to sign in to my existing Calendly account or create a new one. There's no explanation about what Calendly does because Calendy assumes I've already visited the website.

As Duong covered earlier, you'll want to think about whether your app is for new or existing customers and then design it with that in mind.

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Canva

Like Calendly, design company Canva took the strengths of its web application and condensed them into a mobile app version to reach a wider customer base. It allows you to make customized graphics, edit photos, and even edit short videos on your phone.

When I opened Canva's app, it immediately greeted me with options to continue signing in via various services such as Apple, Google, and Facebook. I think this mimics Calendly's approach above, where Canva seems to have created its app as more of a utility for existing Canva users, rather than something to help them reach new customers.

One thing I really like about Canva's app is how smart they are about promoting upgrades to Canva Pro. I saw a few different notices trying to convince me to upgrade my free Canva plan to a 14-day free trial for Canva Pro. This is a great way to use the Canva app to convince free website users to turn into paid customers.

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Consider an App for Your Website

Because of how much time people are spending on mobile devices these days, I think it's a must for any business to at least consider whether they could benefit from making the decision to turn a website into an app.

The answer might be "no," but you won't know that until you at least put in the work to consider if a mobile app could help you create a better experience for your existing customers and/or reach new customers.

While there are a lot of benefits to making an app, it is undoubtedly a bigger investment than just building a responsive website. But if you think that investment is worth the cost, I think you should look into building your own in-house team, locating a trustworthy outsourcing partner, or using an app development platform.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in April 2021 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Topics: Website Development

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