This article does address some common hurdles in onboarding that, in most cases, shouldn't be there - like push notifications permissions.
But I usually find myself talking people out of getting an app made, versus a mobile-friendly website, unless all of the following are true:
- Your users would be able to access and use mobile apps on their devices.
- Your competitors’ apps are getting a lot of use (or you have no competitors).
- Your app would have key functionality (not just nice-to-have features) and benefits that a mobile website couldn't provide.
- You've verified that people need this key functionality via rigorous user research. (Asking loaded questions, like "This would be a good app, right?", is a trap. Don't do it!)
- Your user research has shown that your customers would be convinced that they should use an app for this. If it's a tough sell, take the website / web app route instead.
According to an article I saw in Recode last year, around half of mobile users no longer download a new app in a typical month.
