A website is considered to be the digital representation of the brand. Therefore, you spend days making it perfect in every way. However, it is also important to adapt to the changing trends, right?
There are multiple reasons to have your own business mobile application too but you also need to determine whether your business needs a mobile app or not. Only then you should go ahead and get into the process of converting a website into a mobile app.
It is a well-known fact that the millennials today are hooked to their mobile phones. They rely on their phones for every need – right from basic requirements to luxuries.
The average time a person spends on their phone has been on a rise. As per the most recent data, on average, a person spends about 3 hours and 15 minutes on their phones.
So, why not cash in on the opportunity and convert your website to an app?
Yes, we know, you might be thinking of a responsive website. But sometimes it is not enough to cater to all the needs of a mobile user. So, a mobile application is your best shot to achieve the desired level of success!
You will need the services of a professional WordPress development company to make the entire process of converting WordPress to app seamless! The right technology partner will not only guide you through the project journey but will also give you an amazing outcome.
You might be wondering how does this work? The companies or developers usually use WordPress mobile app plugins to convert the site to a mobile app.
Best plugins to convert a WordPress website into Mobile App:
1. AppPresser
It is a user-friendly platform that can help you convert any of your WordPress websites to a mobile app. AppPresser has a dedicated WordPress mobile app theme which further creates a mobile app for your website.
If you feel that a plugin won’t be enough for your need to build an app for free and at the same time you don’t want to pay for developing a mobile app, this is your best option.
☛ Benefits of AppPresser:
- You can design navigation as pull out menu or tabs
- Integration of features such as Google Maps, Facebook login, camera connectivity, etc.
- Creation of custom pages
- Push notifications
Although it claims to be user-friendly, AppPresser cannot be considered an ideal choice for non-developers. Consider this plugin only if you have a developer at your assistance.
2. MobiLoud
It enables website owners to convert their sites built with WordPress to the app. MobiLoud basically has two products – one for news/blog sites and the second for websites that use WooCommerce or any similar sophisticated plugins.
It is one of the best plugins to convert WordPress sites to mobile apps for both – Android and iOS. What’s more? You don’t need to create a separate theme. You can continue using the existing one for your app too.
☛ Advantages of using MobiLoud:
- Build a native Android/iOS mobile app
- Theme customization as per preference
- Automated content updates
- Mobile advertising and monetizing
- User-friendly
- No technical knowledge required
After you have completed the download process from MobiLoud, the team takes care of the building as well as maintaining the app. However, it is not available for free.
3. Androapp
Choose this plugin to convert your website developed with WordPress to an app if it is content-oriented like newspapers or blogs. Androapp converts your news feed into a mobile-friendly layout.
The outcome will be a lot similar to a responsive website. However, this is a more suitable option to turn WordPress site into an app due to the added advantages mentioned below.
☛ Benefits of using Androapp:
- Save content offline
- Unlimited push notifications
- Image zooming
- Unlimited scrolling
- Custom theme and colors
As the plugin is currently in beta version, we recommend using it only to convert the WordPress website to the Android app right now. But building an iOS app using this plugin can definitely be considered in the future.
4. WPApp.Ninja
WPApp.Ninja enables you to turn your WordPress site into an app or progressive web app. You can purchase a single-lifetime license to build a mobile app. WPApp.Ninja is different from other plugins as it completes the app setup and configurations in the WordPress admin area.
☛ Advantages of using WPApp.Ninja:
- Easy tools to upload app icons, colors, buttons, translations, etc.
- Supports offline content, Google Analytics, in-built caching, and compatibility with all popular WordPress plugins
If you are converting your website built with WordPress to the app then the better options are AppPresser and MobiLoud.
5. Blappsta
Blappsta is a great tool to convert websites to Android apps or iOS apps for free. The plugin has a unique feature called ‘Blappsta Preview’ which allows you to test your WordPress to App conversion before going live so you know how well the mobile app form looks like.
☛ Benefits of using Blappsta plugin:
- Custom navigation
- Custom home page design
- Flexibility to organize content
- Share buttons for email and social media
- Push notifications for every new live post
- Deep-link indexing for Google
It is a comparatively new plugin to convert your WordPress site to a mobile app, but once the work is done you can display popular articles and Facebook pages, support videos, and much more.
6. Appful
As Appful is compatible with both – Android and iOS it is considered to be one of the best plugins to convert your website based on WordPress to an App to get an extraordinary outcome. It is built by a SaaS company that helps companies, magazines, and publishers to reach their desired audience by developing enterprise-grade software.
☛ Appful Advantages:
- Offline reading
- YouTube support
- Live editing
- Place own advertisements in the app
- ‘Read Later’ and ‘Comments’ facility
- Twitter profile page integration
An added advantage is that you can get amazing app designs at a fair price which can be further customized as per your preferences. Although you will have to pay a nominal cost at the time of launching your mobile app on the Apple App Store or Android Play Store.
7. Web2App
It is a plugin that will help you quickly convert your website developed on WordPress to a mobile app. Setting up the plugin is easy but there will be absolutely no compromise on the quality of the end result.
It may not work like an app that costs a fortune to build, but Web2App has got enough customization options to make this an appropriate and affordable replacement.
☛ Some benefits of Web2App are:
- App rating option for customer reviews
- Startup splash screen
- Multiple ways to layout a mobile app’s display & navigation
- Upload custom icons
Furthermore, this WordPress to-app plugin has video tutorials to make the entire process a lot easier!
8. WappPress
WappPress is the most cost-efficient platform that allows you to convert WordPress website to an Android app through a simple click functionality. You don’t have to worry about hiring developers as even non-developers can build the app with a few settings.
☛ Some advantages of WappPress are:
- Customized features for templates & other pages
- Many premade themes
- Custom home page
- Launcher icon
- Custom splash screen
Once you are done with the mobile app development process, you can publish it on your own on Google’s Play Store.
9. Worona
Are you looking for a plugin to convert WordPress site to an Android app for free? Worona is your savior here! It’s free for iOS apps too! The developers of this plugin are also working on new features that will enable users to create Google AMP and Facebook Instant Articles.
☛ Benefits of using Worona:
- Custom upgrades
- Premium themes
- Google Analytics
- Push notifications
- Constant support from the Worona team
10. Mobapper
Mobapper is one of those handy plugins that will convert your site into a mobile app. It helps you to create mobile apps for Android, iOS as well as Windows. One of the best features of this plugin is that it can control all the content delivered to mobile.
☛ Advantages of using Mobapper:
- Instant native mobile apps
- Mobile apps for iOS, Android, and Windows
- The intuitive and fast app interface
- Offline access to the content
- Complete control over the content delivered to mobile
Conclusion
Each of the above mentioned plugins has its own advantages and disadvantages and will carve the path for you to reach your desired audience. Whether you believe it or not, a mobile app will play a huge role in creating new revenue streams as well as multiple means to reach your audience.
If the above mentioned plugins don’t seem satisfactory enough for your project, then you can always go for custom WordPress plugin development. You might be wondering why custom plugins. Let’s give you some reasons to go for a custom plugin development option.
Firstly, the custom plugins will do exactly what you want them to do – no more, no less. Secondly, updates and support will not be a concern in the case of custom plugins. Thirdly, a custom plugin is a highly secure option as it is developed specifically for your project as opposed to the already available plugins in the market used by many people. So, no one is really looking to break it.
Are you still looking for some more clarifications on how to make a mobile app from the WordPress website? Or you have made up your mind and are looking for the right technology partner to help you with your project? Talk to our experts at [email protected] !
