Short answer: Most SMBs should start with a website. With fewer than 1,000 members who return less than twice a month, a responsive website plus a LINE Official Account covers about 80% of needs, while an app often costs NT$300K–800K more in the first year including build, store listing and maintenance. Decide app vs website by visit frequency, not by what competitors have.
A bakery with three branches saw a competitor launch a member app and spent NT$650K on iOS and Android versions. A year later it had 1,200 downloads and fewer than 150 monthly users, and most customers still asked on LINE whether anything was left today. A website plus a LINE Official Account would have cost about NT$200K–300K, leaving the rest for marketing.
App or website? The one-line answer and a decision tree
The answer: build an app only if customers use it 4+ times a month or you need phone features; otherwise start with a website.
- Do customers come back 4+ times a month? No → website plus LINE Official Account. Yes → next question.
- Do you need offline use, Bluetooth, background location or camera scanning? Yes → app. No → next question.
- More than 3,000 members, with push notifications driving revenue? Yes → app (Flutter for both platforms). No → website first, re-evaluate in phase two.
App vs website in full: it's not just the build cost
The most underestimated part of an app is the store and maintenance cost you pay every year.
| Item | Responsive website + LINE Official Account | App (iOS + Android) |
|---|---|---|
| Build cost (members, booking, coupons) | About NT$150K–400K | About NT$400K–1M (less with Flutter) |
| Store and account fees | Domain about NT$500–1,000 a year | Apple $99 a year, Google $25 one-off |
| Time to launch | 6–10 weeks | 10–20 weeks including review |
| Annual maintenance | About 10–15% of build cost | About 15–25%, tracking OS updates every year |
| Customer acquisition | Search or tap a link and use it | Customers must be persuaded to install |
| Notifications | LINE messages, billed by volume | Push is free but needs customer opt-in |
| Visibility in Google | Searchable and citable by AI | App content is barely searchable |
Store fees per official sources: the Apple Developer Program costs $99 a year and a Google Play developer account $25 one-off; LINE Official Account message plans are listed on LINE Biz-Solutions.
Three scenarios: app or website for each
The same question has different answers depending on scale and usage frequency.
- Single-location restaurants, salons, clinics: customers visit 1–2 times a month; choose a responsive website plus LINE Official Account, which handles booking and coupons, for NT$150K–300K.
- Chains with 5,000+ members: points and push drive repeat purchases; build the website and back office first, then a Flutter app on the same data in phase two, spreading the budget over two years.
- Internal tools for field service, warehouses or inspections: staff use them daily, scan barcodes or work offline; build the app directly and distribute it internally without a public store listing.
Decision checklist: fewer than 4 yes answers means website first
Tick each item; with 4 or more yes answers, evaluate an app seriously.
- ☐ Customers use it 4+ times a month?
- ☐ More than 3,000 members?
- ☐ Offline use needed?
- ☐ Bluetooth, background location or camera scanning needed?
- ☐ Push notifications are the main repeat-purchase driver?
- ☐ NT$100K+ a year for maintenance?
- ☐ Someone owns store reviews and app review submissions?
- ☐ Users are employees who use it daily?
- ☐ A website is already live with steady traffic?
- ☐ Fine without new customers from Google search?
FAQ
Is an app always more expensive than a website?
Usually. For the same features, iOS plus Android apps often cost 1.5–2 times a website to build, plus store fees, OS updates and review-related maintenance.
How much does Flutter save?
One codebase ships to iOS and Android, typically 30–40% cheaper than building two native apps. Store listings, reviews and OS-update maintenance still need budget.
Can we build a website now and an app later?
Yes, and it is the safer order. Once the back office and database exist, the app connects to the same API, and phase two usually costs 40–60% of the original budget.
Can a LINE Official Account replace an app?
For notifications and member engagement, most SMBs can. Broadcasts, coupons, loyalty points and booking links all work; you need an app only for offline use or phone hardware features.
Next step: a first consultation that tells you whether an app or a website fits
ScriptWalker (a Taiwanese Laravel/Flutter custom development studio) builds both apps and websites, so we have no reason to push the more expensive one. Book a free 30-minute consultation, bring your member count and visit frequency, and we'll tell you whether an app or a website pays off, without upselling.
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 0916-224-047
- LINE: @ufv9089p