How to build a WordPress mobile app?
There are 74,652,825 WordPress websites in the world. Since the platform is free to create basic websites, the likeliness of people looking for a free app maker is very high.
It is ideal for WordPress websites to find solutions that are not only reasonably priced but also cut down the maintenance cost. For instance: think of a news website that constantly posts the news. The only way to keep users hooked to the app is posting news every now and then. Every time a post is added to the websites, it must be automatically be pushed on the app to eliminate the cost of hiring a resource to maintain the app.
Instead of using a CMS system to manage the content on your app, it will be easier if all your content can be managed through the website.
Numerous WordPress website owners heavily depend on the plugin to make changes to the theme of their websites. When you reach out to a developer to turn website into app, there may be challenges to replicate the theme of the website onto the mobile app. In such cases, choosing a platform that supports any theme on WordPress should be considered.
So what is it that you can to build a mobile app on a shoestring but still serve its purpose? There are a number of options available, and each one of them poses some disadvantages.
In this post, we will discuss different mediums that can facilitate the conversion of a WordPress website into a mobile app. Take a look:
Custom mobile apps
In an idealistic world, custom mobile apps are the best. But the harsh reality is that we are not. Custom apps can cost a bomb and take an extensive duration to be built, not to forget the multiple resources needed to create them.
The benefit of going with this approach is that you can get a dream app delivered that has every feature that you are thought of. You can choose a native developer to build the app which means the performance of the app will be great too.
You will have a team of resources of can plan the development of your app, from preparing a scope to ensuring every progress is taking place phase-wise.
The cons can overpower the benefits because if you don’t have a handsome budget to build this app, then you can’t even consider it. Like we said, building a custom mobile app is an exorbitantly expensive process that takes months.
The minimum cost of building a native WordPress mobile app is USD 10,000 and at least 3 months to get a basic app, up and running.
App builder
This platform is great for converting WordPress website into a full-blown mobile app within minutes. You can find options that enable app creation within minutes of signing up. All you have to do is sign up with a reliable platform and start building an app in a complete code free-environment.
AppMySite is amongst very few WordPress mobile app builder that allows building a native app with no-technical background whatsoever. You can build your app and customize it too. Let’s look at the step involved to create an on this platform:
1. Start by giving your app name, that you would want the users to see
2. Enter the website URL
3. Design your app icon by simply choosing the color of your app icon or uploading an image
4. The next step will allow you to design the splash screen of your app. This is the screen that your users will interact with as soon as they launch your app. You can keep this simple by selecting a color or uploading an image from the free gallery.
5. You can make customizations to other screens in the same manner as in the splash screen.
6. Once you are happy with the aesthetics, you can simply download the WordPress plugin to download your app on a real device.
7. The app you create can be tested on a real device.
Regardless of the app you create, news, magazine or blog, the steps to create the app will always be the same. Creating an app is as easy as shopping online.
With AppMySite, you can change the entire theme of your app by changing the color of various screens including a splash screen, forgot password, app icon and dashboard. To define the theme of your app, you can create a theme from the color palette or upload it from the free image gallery. You can also upload your own image
App builders work really well for businesses that have a fairly small budget and a limited time frame to build an app.
Which platform is right for you?
In this post, we discussed two different approaches to building an app for your WordPress website. Both platforms pose some advantages and disadvantages. However, selecting a platform should be dependent on the nature of your project.
If you are from a non-technical background but still want to be involved in building your app, an app builder should work well for your project. This platform will enable you to come up with a full-blown app without hurting your pocket too much. However, if you don’t want your app to be anything like your website, you can go with a custom app.
To build a custom app, you can either hire freelance developers, designers, and a project manager to scope your project. You can also go with an app development company and leave and handover everything to me. You know the catch, the process will be time-consuming and extremely expensive.
If you are looking for an app that is a mirror of your app in terms of features, you can always go with AppMySite. This way, your app will have every feature that your website poses but still have a different look and feel. You can also keep the aesthetics exactly the same.
AppMySite is a perfect solution for small WordPress website owners who are willing to convert their website into an app. Drop-in an inquiry to know more.
