Mobile App vs. Mobile Website: Where is the Best Place to Play Online Games?
Every popular online game has a mobile app these days — that’s just the way it is. But should we actually use them? I mean, we’ve been using the browser version of casinos on our mobile devices for more than a decade, and it was all fine.
However, experts believe that most of the users should really consider switching. Still, no worries; it’s not that mobile websites are so bad, not at all. To help you understand this matter a bit better, we have prepared a detailed comparison of the essential aspects of online casinos and other games.
Mobile Apps vs. Mobile Website
Bonuses & Special Offers
Mobile websites generally provide more opportunities for bonuses, for example, free spins like the ones listed here https://polskiesloty.com/50-darmowych-spinow-bez-depozytu/, due to the greater number of casino sites compared to apps. This makes it easier to find enticing no-deposit offers.
However, mobile apps often hold a special advantage, as casinos sometimes give exclusive, high-value rewards to their app users that aren’t available on their websites. These unique promotions can be a compelling reason to choose to play via an app.
Performance & Speed
While mobile websites can be “all over the place sometimes,” apps are specifically designed for new mobile devices and operating systems, utilizing the hardware effectively to deliver the most optimal performance. This translates to things like:
- faster load times
- better responsiveness
- regular updates
And we love that! On the other hand, mobile websites rely on web technologies that need to operate across diverse devices, which can sometimes slow down performance significantly.
Moreover, every session requires resources to be loaded over a network, potentially causing delays due to varying network speeds. All that is simply a vibe killer when it comes to live games, for example.
Security & Updates
Security is a main concern for online casino users — after all, it’s about the protection of our personal and financial information. And, well, it can get pretty sensitive, especially if we consider the popularity of KYC systems.
Since mobile apps are downloaded from app stores that have high-security standards, it’s clear that they are winning in this matter as well. As we know, mobile websites are more susceptible to phishing attacks and other security threats due to their reliance on browsers.
It won’t be a big deal for iOS users, but it can be a game changer for Android, where there are many viruses that can steal a good amount of sensitive data.
Of course, mobile websites do get updated, but these updates might not occur as frequently or urgently as those for mobile apps, which can lead to some security gaps.
But hey, it’s not that all apps are your key to a safe online casino experience; you still have to pay attention to things like:
- reviews and user feedback
- reputation of the app developer
- whether you can download the app from the App Store or Google Play
Yeah, it’s still a tough one, but if you want safety in the online world, you often have to fight for it in some way.
Compatibility & Availability
Okay, let’s not beat mobile websites up so badly, and let’s talk about compatibility, which is a matter where classic browsers usually beat fancy apps.
Unlike mobile apps, mobile websites don’t require any downloads or installations. This not only saves space on the user’s device but also eliminates the compatibility issues sometimes faced with app installations.
Moreover, modern mobile websites are designed using responsive web design techniques, so you can be sure that they will smoothly adapt to any screen size or orientation, which is not always the case for mobile apps. Sure, if you have the newest smartphone, it won’t make a difference, but hey, not everybody has one.
In fact, experts confirm that a good part of mobile casino apps do not support older devices or operating systems, and that simply alienates a significant portion of the user base.
Plus, any updates or changes made to a mobile website become immediately available to all users without the need for downloading and installing updates. Sadly, some niche casino apps are being updated only after a week or two after implementing the changes on the websites, and it simply might be a dealbreaker for you.
Flexibility & Game Selection
Lastly, not all features and games can be available in mobile apps. Yeah, it just so happens that new games hit the app later than the website due to additional development and approval times.
And overall, due to space limitations and the cost of developing games for specific platforms, apps may offer a more limited selection of games.
So once again, mobile websites are the winners, as they offer a fully fledged online casino experience without any issues, regardless of the mobile device you are using; it can even be an iPhone 2G or one of the oldest Sony Xperia phones!
Verdict
It appears that while mobile websites offer great flexibility, mobile apps often provide a slightly better experience if you care about playing on your smartphone, and that’s because of:
- better performance and speed
- better security
- regular updates
However, the final choice also depends on personal preferences and specific needs. For example, if you care about wide compatibility and accessing new features as soon as possible, you might go for mobile websites instead!
Of course, your choice will also depend on the casino you’re playing at. At the end of the day, not every gambling platform has a well-developed app. However, when they do, it’s usually a game-changer.
Jim’s passion for Apple products ignited in 2007 when Steve Jobs introduced the first iPhone. This was a canon event in his life. Noticing a lack of iPad-focused content that is easy to understand even for “tech-noob”, he decided to create Tabletmonkeys in 2011.
Jim continues to share his expertise and passion for tablets, helping his audience as much as he can with his motto “One Swipe at a Time!”