I get this question a lot: “Should we build an app?” And honestly, my first response is usually another question: “Why do you think you need one?” Because here’s the thing—apps are everywhere, and it’s easy to assume your business needs one too. But building an app isn’t like creating a business card or setting up social media. It’s a significant investment that requires ongoing attention, and frankly, not every business needs one.
So let’s have an honest conversation about when an app actually makes sense for your business, and when you might be better off focusing your energy elsewhere.
When Your Customers Are Living on Their Phones
Think about your customers for a moment. Are they the type of people who are constantly on their phones, looking for quick solutions to immediate problems? If your service is something they might need while they’re out and about—like ordering lunch, booking a last-minute appointment, or checking their account balance—then an app starts to make a lot of sense.
I worked with a local coffee shop owner who was debating whether to build an app. We looked at his customer patterns and realized that most of his regulars were commuters who wanted to order ahead and skip the line. For them, fumbling with a mobile website while rushing to catch a train was frustrating. An app that remembered their usual order and let them pay with one tap? That was genuinely valuable.
But here’s the flip side: if your customers primarily interact with your business from their desks, or if they only need your service occasionally, an app might just be digital clutter they’ll download once and never open again.
When You Want to Stay Connected (Without Being Annoying)
Apps give you a direct line to your customers through push notifications, but this is a double-edged sword. Used thoughtfully, notifications can be incredibly valuable—reminding customers about appointments, alerting them to flash sales, or sharing useful tips. Used poorly, they’re the fastest way to get your app deleted.
Think about the apps you personally keep on your phone. The ones that survive are probably those that notify you about things you actually care about, when you care about them. Your banking app alerts you about suspicious transactions. Your favorite restaurant app lets you know when they’re offering your go-to dish as a special. These notifications add value to your day.
If you can’t think of genuinely useful reasons to send notifications, or if your communication strategy is mainly about pushing sales messages, you might want to reconsider whether an app is the right channel for you.
When Your Business Needs Phone-Specific Features
This is where apps really shine—when you need to do things that only a phone can do well. If your business involves taking photos, using GPS, scanning codes, or any kind of movement tracking, a mobile website just won’t cut it.
I remember talking to a contractor who was tracking his team’s locations and job progress. He started with a mobile website, but it was clunky and unreliable. Once he moved to an app that could access GPS and camera functions directly, everything became smoother. His team could clock in with location verification, upload photos of completed work, and get real-time updates about their next job.
But if your business doesn’t need these phone-specific features, you’re essentially building an app that does the same thing as your website, just with extra steps for your customers.
When You Want to Be Part of Their Daily Routine
There’s something powerful about having your icon on someone’s home screen. It’s like having a small billboard in their pocket, but one they chose to keep there. Apps that become part of people’s daily routines—their morning coffee order, their workout tracker, their meditation app—can build incredibly strong customer relationships.
But here’s the catch: earning a spot on someone’s home screen is tough. People are selective about their apps, and they’re quick to delete ones that don’t prove their worth quickly. You need to offer something that’s genuinely useful on a regular basis, not just a mobile version of your website.
When Your Competitors Are Actually Ahead (Not Just Present)
Let’s talk about competitive pressure, because this is where a lot of businesses make rushed decisions. Just because your competitor has an app doesn’t mean you need one. The question is: is their app actually giving them an advantage?
I’ve seen businesses panic and rush to build apps just because a competitor launched one, only to discover later that the competitor’s app had three downloads and two one-star reviews. That’s not competitive pressure—that’s just noise.
But if your competitors’ apps are genuinely making their customers’ lives easier, and if you’re losing business because of it, then yes, you need to respond. Just make sure you’re responding strategically, not reactively.
When You Have a Plan to Make Money From It
Apps can open up new revenue streams, but they can also become money pits if you’re not careful. In-app purchases, subscriptions, and enhanced mobile commerce can be incredibly profitable, but only if they align with what your customers actually want.
Before you start dreaming about subscription revenue, ask yourself: would your customers genuinely pay for premium features in your app? Do they value your service enough to subscribe monthly? Are there natural upgrade paths that make sense?
A fitness studio I worked with built an app with premium workout videos and nutrition plans. It worked because their customers were already paying for classes and asking for more content. The app became a natural extension of their existing relationship. But if they’d tried to charge for basic class scheduling? That would have backfired.
When You Probably Don’t Need an App
Let’s be real about when an app might not be worth it. If your customers mainly interact with your business from their computers, if your service is straightforward enough that a good mobile website handles it perfectly, or if you don’t have the budget to not just build but maintain and update an app regularly, then you might want to hold off.
Apps aren’t websites—they need ongoing care, updates, and attention. If you’re not prepared for that commitment, a well-designed mobile website might serve you better.
The Real Question You Should Ask
Instead of “Should we build an app?” try asking “What problem would our app solve that nothing else solves?” If you can’t answer that clearly, you’re probably not ready for an app yet.
The best apps I’ve seen weren’t built because someone thought they needed an app. They were built because someone identified a specific problem their customers faced and realized an app was the best solution. Everything else—the features, the design, the marketing—flowed from that core insight.
Your customers don’t need another app. They need solutions to their problems. Sometimes an app is the right solution. Sometimes it’s not. The businesses that succeed are the ones that can tell the difference.
Making the Decision
If you’re still on the fence, here’s what I’d suggest: spend some time really watching how your customers interact with your business. What frustrates them? What would make their lives easier? What do they do on their phones that relates to your service?
Talk to your best customers. Ask them directly: would an app help you? What would it need to do? How would you use it? Their answers will tell you more than any trend report or competitor analysis.
And remember, you don’t have to decide forever. You can start with a great mobile website and see how people use it. If you notice patterns that suggest an app would be valuable, you can always build one later. But if you build an app first and it doesn’t work, you’ve spent a lot of money learning what you could have discovered with a good mobile website.
The goal isn’t to have an app. The goal is to serve your customers better. Sometimes that means building an app. Sometimes it means improving what you already have. The businesses that thrive are the ones that can tell the difference.
For any inquiries or assistance with Mobile app development, feel free to get in touch with WeCreate Digital Agency. Our team of experienced developers is ready to help you harness the full potential of mobile apps for your app projects. Happy coding!
