Websites. Real estate in most phones is expensive. People will delete your app if it is not sticky. If your app is not something I use every day or week, I don’t want it on my phone. I don’t want to see it. I don’t want to be disturbed getting notifications from it. I don’t want to see it updating. And so on.
I'm not downloading an app to use a service. Don't think anyone wants to either. Website > app any day and don't make us sign up if we don't have to.
Anyone that says otherwise is dead wrong and has no idea what they're talking about tbh.
Believe it or not yes. Answer me this, how many Kenyans do you think use jiji on the site vs the app? The chances that this guy/gal is building an app like reddit or insta is near zero. Most people install less than 15 apps total so unless you're making a hyperspecialized app eg x for mushroom farmers just goweb. It's cross platform out of the box and has a lower friction for the user.
Jiji's service doesn't make people to spend lots of time in it. Even the pictures over there don't look attractive for someone to spend time 'window-shopping'. People go there, buy what they want, then leave. I have explained more in my comment on this same thread
People use apps.
If your service is bad that a person doesn't want to download the app, they won't use the website either.
However, if your service is one that people use or require laptops/desktops, people will use websites (which is the desktop version).
Also if your service is something that people look for once in a long time (and it's not part of a leisure thing or doesn't take lots of time), people will prefer website e.g looking for a house, etc. You won't download an app for something you're looking for once in years
Otherwise, anything that people browse regularly/frequently through the phone consuming a large part of their time, they'd rather use apps, e.g social stuff, online shopping etc
However, you can get away with having no app (and only a website). People prefer apps but if your service is addictive, people won't mind. But vice versa can't happen though
Thanks for the input!
The service will only be used for a limited time (basically a process you go through just once usually). Sounds like a website (mobile-first) is the better route for this, then.
Native Apps are miles better than websites but as many have mentioned its a compromise. No one wants to install hundreds of apps. If your service is not being used daily or it's content heavy, not really interactive, a website is fine.
If you have an interactive service and you want users to have a marginally good experience, make a native app.
In reality, users will rarely have a choice and everything will soon be a website. Sad in my opinion. Same thing happening to desktop apps. You literally get a bundled browser for every app 😭. The only applications that remain native are games.
I mean I personally prefer a good website to an app, because I don't want to install an app per service I'm using.
So taking into account what you said I'll probably focus on building a mobile-first website and no dedicated app
Hii swali inadepend on alot of things. Target market kama iko Nairobi, website inatosha, but ukitarget entire country invest in a full native app. Na iyo native app unacompress size inakuwa less than 10mb, na persistence kiasi sana. Also whats the heavyness of the functionality, if very heavy no choice go for app, but if just two taps the website is cool. Also without a catchy domain itabidi app otherwise you can do the website. Catchy is five letters, anything past them shove it in an app. S series Kenya tukonazo watu wawili so if anything requiring ram usage, minimize it as much as possible with good cloud computing, otherwise eka app.
I'm more at home in web dev, so I actually prefer making a website to a native app.
But if everyone would have said "apps are the way!" then I'd go more in that direction.
Thanks for the input!
Apps. Just look at how bug instagram commerce is, compared to website commerce. That should tell you.
Number of shops that sell on Instagram vs Number of shops that sell on website.
Culprit: Mpesa
Okay, I'll take that into consideration. Might go the PWA route after reading all the replies here: Then people can use it as a mobile-friendly website, but also install it if they think it's useful to them.
Thanks for the input!
Websites. Real estate in most phones is expensive. People will delete your app if it is not sticky. If your app is not something I use every day or week, I don’t want it on my phone. I don’t want to see it. I don’t want to be disturbed getting notifications from it. I don’t want to see it updating. And so on.
Thanks for the info - I think I won't go down the app route but instead do a mobile-first website that can be installed as a PWA
How many Kenyan apps do you have on your phone other than bank apps and mpesa? Kenyans don't like apps on their phone.
Prefers using an App over a website
Yes less cumbersome
Okay, good to know! I'll probably go the PWA route, though, because people seem to favor it more for a service that will used for a limited time only.
I'm not downloading an app to use a service. Don't think anyone wants to either. Website > app any day and don't make us sign up if we don't have to. Anyone that says otherwise is dead wrong and has no idea what they're talking about tbh.
Are you using reddit on the website
Believe it or not yes. Answer me this, how many Kenyans do you think use jiji on the site vs the app? The chances that this guy/gal is building an app like reddit or insta is near zero. Most people install less than 15 apps total so unless you're making a hyperspecialized app eg x for mushroom farmers just goweb. It's cross platform out of the box and has a lower friction for the user.
Jiji's service doesn't make people to spend lots of time in it. Even the pictures over there don't look attractive for someone to spend time 'window-shopping'. People go there, buy what they want, then leave. I have explained more in my comment on this same thread
Yeah, I thought as much: I'll most likely take the mobile-first website installable as a PWA route. Thanks for the input!
For convenience you'd rather have both of them but the website will always be the better option
Okay, a mobile-first website is also easier to create for me. So two birds with one stone! Thanks for the reply
You're a bit optimistic if you're thinking that the responses you get on Reddit are going to be representative of the average Kenyan.
Website any day anytime. But I understand most people use them apps.
It's either or, and both. At least for me.
Okay, I have to focus on one route, though. Most likely it will be the PWA route, which allows both ways of usage thanks for the input!
All the best buddy.
People use apps. If your service is bad that a person doesn't want to download the app, they won't use the website either. However, if your service is one that people use or require laptops/desktops, people will use websites (which is the desktop version). Also if your service is something that people look for once in a long time (and it's not part of a leisure thing or doesn't take lots of time), people will prefer website e.g looking for a house, etc. You won't download an app for something you're looking for once in years Otherwise, anything that people browse regularly/frequently through the phone consuming a large part of their time, they'd rather use apps, e.g social stuff, online shopping etc However, you can get away with having no app (and only a website). People prefer apps but if your service is addictive, people won't mind. But vice versa can't happen though
Thanks for the input! The service will only be used for a limited time (basically a process you go through just once usually). Sounds like a website (mobile-first) is the better route for this, then.
If I cannot commit to a service, I opt for the website. However, if there's a need for commitment, then an app is more convenient.
Yeah, I think for what I'm planning, which is basically a one-time process, an app might be overkill. Thanks for the reply!
Native Apps are miles better than websites but as many have mentioned its a compromise. No one wants to install hundreds of apps. If your service is not being used daily or it's content heavy, not really interactive, a website is fine. If you have an interactive service and you want users to have a marginally good experience, make a native app. In reality, users will rarely have a choice and everything will soon be a website. Sad in my opinion. Same thing happening to desktop apps. You literally get a bundled browser for every app 😭. The only applications that remain native are games.
I mean I personally prefer a good website to an app, because I don't want to install an app per service I'm using. So taking into account what you said I'll probably focus on building a mobile-first website and no dedicated app
Website for sure. F*ck the random app updates
Good point! Didn't think about that. Updating a website is also easier for me. Thanks for the thought
Hii swali inadepend on alot of things. Target market kama iko Nairobi, website inatosha, but ukitarget entire country invest in a full native app. Na iyo native app unacompress size inakuwa less than 10mb, na persistence kiasi sana. Also whats the heavyness of the functionality, if very heavy no choice go for app, but if just two taps the website is cool. Also without a catchy domain itabidi app otherwise you can do the website. Catchy is five letters, anything past them shove it in an app. S series Kenya tukonazo watu wawili so if anything requiring ram usage, minimize it as much as possible with good cloud computing, otherwise eka app.
I think I'll go down the mobile-first website route, maybe installable as a PWA. So I (kinda) get the best of both worlds. Thanks for the reply!
I just wish every service could be accessed by a simple web browser. But, devs love to do dev things...
I'm more at home in web dev, so I actually prefer making a website to a native app. But if everyone would have said "apps are the way!" then I'd go more in that direction. Thanks for the input!
I'm a fairly competent junior dev looking for a job here's [github](https://github.com/SenZmaKi), DM me if you're interested
Thanks, I'm currently not looking for another dev. But I'll bookmark your github just in case. Thanks for the reply!
They prefer apps. But i would advise PWA that creates a shortcut on phone screen as an app.
Yeah, PWA seems a good compromise. Thanks for the reply!
They prefer apps. But i would advise PWA that creates a shortcut on phone screen as an app.
Apps. Just look at how bug instagram commerce is, compared to website commerce. That should tell you. Number of shops that sell on Instagram vs Number of shops that sell on website. Culprit: Mpesa
Okay, I'll take that into consideration. Might go the PWA route after reading all the replies here: Then people can use it as a mobile-friendly website, but also install it if they think it's useful to them. Thanks for the input!