Quick answer
The right format depends on what users need to do and how often they do it. A browser-based web app is easy to open from a link and update centrally. An installed mobile app can make sense when repeat use, device capabilities or a particular mobile experience are central to the service.
Practical scope
List the essential tasks and ask whether they require camera access, location, push notifications, offline use or app-store distribution. Consider whether customers would install an app for a task they do only once. A responsive website may be a better first step for occasional enquiries or purchases.
Also price the long-term work: operating-system updates, device testing, account support and maintenance. If both channels are needed, decide which features must be available on each. Ask for a staged plan that tests the most important journey before funding every feature.
What to define before requesting proposals
- Frequency and context of use
- Need for camera, location, notifications or offline access
- App-store distribution and review requirements
- Shared backend, device testing and maintenance
Questions to ask service providers
- Could a responsive web app test the journey first?
- Which features truly require an installed app?
- What are the annual platform and maintenance costs?
How to assess the answers
Start with the channel that removes the main user friction. Installation is an extra barrier, so a mobile app needs a clear repeat-use or device-feature case.
Related planning guides
- Building a Marketplace Platform: What Goes in the MVP?
- Mobile App Development Brief: A Practical Buyer Checklist
Next step: Put these decisions into one project brief, then ask providers to respond to the same scope.