How to Turn a Website Into a Mobile App (iOS & Android): The Complete 2026 Guide

If you have a website and you're considering turning it into a mobile app, you're in the right place. This guide breaks down every approach in detail -- real costs, timelines, advantages, and limitations -- so you can make an informed decision. No fluff, just data.

One number to start with: 73% of e-commerce traffic comes from mobile (Shopify CRO Benchmarks 2026), yet the average mobile conversion rate for online stores sits at just 0.99% (Mordor Intelligence). Having a native mobile app -- with push notifications, faster load times, and a dedicated user experience -- can make an enormous difference.

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What are the three approaches to turn a website into an app?

There are three main paths to getting your website onto the App Store and Google Play:

1. Custom development -- a development team builds a native app from scratch, tailored to your exact requirements.
2. Webview wrapper -- your website is "wrapped" inside an app container that displays it in an embedded web view.
3. Automated platforms -- services like Appo that automatically transform your existing website into a native mobile app, with features like push notifications, order management, and full publishing support on both stores.

Each approach has specific pros and cons. There is no one-size-fits-all answer -- it depends on your situation. But in the majority of cases, especially for e-commerce stores and small-to-medium businesses, automated platforms offer the best balance of quality, cost, and speed.

Here is a side-by-side comparison:

• Custom development -- EUR 15,000-50,000+, 3-6 months, full customisation, EUR 500-2,000/month maintenance. Best for enterprise and complex applications.
• Webview wrapper -- EUR 200-1,000 one-time, 1-2 weeks, limited customisation, minimal maintenance. Best for simple projects and quick tests.
• Automated platforms (e.g. Appo) -- from EUR 40/month, 48 hours, medium customisation, maintenance included. Best for e-commerce, SMBs, and the majority of use cases.

The sections below analyse each approach in depth.

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How much does custom app development cost?

Custom development is the traditional path: you hire a freelance developer or an agency, define the requirements, and the team builds a native app from the ground up. This typically means one version for iOS (Swift) and one for Android (Kotlin), or a single codebase using a cross-platform framework like Flutter or React Native.

Real-world costs

Costs vary widely depending on complexity, but for a functional e-commerce app, expect the following:

• Simple app (catalogue, cart, checkout): EUR 15,000-25,000
• Mid-range app (user accounts, push notifications, CRM integration): EUR 25,000-40,000
• Complex app (custom features, AI, augmented reality, bespoke logic): EUR 50,000-100,000+

On top of the initial build cost, there is ongoing maintenance: updates for new iOS and Android versions, bug fixes, security patches. A realistic estimate is EUR 500 to EUR 2,000 per month, every month.

Timeline

From requirements definition to app store launch, expect 3-6 months on average. Complex projects can stretch to 9-12 months.

When it makes sense

Custom development is the right choice when:

• You need unique functionality that no existing platform provides
• Your business model requires proprietary logic (custom algorithms, specialised integrations)
• You have a dedicated budget and either an internal technical team or a reliable development partner
• The app is your core product, not an additional channel

For most e-commerce stores and websites, custom development is overkill. You'd be paying to build from scratch something that platforms like Appo can generate automatically in 48 hours -- with push notifications, order management, and full publishing support on both stores.

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How does the webview wrapper approach work?

The webview approach (also known as a "wrapper") is the simplest from a technical standpoint. In essence, you create an app that contains a full-screen browser window which loads your website. The user opens the app, but they're essentially browsing the site.

How it's built

There are several methods:

• Open-source frameworks like Apache Cordova or Capacitor, which create a native container with an embedded webview
• Online services that generate the wrapper without writing code, typically costing between EUR 200 and EUR 1,000 one-time
• Manual development of a minimal Swift/Kotlin app that loads a URL -- relatively straightforward for a developer

Advantages

• Low cost: EUR 200-1,000 one-time
• Fast: 1-2 weeks to have the app ready
• Simple: every update to your website is automatically reflected in the app

Significant limitations

This is where things get tricky:

• Performance: the app is only as fast as the website. If the site is slow, the app will be slow. No native optimisation.
• No push notifications: most basic wrappers don't support push notifications -- the primary reason an e-commerce store wants an app in the first place.
• Risk of store rejection: Apple is particularly strict with apps that are "just a wrapper for a website." The App Store Review Guidelines (section 4.2) state that apps must offer functionality beyond simply displaying a website. Many webview apps get rejected.
• Limited user experience: no native animations, no fluid gestures, no integration with device features (camera, biometrics, etc.).
• No offline mode: if the user has no internet connection, the app doesn't work.

When it makes sense

A wrapper is useful for:

• Quickly testing whether your users would actually use an app
• Creating an "app" version for internal use (employees, collaborators)
• Projects with a very tight budget and proportionate expectations

It is not the right choice if you want an app that converts, builds loyalty, and grows your business.

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What are automated app-building platforms?

Automated platforms represent the smart middle ground. They take your existing website and transform it into a real mobile app with genuine native features -- without you writing a single line of code.

Unlike a wrapper, these platforms don't just display your site inside a frame. They recreate the experience in a native (or semi-native) way, adding features such as:

• Push notifications -- the marketing channel with the highest open rate
• Native navigation -- tab bar, menus, smooth animations
• Faster performance -- quicker loading compared to the mobile web
• App store publishing -- managed by the platform, so you don't have to deal with it
• Automatic updates -- every change to your website syncs with the app

Why they are becoming the standard

The numbers speak clearly. Mobile apps convert 3x more than the mobile web (MobiLoud/Tapcart data). The mobile web cart abandonment rate sits between 80% and 85% (Baymard Institute), while on native apps it drops dramatically -- in some cases down to 20%.

In Italy alone, there are 91,000 active e-commerce stores (Netcomm/Cribis 2025). The vast majority don't have a mobile app. For anyone selling online, having an app is no longer a luxury: it's a concrete competitive advantage, especially considering that returning customers spend an average of 67% more (Venn Apps).

Costs and timeline

With platforms like Appo, costs start at EUR 40 per month. There are no upfront development fees. The app is automatically generated from your website, customised with your branding, and published on the App Store and Google Play. The timeline? An average of 48 hours from sign-up to publishing.

Maintenance is included: updates for new iOS and Android releases, compatibility, security. You don't have to manage any of it.

Who they are for

Automated platforms are the right choice for:

• E-commerce stores on WooCommerce, Shopify, Wix, or any web platform
• SMBs that want a mobile channel without a six-figure investment
• Websites that already work well and want to offer an app experience to their users
• Anyone looking to test the app channel with near-zero financial risk

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Which approach should you choose based on your situation?

Here is a quick decision map. Find the description that best matches your situation:

You have an e-commerce store and want a fast app

The best choice is an automated platform. Your e-commerce site becomes a native app in 48 hours, with push notifications to recover abandoned carts, integrated order management, and full publishing support on both stores. With Appo, you start at EUR 40 per month with no setup costs.

This scenario covers the majority of cases: if you sell products online and want a mobile channel that converts, you don't need custom development.

You need unique, proprietary features

If your project requires logic that doesn't exist on any platform -- a custom algorithm, a fully bespoke interface, complex integrations with internal systems -- then custom development is the way to go. Be prepared for an investment starting at EUR 15,000 and a timeline of at least 3-6 months.

You just want to test the idea

If you're not sure your users would use an app, a webview wrapper lets you run a low-cost test (EUR 200-1,000). Keep the limitations in mind: no push notifications, risk of App Store rejection, suboptimal performance. But for validating a hypothesis, it can be enough.

You have a limited budget but want quality

If custom development is out of reach but you want a real app (not a wrapper), automated platforms are the answer. With Appo, the team handles the entire publishing process on both stores, so you don't need technical skills. For the App Store, you just need your own Apple Developer account ($99/year, required by Apple -- 5-minute guided setup). For Google Play, everything is included.

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How long does it take to have a ready-to-use app?

Time is often the deciding factor. Here are realistic timelines for each approach:

Custom development: 3-6 months

The typical journey:

1. Analysis and requirements -- 2-4 weeks
2. UI/UX design -- 2-4 weeks
3. Development -- 8-16 weeks
4. Testing and QA -- 2-4 weeks
5. App store publishing -- 1-2 weeks (including Apple and Google review)

Total: 15-30 weeks. And that's assuming everything goes smoothly, without major revisions or delays.

Webview wrapper: 1-2 weeks

Much faster turnaround:

1. Configuration and generation -- 1-3 days
2. Testing and customisation -- 3-5 days
3. App store publishing -- 1-2 weeks

The bottleneck is almost always Apple's review process, which can require several attempts if the app gets rejected for the reasons mentioned above.

Automated platforms: 48 hours

The process with platforms like Appo:

1. Enter your website URL -- a few minutes
2. The app is generated automatically -- a few hours
3. Customisation (icon, colours, name) -- a few minutes
4. The team publishes the app on the stores -- managed internally

From start to publishing: an average of 48 hours. The store review process is handled by the platform.

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How are push notifications handled?

Push notifications are arguably the most important mobile app feature for anyone selling online. They let you reach your customers directly on their phone, without relying on email (which has open rates of 15-20%) or social media (where organic reach keeps declining).

Here is how they work in each approach:

• Custom development: full implementation via Apple Push Notification Service (APNs) and Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM). Maximum flexibility, but requires ongoing development and maintenance.
• Webview wrapper: in most cases, push notifications are not supported, or they require additional integrations at extra cost.
• Automated platforms: push notifications are built in and ready to use. You can send notifications for abandoned carts, promotions, new products, order updates -- all from an intuitive dashboard.

For an e-commerce store, push notifications for abandoned cart recovery can mean the difference between an 85% abandonment rate and a significant recovery in sales.

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Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to turn a website into an app?

It depends on the approach. With automated platforms like Appo, prices start at EUR 40 per month with no development costs. A webview wrapper costs between EUR 200 and EUR 1,000 one-time. Custom development starts at EUR 15,000 and can exceed EUR 50,000 for complex projects, plus EUR 500-2,000 per month in ongoing maintenance.

How long does it take to get the app ready?

With an automated platform like Appo, an average of 48 hours from sign-up to app store publishing. A webview wrapper requires 1-2 weeks. Custom development takes 3-6 months.

Does Apple accept apps built from a website?

Yes, provided they comply with the App Store Review Guidelines. Apple requires that apps offer functionality beyond simply displaying a website -- which is why webview wrappers are often rejected. With Appo, publishing is managed by the internal team, who ensure the app meets all of Apple's requirements. For the App Store, you need your own Apple Developer account ($99/year, required by Apple -- the team guides you through setup). For Google Play, everything is included. The review process is handled by the team.

Can I turn any website into an app?

In principle, yes, but the best results come from responsive websites (already optimised for mobile) and e-commerce platforms like WooCommerce, Shopify, or Wix. If your website works well on mobile, turning it into an app is a natural next step. If the site isn't responsive, it's worth optimising it first.

What's the difference between a native app and a webview wrapper?

A native (or semi-native) app runs directly on the device, with access to hardware features (push notifications, camera, GPS, biometrics) and optimal performance. A webview wrapper is essentially a disguised browser: it displays your website inside an app container, without accessing native features and with performance identical to the mobile site.

Do I need an Apple and Google developer account?

For custom development and webview wrappers, yes: you need an Apple Developer Account (EUR 99/year) and a Google Play Developer Account ($25 one-time). With some automated platforms, like Appo, publishing is handled directly by the team, so you don't need to worry about it.

Do apps built with automated platforms update automatically?

Yes. When you update your website -- new products, new pages, price changes -- the changes are automatically reflected in the app. You don't need to re-publish the app on the stores every time. Technical updates (compatibility with new iOS and Android versions) are managed by the platform.