The decision table
| If your goal is | Best fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Customers finding you and ordering | Website or web app | Opens from a link and shows up in search |
| Frequent daily use on a phone | Mobile app | An icon on the home screen and notifications |
| Cashier or inventory on the shop PC | Windows program | Works offline and prints to the PC's printers |
| Organizing staff work across locations | Internal web system | One shared set of data with permissions |
| Teaching children or a marketing campaign | Browser game | Played from a link on phone and computer |
Four questions that settle it
- Who is the user: an outside customer or one of your staff?
- Which device will they mostly open it on: a phone or the office computer?
- Must it work when the internet is down?
- Is it used once in passing, or every day?
Can I combine more than one kind?
Yes, and it is common: a website that takes customer orders, a cashier program on the shop computer, and perhaps a mobile app later. But do not start with all three. Begin with the one that solves today's biggest problem and add the rest once the first has proved itself. If you are torn between a web app and installed software, read about the desktop app.