Website vs Web App: What Does Your Business Actually Need?

A website primarily publishes information and supports discovery or conversion. A web application adds workflows, user accounts, data interaction or business logic.

Choose a website when the goal is communication and conversion

Service pages, content, lead generation, e-commerce and company information can usually be handled by a website or commerce platform.

Choose a web app when users need to do ongoing work

Portals, dashboards, booking systems, internal tools and custom account experiences usually require application logic.

Do not overbuild

Custom software creates more development and maintenance responsibility. If a CMS or existing platform solves the requirement well, a custom app may not be necessary.

Start with workflows

Define what users need to complete, what data is required and which integrations are necessary before choosing the technology.