Someone just told you that your business needs a mobile app. Maybe it was at a networking event, or your competitor just launched one, or you saw an ad from an app development company.

Now you're wondering: do I actually need this?

Let me save you some money. The answer is probably no.

Mobile apps are expensive

A decent mobile app costs $80,000 to $150,000 to build. That's not a typo.

Why so much? Because you're not building one app. You're building THREE:

iPhone version (iOS)
Android version (different code, different everything)
Backend server (where your data lives)

Each one needs to be built, tested, maintained, and updated. It's like buying three cars instead of one.

Oh, and you'll spend another $15,000 to $30,000 per year keeping them updated and fixing bugs.

What most businesses actually need

Here's the secret: your customers are already using their phones to access your business. They just don't need an app to do it.

They're using your website on their phone's browser. And if your website works well on mobile, that's usually enough.

We call this a "mobile-responsive website" or a "progressive web app" and it costs about 10% of what a real mobile app costs.

When a website on mobile is better than an app

You want people to find you

When someone searches Google for "plumber near me" or "best chicken rice Singapore," they see websites. Not apps.

Your website shows up in search results. Your app doesn't. That's a huge deal for getting new customers.

You don't want people to download anything

Think about your own phone. When was the last time you downloaded a new app? Probably weeks ago, right?

Now think about the last time you visited a website on your phone. Probably today.

People are lazy (we all are). Making them download an app is a barrier. Most won't bother.

Your content changes often

If you're updating prices, posting news, or changing information weekly, managing it on a website is way easier than updating an app.

With an app, you have to:

Update the code
Submit to Apple for review (takes 1-3 days)
Submit to Google Play (takes a few hours)
Wait for users to download the update
Deal with old versions that people haven't updated yet

With a website, you just change the content. Done. Everyone sees it immediately.

When you ACTUALLY need a mobile app

Okay, apps aren't always a waste of money. Here's when you legitimately need one:

You need hardware features constantly

If your app needs to use the camera, GPS, or sensors all the time, a real app works better.

Example: A fitness tracker that monitors your steps all day, or a navigation app that gives turn-by-turn directions.

But if you just need the camera once to let someone upload a photo? Your website can do that now. Same with location for finding nearby stores.

You're building a platform people use daily

Think Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp. People open these apps dozens of times per day. The app lives on their home screen.

If your business is something people use that frequently, an app makes sense. But be honest. Is your customer portal really something people open 10 times a day? Probably not.

You need to work offline

An app can store data locally and work without internet. Important if your users are in places with bad connectivity.

Example: A field service app for technicians who go to basements or remote areas. They need to see job details even without signal.

But most businesses? Your customers have internet. This isn't actually a requirement.

Your competitors have apps and it's hurting you

If everyone in your industry has an app and customers expect it, you might need one too.

But don't assume this is true. We've talked to businesses who spent $100k on an app because their competitor had one. Turns out their competitor's app had 47 downloads and nobody used it.

The smart alternative: Progressive Web Apps (PWA)

Here's what most Singapore businesses should actually build:

A progressive web app (PWA) is basically a website that feels like an app. It works on any phone, you can "install" it to your home screen, and it can even work offline.

Cost: $15,000 to $40,000 (one-sixth the price of a real app)

Timeline: 12-20 weeks (3-5 months) instead of 6-9 months

Maintenance: One codebase to maintain instead of three

Discoverability: Shows up in Google search

Updates: Instant, no app store approval needed

The only things you can't do: access some hardware features in the background and sell through the app stores. For 90% of businesses, those don't matter.

Real example: What we told a client

A tutoring center came to us wanting a mobile app. Their idea:

"We want an app where students can book classes, see their schedule, and access materials. Parents should be able to pay fees and message teachers."

Sounds like it needs an app, right?

We asked them:

How often will students check this? (Answer: 2-3 times a week)
Do you need it to work offline? (Answer: No, they're always online)
Will parents actually download another app? (Answer: Probably not)
What's your budget? (Answer: $40k)

We built them a PWA instead. It does everything they wanted, works beautifully on phones, cost $28k, and took 14 weeks.

Students just save the website to their home screen. It looks and feels like an app. Parents use it in their browser. Everyone's happy and they saved $50k.

Questions to ask yourself

Before spending money on an app, honestly answer these:

Will people use this more than once a week? If not, they won't keep the app on their phone.

Does my website work well on mobile already? If not, fix that first. It's way cheaper and helps everyone.

Am I building this because I actually need it, or because apps seem cool? Be honest. Apps are cool, but being practical is cooler.

Can I afford $100k+ and 6 months of development? If that makes you sweat, you don't need an app.

What happens if nobody downloads it? Seriously, think about this. You can build a perfect app and get 12 downloads. Then what?

What to do instead

Step 1: Make your website mobile-friendly

If your website doesn't work well on phones, start here. Most people will visit your website on mobile anyway.

Step 2: Build a web app if you need interactivity

Need logins, dashboards, booking systems? Build a web application that works everywhere. No downloads needed.

Step 3: Consider a PWA

Want the app experience without the app cost? PWAs are your friend.

Step 4: Only build a real app if you truly need it

After doing steps 1-3, if you still need a real native app, go for it. At least you'll know it's actually necessary and not just hype.

The bottom line

Most businesses asking "do I need a mobile app?" don't actually need one. What they need is a website that works great on mobile, or a web app that's easy to use on any device.

Save your money. Start with the simpler solution. If it turns out you really do need a full mobile app later, you'll have learned what features actually matter and you'll build a better app because of it.

Want to know what you actually need? Talk to us. We'll tell you the truth, even if it means we make less money. That's just good business.

About &7: We build web applications and PWAs for Singapore businesses. We've built real mobile apps too, so we can honestly tell you when you need one and when you don't. Usually, you don't.