QUICK LINKS
- Websites Don’t Clutter My Device’s Storage Space Like Apps Do
- Websites Offer a Consistent Experience Across All My Devices
- I Can Use Browser Extensions With Web Apps
- Websites Allow For Easier Screenshotting or Text Selection and Copying
- Web Versions Allow Incognito or Private Browsing Modes
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Websites don’t clog device storage like apps, saving space for other necessities
- Consistent experience across devices thanks to responsive design of web versions
- Browser extensions enhance web apps with features that mobile apps might lack
While mobile apps can be convenient in many ways, there’s something to be said for good old website versions of apps. Now, don’t get me wrong—I use plenty of mobile apps myself. However, I find that for certain tasks and platforms, website versions are often a better way to go in my book. Here are some top reasons why I tend to gravitate toward visiting websites over using standalone mobile apps.
A.- Websites Don’t Clutter My 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. They don’t permanently take up room on your device, letting you access tons of services and content without losing space.
Take Amazon, for example. Its mobile app is full of features, but it takes about 300 MB of storage. If I only shop there occasionally, that’s an unnecessary amount of space on my device. The website works nearly the same through any browser without using any extra storage.
The storage issue is even worse when you think about all the apps you’ve installed over time. TechReport reports that the average user has over 80 apps but does not use about 62% of them each month. Even if each app took a conservative 50 MB, that would be 3-4.5 GB of storage just for apps.
Popular apps like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat usually take 500 MB or more and often save data on your device, taking up even more space over time. Facebook’s app, for example, can balloon to several gigabytes if not managed. Websites, on the other hand, usually don’t cache as much, and you can easily clear them when needed.
The storage benefit of websites is really important if you have an older or cheaper device with limited space. Many basic phones only have 32 GB total, and a big part of that is already taken by the operating system and default apps. If you are in that situation, every megabyte counts, so using websites is a much better option.
B.- Websites Offer a Consistent Experience Across All My Devices
With responsive web design, websites can automatically adjust their layout and user interface to fit different screen sizes and resolutions, ensuring a smooth experience whether I’m accessing them from my desktop computer, tablet, or smartphone.
This consistency is especially handy these days since I often switch between different gadgets throughout the day. For example, I might be reading a news article on my desktop at work and then need to head to a meeting. I can easily pick up where I left off by pulling up the same URL on my phone without losing my spot or dealing with a different app layout.
In contrast, native apps often have separate codes for different platforms (like iOS and Android), so there are sometimes slight differences in how they look and work. Developers try to keep everything the same, but sometimes, small things change, like how certain features function or how the interface behaves. And those little changes can throw me off when hopping between devices.
Additionally, websites save me from constant app updates, which can be disruptive and annoying. When a site gets updated with new stuff or improvements, I automatically get the changes on any device or operating system I use. With native apps, I need to download and install updates manually, which is a hassle, especially when I have a lot of apps on different devices that all need updating.
C.- I Can Use Browser Extensions With Web Apps
Browser extensions don’t always get the credit they deserve for how much they can improve your 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 many platforms, like email and social media. You don’t need separate downloads for each app—the extensions work universally in your browser.
Even note-taking web apps can get more powerful than their mobile app counterparts, thanks to extensions. For instance, you could add automatic citation generation, text-to-speech reading of notes, or AI summaries—all without the developers having to build these features themselves. The extensions do the work for them.
D.- Websites Allow For Easier Screenshotting or Text Selection and Copying
While most mobile operating systems let you take full-screen screenshots, many apps restrict this for valid reasons like copyright or privacy. For example, the Netflix app on your phone prevents screenshots during movies—it just shows a black screen instead. Similarly, many banking apps block screenshots completely for security.
Although there are ways to overcome this and take screenshots in apps that don’t allow it, visiting those same services in a web browser often allows unrestricted screenshots, giving you more flexibility to capture and share information.
Choosing and copying text is another area where websites typically shine. The simple highlighting and copying tools in web browsers make selecting, copying, and pasting text from virtually any site easy. This comes in handy for research, note-taking, or sharing specific details with others. However, many apps customize how text is displayed, which can interfere with the standard selection tools.
A perfect example is Instagram—you can’t directly copy captions or comments.
E.- Web Versions Allow Incognito or Private Browsing Modes
There are several reasons to use a web browser’s incognito mode. In my case, I benefit from a temporary, isolated browsing session of a web app. This means that once I close the session, all my cookies, browsing history, and cached data are automatically erased. This function is particularly valuable when accessing sensitive accounts I’d prefer not to have in my browsing history.
For example, when handling financial matters, using the web versions of banking sites in private browsing mode provides an extra layer of security. This is especially important when using shared devices. Say if I access my bank account through its website in incognito mode, it ensures my login details and account info aren’t accidentally saved on the device.
It’s worth noting that while incognito mode offers these perks, it’s not a foolproof security 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 apps give me.
Do you agree?
