Why Websites Ask You To Download An App

Why do websites constantly bug you with annoying requests to download their apps?

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[maacpiash]

Web developer here. The libraries and build tools used nowadays to develop websites, or web apps (as I like to call it) can optimise them to the point where they can deliver almost all the necessary features of a native mobile app without significant performance drop. If a website pushes its users to install its app, it means the company behind the website definitely wants to track the visitors more closely.

[PhillipParr]

The problem is that most of the pushy ones are all just the website in a webview, making no difference at all. Most of the corps I've worked with are binning off native apps because it's cheaper for them to run a webview and slim down the app team. And possibly worse still - some apps have no website, so for example, when you're sat next to a 32" 4K monitor and get a bit peckish, Starship forces you to use their slow clunky app.

[blackraen]

The real reason: It's easier to collect and harvest your data with a local app vs. a webpage.

[eldibs]

I remember a while back, the nagging "download our app" interstitial messages/ads got so bad that Google had to change their search results to punish sites that were using them. Remember clicking a link on Google, only to get a full screen ad suggesting the website's app, and when you close the ad it took you to the site's home page rather than the content you wanted?

[thekingofawesomeness]

My favorite part is when they straight lock you out of the sight without logging in or using the app. I just leave every time

[RobBulmahn]

This completely ignores the fact that many of these apps are just wrappers for the same old website, and many of the benefits listed here of using apps apply just as easily to web-based systems (local storage, location, user preference tracking, etc.)

[necropolistc]

an app makes it easier to track your data than a web browser who's metadata you can delete, its all about that ad revenue and data stealing

[mind-of-neo]

Whether it's for "my benefit" or not, i hate being told how to use a website or service.

[chaosfenix]

And this is why I refuse to install most commercial apps on my phone. 80% of the apps I use are open source versions. The rest are apps that are harder to replace because they don't have good alternatives or tie into hardware that I have specifically purchased.

[YdenMk-II]

That brand awareness thing is a very traditional trick. Back when I worked at Target, the employee training said we should ask if customers wanted a Target card because they wanted people to have the brand visible whenever the person opens up their wallets.

[dside_ru]

Websites *can* in fact store stuff locally as well as send notifications when they aren't running. There's a whole concept of PWA, basically apps running in browsers. So I'm with the "can't-adblock" theory 🙂

[ashgaming]

*when a website tells you to get the app but it's not on the platform you're using*

[TonyP]

The worst thing I hate about apps is that some of them force you to update before you go any further. Yes, I know some will inform you that an update is available but will let you use the old one for awhile, but others will just stop working until you update. Guess when this usually happens...right! When I'm at the checkout line where I need to use it then.

[Lurker-dkjk]

It's funny when you install an app that only sends you to a webpage to do the thing the app should be doing on its own.

[nikzuLP]

Slight correction: It is possible for websites to send push notifications too, just like apps can.

[kuromiLayfe]

Sadly YouTube never got the message that an app is supposed to run better then the website… issues with the app version not on the web version (extra buffering, lower amount of buffering, app not utilising cookies or cache to show accurate ads or suggestions, lower quality videos, PiP functionality only works if it feels like it, notifications sometimes delayed by 10-80 minutes…)

[BakersTuts]

The worst is when you download a company’s app, and when you click on a link or something, it opens up an in-app browser of their mobile website anyway. Like wtf dude. What’s the point of an app if it just opens a mobile browser inside the app.

[anewbimproves]

All of those benefits to the user can be done in the browser with a combination of Responsive Design, the various browser apis, and Local Storage.

[alexatkin]

What really winds me up is how a lot of sites that DO have a usable website, have also switched it to function more like the app, making it an inferior experience to what they used to be.

[actiasselene]

For me biggest advantage of using browser instead of dedicated apps is to take advantage of adblocker installed to browser (using firefox mobile). Most apps are full ads nowadays.