How mobile apps affect Shopify store traffic: Positive or negative?

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Thinking about launching a mobile app for your Shopify store but worried about its impact on traffic? You’re not alone! While apps can increase customer engagement and sales, they might also shift traffic away from your website. So, How mobile apps affect Shopify store traffic? Is the impact positive or negative? Let’s dive in!

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How mobile apps affect Shopify store traffic?

Mobile apps don’t increase total Shopify web traffic but shift traffic from organic search to direct visits through the app. This trade-off is positive for customer loyalty and sales but requires a strong SEO strategy to maintain new customer acquisition.

Let’s break it down:

Mobile Apps Boost Quality, not Quantity of Traffic

Shopify mobile apps increase traffic quality through customer retention and engagement because users interact with them directly. Features like push notifications, personalized recommendations, and faster checkouts make it easier for customers to return and make repeat purchases.

Studies show that they convert 3x better than mobile websites, with an 85% higher add-to-cart rate and a 10% increase in average order value. Additionally, 74% of customers use apps with the intent to purchase, leading to increased sales and customer loyalty.

However, apps are not indexed by search engines in the same way that websites are, meaning they don’t help bring in new customers through SERP.

>> See more: 20+ Best Strategies To Increase App Downloads in 2025

Mobile websites contribute to organic traffic

As you know, 79% of Shopify store traffic comes from mobile devices. Therefore, before launching an app, you must optimize your store for mobile first to maximize traffic. A mobile-optimized Shopify website can rank in Google and other search engines, allowing potential customers to discover your store when searching for products. Websites benefit from SEO strategies such as keyword optimization, backlinks, and content marketing (e.g., blogs, product descriptions). This helps drive new organic traffic to your store. Without a strong mobile website, you could miss out on customers who rely on search engines to find products.

Apps and Shopify store traffic – the indirect relationship

While apps don’t directly contribute to SEO, they can indirectly impact it:

Lower Bounce Rate on Mobile Web: If a visitor lands on your Shopify site and is redirected to your app (where they engage more), this can reduce bounce rates, which is a positive ranking signal for Google.
Brand Recognition & Direct Searches: A strong app experience can lead to more branded searches (e.g., people searching for your store name on Google), which can improve your site’s authority.
App Indexing (Limited Impact): Some app content can be indexed using Google’s Firebase App Indexing, but this is much more limited compared to a mobile website.

Shopify mobile app or mobile-friendly store: which is better?

Using a mobile website or a mobile app depends entirely on your business needs and industry. Sometimes, a well-optimized mobile website is all you need to provide a great user experience. In others, a mobile app might be the better choice. Here’s a comparison between them that helps clarify their role in your store:

Accessibility

Mobile Website: Instantly accessible via web browsers across all devices (iOS, Android, etc.), requiring no installation. This broad accessibility allows users to engage without barriers, such as downloading an app.
Mobile App: Requires downloading and installation from app stores, which can deter initial engagement due to the extra steps involved.

User experience

Mobile Website: Primarily designed for content delivery and may lack interactivity compared to apps. While responsive designs can enhance usability, they are limited by web technologies.
Mobile App: Offers a more immersive experience with access to device features like GPS and push notifications. Apps are generally more interactive and can provide personalized user experiences.

Push notification - one of the Best Features For Shopify Mobile App

Functionality

Mobile Website: Best for delivering information and basic interactions, such as filling out forms or browsing products. However, it requires an internet connection and is less capable of leveraging device hardware.
Mobile App: Designed for specific tasks, allowing users to perform complex actions and utilize device capabilities (e.g., camera, offline access). This can lead to higher engagement levels.

Cost and development time

Mobile Website: Typically less expensive and quicker to develop. Updates can be made instantly without requiring users to download new versions.
Mobile App: More costly and time-consuming to develop due to complexity. Updates require users to download new versions, which can lead to delays in user access to new features.

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Engagement metrics

Mobile Website: While effective for reaching a wider audience, they often see lower engagement metrics. Users spend significantly less time shopping on websites compared to apps—averaging 10.9 minutes per month versus 201.8 minutes for apps.
Mobile App: Higher conversion rates (up to 157% more than mobile websites) and better user retention due to enhanced functionality and user experience.

Longevity and maintenance

Mobile Website: Always available as long as the URL exists; users cannot “delete” it from their devices. This permanence can encourage repeat visits.
Mobile App: Apps often have a short lifespan on users’ devices (less than 30 days for many), which can lead to decreased engagement if the app does not provide ongoing value.

Related to how mobile apps affect shopify store traffic, If you’re deciding between investing in a mobile website or a mobile app, here are a few key questions to ask yourself:

Are the features you need so complex that they require a mobile app, or can they be handled with a website?
What’s the expected ROI of a mobile app? How does that compare to investing in a mobile website?
Who are your customers? Do they prefer using a mobile website or a mobile app?
Will your app be something users engage with daily?

In some cases, if you want to reach a wider audience, you may need to have both a mobile web and a mobile app. Mobile web is like the top of the funnel (TOFU) to attract new users and mobile app is like the bottom of the funnel (BOFU), retaining loyal customers for you.

Convert Shopify store to mobile app free with Simicart

Slower loading times and clunky navigation of mobile websites hurt sales, so you want to test the Shopify mobile app’s conversion. But custom apps and many mobile app builders require high upfront investment with no guaranteed ROI. If you are facing the same situation, we have an economical solution for you.

>> Using Simicart Shopify mobile app builder to build and launch your app for free!

Here’s why it’s the best choice:

Build App Without Coding: With a drag-and-drop interface and pre-built themes, Simicart empowers anyone to create Shopify mobile app quickly with no technical expertise.
Customize App Flexibly: Simicart offers a wide variety of design elements and in-depth brand personalization from app colors to font, allowing you to build a unique mobile experience perfectly aligned with your store’s identity.
Launch App On Google Play and App Store For Free: SimiCart allows you to publish your app on both Google Play and App Store with absolutely no costs! Plus, our dedicated support team will assist you throughout the process, ensuring a seamless and successful launch.
Enhance Engagement Effortlessly: With unlimited push notifications, Simicart helps you engage customers effectively and turn first-time visitors into loyal fans without extra marketing tools.

Why wait? Test the impact of a mobile app at zero cost and see how it transforms your Shopify store’s sales and retention!

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