5 reasons why many people prefer the web version over the app

 Here are some of the main reasons why many people tend to prefer visiting a website over using a standalone mobile app.

1. Websites don't clutter up your device's storage space like apps do

Unlike apps, which require installation and take up precious space on your smartphone or tablet, websites exist right in your browser without using any significant storage space. They don't take up permanent space on your device, allowing you to access tons of services and content without losing space.

Take Amazon, for example. Their mobile app is fully featured, but it takes up about 300MB of storage. If you only shop there occasionally, that's an unnecessary amount of space on your device. The site works pretty much the same on any browser without using any extra storage.

The storage problem gets even worse when you add up all the apps you've installed over time. TechReport reports that the average user has more than 80 apps, but doesn't use about 62% of them each month. Even if each app takes up 50MB, that's a total of 3–4.5GB of storage just for apps.

Popular apps like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat typically take up 500MB or more and often store data on your device, taking up more space over time. The Facebook app, for example, can balloon to several gigabytes if left unchecked. Websites, on the other hand, don't typically store much cache, and you can easily clear it when you need to.

The storage benefits of websites are really important if you have an old or cheap device with limited space. Many basic phones only have 32GB in total, and a large portion of that is taken up by the operating system and default apps. If you're in that situation, every megabyte counts, so using websites is a much better option.

2. Websites that provide a consistent experience across devices

With responsive web design, websites can automatically adjust their layout and user interface to accommodate different screen sizes and resolutions, ensuring a smooth experience whether you access them from a desktop, tablet, or smartphone.

This consistency is especially useful in today's world where people often switch between different apps throughout the day. For example, you might be reading an article on your desktop at work and then need to go to a meeting. You can easily pick up where you left off by pulling up the same URL on your phone without losing your place or having to deal with a different app layout.

Native apps, on the other hand, often have separate code for different platforms (like iOS and Android), so there are sometimes subtle differences in how they look and work. Developers try to keep things the same, but sometimes little things change, like how certain features work or how the interface works. And those little changes can get confusing when you switch between devices.

Additionally, websites save you from constantly updating apps, which can be disruptive and annoying. When a website is updated with new content or improvements, I automatically get the changes on whatever device or operating system I use. With native apps, you have to manually download and install updates, which is a pain, especially when you have multiple apps on different devices that all need updates.

3. Can use browser extensions with web apps

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Browser extensions don't always get the credit they deserve for improving the web experience. They allow you to customize and add functionality to web apps in ways that mobile apps themselves can't.

For example, grammar and spelling checker extensions can improve your writing across multiple platforms, like email and social media. You don't need to download them separately for each app — extensions work seamlessly in your browser.

Even note-taking web apps can be more powerful than their mobile counterparts, thanks to extensions. For example, you can add automatic citation generation, read-aloud notes, AI summaries, etc. without waiting for a developer to build it. Extensions do the work for them.

4. Websites that make it easier to take screenshots or select and copy text

While most mobile operating systems allow you to take full-screen screenshots, many apps restrict this for legitimate reasons like copyright or privacy. For example, the Netflix app on your phone prevents screenshots while watching a movie — it just shows a black screen instead. Similarly, many banking apps block screenshots altogether for security reasons.

While there are ways to get around this and take screenshots in apps that don't allow it, accessing those services in a web browser often allows unrestricted screenshots, giving you more flexibility in capturing and sharing information.

Selecting and copying text is another area where websites often shine. Simple highlighting and copying tools in web browsers make it easy to select, copy, and paste text from almost any web page. This is useful for researching, taking notes, or sharing specific details with others. However, many applications customize how text is displayed, which can interfere with standard selection tools.

A perfect example is Instagram – you can't copy captions or comments directly. You'll need to switch to the website or try workarounds like taking a screenshot and using an optical character recognition (OCR) app to convert the image into text.

5. Web version allows incognito or private browsing mode

There are several reasons to use your web browser's incognito mode. When you use incognito mode, all cookies, browsing history, and cached data are automatically deleted after you close your session. This is especially useful when accessing sensitive accounts that you don't want to be saved in your browsing history.

For example, when dealing with finances, using the web version of your banking website in private browsing mode provides an extra layer of security. This is especially important when using shared devices. For example, if you access your bank account through your bank's website in incognito mode, this mode ensures that your login and account information are not accidentally saved on your device.

It's important to note that while Incognito mode offers these benefits, it's not a perfect privacy measure. Your Internet service provider can still see what sites you visit, and websites can identify your IP address. However, the level of privacy it provides is significantly higher than what most other apps offer.

Lesley Montoya

Update 04 September 2024