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Accessing your website should be as easy as possible, whether using a desktop or mobile phone. However, you may consider turning your WordPress website into a mobile app to make things easier for users.
Fortunately, the process is easier than you might think. You don’t need a team of developers to create a WordPress mobile app. Several plugins can do the hard work for you.
This article will discuss why creating a mobile app for your WordPress website makes sense. Then, we’ll look at three plugins you can use to get started. Let’s dive in!
Why You Should Create a Mobile App for Your Website
There are many ways to create a mobile app for a website. The custom approach involves hiring developers who can create an app from scratch for the mobile Operating System (OS) you want to target.
If you’re using WordPress, you can opt for a much simpler solution. You can install a plugin that transforms your site into a simple native app.
If you have a WordPress website that is content-focused chiefly, turning it into an app can have several benefits for your business, including:
- App store presence. Being present in all major app stores can increase your visibility and help you reach a wider audience.
- Push notifications. Mobile apps enable you to send push notifications directly to users’ devices. This can be a powerful tool for re-engagement, reminders, updates, or promotions.
- Offline capabilities. While websites require an internet connection to load, apps can offer certain functions and content offline, further improving usability.
- Brand presence. Installing an app on a user’s device can increase your brand’s presence and visibility, helping keep your brand at the forefront of their minds.
It’s important to understand that the website and its mobile app should complement each other. Some users might prefer to visit your WordPress website on a browser, while others will default to the app. By providing options, you can increase the chances of getting returning customers.
3 Best Plugins for Turning Your WordPress Website into a Mobile App
Now, let’s look at three plugins you can use to turn your WordPress site into a mobile app. Each tool offers a different method, so your choice will depend on your approach.
1. Appful
Appful enables you to create iOS and Android native mobile apps for your WordPress website in only a few minutes. This plugin’s advantage is that you get a 100% native iOS and Android app rather than a web app (as with many other solutions). The content is synced every five seconds with your WordPress site and is always up to date.
With Appful, you can customize your mobile app anytime using a live editor. Moreover, the designs for the Android and iOS versions adapt to the specific OSs.
The plugin works alongside the Appful service, which gives you access to a dashboard to monitor app performance, push updates, and access marketing tools. Appful apps support mobile purchases and subscriptions, so you’ll have different ways to monetize your site.
Price: You can use Appful to create free test apps for iOS and Android. If you like the results, you can opt for a premium subscription, starting at $99 per month, which enables you to publish the apps. Appful also has a free support team you can reach via mail(at)appful.io
2. Super PWA
The PWA in Super PWA stands for progressive web apps. A PWA is a web application that delivers sites in a mobile app “wrapper”. Think of PWAs as a hybrid between full mobile apps and regular websites.
Instead of having users set up a mobile app, Super PWA will prompt them to create a shortcut for your website. This shortcut looks just like any other app icon on a mobile device. Visitors can use it to access your site with a simple mobile app interface.
Remember that PWAs typically don’t offer many customization options or advanced app functionality. With a Super PWA, you can configure notifications and a splash screen for your site, but that’s pretty much it.
Price: Super PWA offers an entirely free version. A premium license enables you to generate actual APK installers for the app and gives you access to analytics. Pricing starts at $99 per year.
3. Appmaker
If you have a WooCommerce store that you want to turn into a mobile app, Appmaker can help. This plugin transforms your existing inventory into a mobile shopping experience, enabling users to make purchases and track orders.
With Appmaker, you can customize your store’s app using a drag-and-drop builder. The app also supports multilingual stores and integrates with many popular WooCommerce extensions.
To use Appmaker, you’ll need to sign up for an account. Then, using the plugin dashboard, you can publish your app in both the iOS and Android stores and monitor its performance.
Price: The Appmaker plugin is free, but you need a premium subscription to create and publish an app for your store. Subscriptions start at $499 per month.
Conclusion
Developing a mobile app can be very beneficial for your business. It enables you to reach a wider audience and use push notifications to generate more leads.
To recap, here are three plugins you can use to turn your WordPress site into a mobile app:
- Appful: This plugin works with all types of WordPress websites and gives you much control over how your app looks and behaves.
- Super PWA: PWAs aren’t as customizable as full apps, but this plugin enables you to create one for free, and it’s a good option for small blogs.
- Appmaker: You can use this plugin to create and customize a mobile app for your WooCommerce store.
Do you have any questions about how to create a mobile app for your WordPress website? Let us know in the comments section below!
