When you’re planning to build something on the web, one of the first decisions you’ll make is choosing between a website vs web app.
This can be a tough decision because there is sometimes confusion between these terms. A website is a collection of digital pages that are accessed through a web browser. A web app is an application that performs specific tasks and is accessed through a web browser.
So, why is there sometimes confusion between these terms? It’s probably because the line between websites and web apps has become blurred in recent years. In the early days of the web, most sites were simply collections of text and images. But as the web has evolved, more and more sites have begun to offer interactive features and functionality that were once only found in traditional desktop applications.
To make matters even more confusing, some companies use the term “website” to refer to their entire online presence, including both their website and their web app. So when you’re trying to decide if you need a website vs web app, it’s important to take into account the specific goals and features you want your site or app to have. Wesrom is highly experienced with creating both websites and web applications and can help you with custom web solutions, guide you through the process with all the information you need, help you save time and achieve a remarkable online presence.
What is a Website?
A website is a group of webpages that are all related to each other and are usually connected in some way. They’re typically accessed by a URL, or Uniform Resource Locator. Technically, a website can be just a single page, but most websites are much larger than that. A website is usually made up of many individual files that all work together to display the content on the screen.
A website is typically divided into several sections or pages. The main page of a website is called the home page, and it’s what most people think of when they think of a website. The home page is typically where you’ll find an overview of the entire website and links to all of the other pages on the site.
Many websites also have a section called an About page, which tells you more about the organization or person who created the site. Other common sections on websites include Contact pages, FAQs (frequently asked questions), and Blog pages.
The most common situations when you need to build a website:
- When you want to offer clear and attractive information about your products, services and business vision.
- When you want to create social proof and showcase testimonials and case studies
- When you want to communicate your brand vision and create brand awareness
- When you want to increase the number of leads
- When you want to offer automated and fast customer support
What is a Web App?
A web app is a software application that is hosted on a web server and accessed via a web browser. Web apps are usually written in a scripting language such as PHP, Perl or Java and use a database such as MySQL or PostgreSQL to store data.
Web apps are becoming increasingly popular due to the fact that they can be accessed from anywhere in the world with an Internet connection. They also allow users to access their data from any device with a web browser, including smartphones and tablets.
Additionally, web apps can be updated and changed without having to redeploy the entire application. This makes them much more agile than traditional desktop applications.
The most common situations when you need to build a web app are:
- When you want your brand to stand out of the box in the market
- When you want to connect with your consumers personally, making engagement easy and smooth.
- When you want to generate leads and attract prospects, but also trim down the efforts of data organization.
- When you want a cost-effective option to interact with your customers: SaaS have “pay as you go” memberships.
What is the difference between a website and a web application?
A website is a series of webpages that are typically accessed through a web browser and are hosted on a web server. A web application is a software program that is accessed through a web browser and runs on a web server. The main difference is that a website is static and a web application is dynamic.
A website usually consists of information about a company or individual, such as contact information, products or services offered, and general information. A web application, on the other hand, is interactive and allows users to perform tasks such as making purchases, viewing account balances, or playing games. Web applications are also often more complex than websites and require more server resources.
To better understand the difference between a website and a web application, we compiled the below table:
What should I choose for my business?
There are a few key differences between websites and web applications that can help you make a decision about which is right for your needs.
Here are five reasons to choose a website:
- Cost-Effective: Websites are typically less expensive to develop and maintain than web applications. This is because they don’t require as much complex functionality or back-end infrastructure.
- Easy to Use: Websites are easy for users to navigate and use. This is because they follow familiar patterns that users are accustomed to, such as menus and links.
- Accessible: Websites can be accessed by anyone with an Internet connection. This makes them a good choice for businesses that want to reach a wide audience.
- Fast to Develop: Websites can be developed quickly, often in just a few weeks. This is due to their simpler design and functionality.
- Flexible: Websites can be easily updated and changed without having to redeploy the entire application. This makes them more adaptable to changing needs and requirements.
There are a few key reasons to choose a web application over a website.
- User control and ownership: With a web application, users have more control over their data and how it is used. They can also easily access their data from any device or location.
- Scalability: Web applications can be scaled more easily than websites. This is due to the fact that they are designed to be maintained by a team of developers and can be updated with new features and functionality as needed.
- Security: Web applications tend to be more secure than websites since they are built with security in mind from the start. In addition, web applications usually have better access controls, which can help prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data.
- Performance: Web applications are designed to be fast and efficient, which can save time and resources for both users and businesses.
- Functionality: Web applications often offer more functionality than websites, such as the ability to create, edit, and store data. This can make them more useful for businesses and organizations that need to track and manage large amounts of data.
As consumers become more tech-savvy, digital businesses are taking the place of traditional bricks and mortar. E-commerce has allowed the internet to penetrate almost every industry vertical. To compete in this difficult environment, you need a strong online presence. Depending on your business model and budget, you can choose between a website vs a web app, but no matter what you choose, we highly recommend making it custom, in accordance with your brand. Custom website and web application development are one of the best ways for your business to achieve an outstanding online presence and come out on top.
Wesrom can help you achieve just that!
We improve current systems or build fully bespoke projects. We’ve built everything
from Web Apps, IoT Solutions, Websites, eCommerce Stores, and Mobile Apps. Our engineers can work alongside your team and add value to projects in PHP (Laravel, Symfony, WordPress), SQL, Javascript, React, Angular, C, Java, Rails, Python, and 50 other tech stacks. We can also provide Support and Quality Assurance on your internal projects.
Need to enhance your website with a custom web application?
Full-cycle app design and development is what we do best. Right from ideation, and prototyping, to rapidly launch an MVP in the market, we not only streamline the entire process but stick with you till the very end. If you’re looking for a web application to help your business, one that is easy to use, scalable, and custom-made for your company, we can build a user-friendly CMS that allows for hassle-free editing of every aspect of your value-added application. Contact us for a personalized quote and let us help you convert leads into customers using websites and web applications.
