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Turning your website into a mobile app is the best way to level up retention and customer LTV.
Your regular mobile users demand the speed, convenience, and presence of native apps. And brands that deliver are reaping the rewards.
The question isn’t if you need an app, but how to build it. Should you rebuild with a budget-friendly DIY tool like Twinr? Piece it together with a developer SDK like Median? Or take a faster, smarter route with a done-for-you platform like MobiLoud?
In this guide, we’ll compare all three options on cost, launch speed, retention tools, and long-term upkeep, so you can choose the best website to app platform, and launch a high-performing app that actually drives results.
A quick overview of each platform’s origins, strengths, and pricing model.
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Choosing the right mobile app builder isn't just about ticking off a box. It's about launching a mobile app that drives growth, provides a great experience for your users, and sets you up for long-term ROI.
These are the features that matter most:
Getting your app live fast means faster ROI and less engineering drag. Look for a platform that can launch production-ready apps in weeks, not months.
The best solutions don’t ask you to rebuild your site. Your existing design, UX, and content should carry over seamlessly and stay synced automatically.
Push isn’t a luxury. It’s one of the main reasons to launch an app. The right platform will make it easy to build automations, segment users, and drive repeat engagement.
You shouldn’t have to give up your existing conversion tools or UX testing capabilities. Your mobile app should mirror your optimized website design.
Mobile apps aren’t set-and-forget. They require constant maintenance to stay fast, performant and bug-free. Choose a partner that handles OS updates, app store compliance, and maintenance, so your team doesn’t have to.
Cheap up front often means expensive later. Look at the full picture: time investment, team effort, push impact, and long-term ROI.
MobiLoud delivers fully functional, App Store-ready apps in 3-4 weeks, thanks to a streamlined process managed entirely by the MobiLoud team.
There’s no rebuilding, no waiting on internal developers, and no complicated configuration.
Twinr offers instant previews through its no-code dashboard, which sounds fast; but actually launching a polished, production-ready app often takes longer due to the manual effort required to recreate navigation and UI elements.
Median, on the other hand, depends entirely on your own team. If you have developers available to implement and test their SDK, launch speed can be fairly rapid. But it varies widely, and tends to stretch out with QA and app store hurdles.
Winner: MobiLoud, for speed without compromises or dev strain.
MobiLoud stands out with a true “no-rebuild” approach. Your app is powered directly by your existing website, meaning every update to your site is instantly reflected in the app. No duplication, no delays.
This is a huge operational advantage for lean teams that want to manage one platform, not two.
Twinr, while pitched as no-code, often requires users to replicate key elements of their website into its app templates. This adds a layer of manual work every time your site changes.
Median also uses a web-view approach, but you'll still need to define and test mobile navigation separately in code, increasing complexity and ongoing maintenance.
Winner: MobiLoud, for true 1-to-1 sync and minimal overhead.
MobiLoud provides advanced integrations with OneSignal and Klaviyo, along with full support to set up segmentation, automation, and even strategy guidance. This comes on top of unlimited push notifications on all plans, and native abandoned cart push notifications on the Growth plan.
Twinr includes basic push features. Unlimited push is included on all plans, and automation/triggers are available on Premium and up. They lack integrations with third-party providers like OneSignal or Klaviyo.
Median allows for push, with integrations available for OneSignal, Adjust, Bloomreach and other tools. These integrations take a little more work to set up than with the other platforms.
Winner: Even; slight edge to MobiLoud for easier setup & implementation.
MobiLoud preserves the exact design and experience of your current site, including scripts, forms, and CRO tools.
Custom Shopify theme or headless frontend? It carries over completely. Custom features, CRO tweaks and third-party integrations all do the same. Anything you can build on the web will easily transfer over to your app, with no extra work required.
Twinr’s design is constrained by its templates. While simple to use, it often limits branding, layout freedom, and advanced interactivity, especially for dynamic sites.
It may feel more flexible for simple sites looking to build a unique app experience. But the reality is, it introduces more constraints than freedom.
Median offers more design flexibility. But full flexibility requires dev resources. You can exert more control over your app, but it comes with more effort and overhead.
Winner: MobiLoud for most businesses; Median if you have devs and want total control.
MobiLoud’s service includes ongoing updates, app store compliance, OS version support, and QA – everything you’d expect from a managed solution.
This frees your team to focus on marketing and growth, not debugging iOS edge cases or chasing Apple’s latest submission guidelines.
Twinr users are responsible for maintaining app compatibility, including reacting to OS or store policy changes. They offer ticket-based support, plus success managers on higher plans, but not proactive, managed support.
Median provides optional annual support, but day-to-day maintenance is typically your team’s responsibility. In both cases, there’s no proactive service to handle issues before they become problems.
Winner: MobiLoud, for completely removing the maintenance burden.
Twinr’s pricing looks appealing up front, especially for solopreneurs or early-stage projects. But limited functionality and manual setup often require internal time or developer work that adds hidden costs.
Median charges a high one-time license fee, ranging into five figures for enterprise. This seems like it will reduce long-term cost; but you need to factor in your own team’s dev hours to maintain the app.
MobiLoud sits in the middle in terms of upfront cost – slightly higher than Twinr, lower than Median. But the one-time setup fee and subscription cost essentially covers the whole cost of the app.
There’s much less staff hours required to manage, which means the total cost of ownership is lowest, and the pathway to ROI is fastest.
Winner: MobiLoud, for long-term ROI and fewer hidden costs.
So, which of these three approaches is the best way to convert a website into an app?
The right path depends on your resources, goals, and how much time you can realistically invest in building and maintaining an app.
Here’s the bottom line.
MobiLoud is built for founders and teams who want results without the overhead. You get a polished app, done-for-you service, and a long-term partner focused on growth – not just another self-serve tool to learn.
Median can be suitable for technical teams who want to be more hands-on with the project, and have the expertise and resources available.
Twinr, on the other hand, offers a budget-friendly option for smaller teams with simpler requirements.
But for growth-focused online brands, MobiLoud is the best option for long-term ROI.
Check out some of the brands MobiLoud has worked with here, from boutique ecommerce stores to global, high-traffic online publishers.
One of MobiLoud’s biggest advantages is how fast and simple the process is. You don’t need to rebuild your site, write a line of code, or figure out App Store submission yourself.
The entire app build is handled for you, and you can be live in just 30 days. Here’s how it works:
You can go from kickoff to launch in under a month. No rebuilds, no stress, no change to your existing workflows.
Ready to see what your site will look like as an app? Get a free preview of your app now.
With MobiLoud, no rebuild is needed. Your current website powers the app directly. Median also uses your site but requires developers to configure navigation and behavior. Twinr often requires you to rebuild views using drag-and-drop templates.
Median offers the most developer control, since you’re essentially building the app using their SDK. MobiLoud offers control where it matters – branding, push, UX – while handling technical complexity for you. Twinr has limited flexibility due to its templated approach.
Yes, but the experience varies. MobiLoud integrates with top platforms like OneSignal and Klaviyo and includes strategic help to drive real engagement. Twinr includes push, though advanced functionality is gated to higher plans. Median supports push, but implementation is fully on you.
Only MobiLoud offers true automatic syncing. Your app always reflects the latest version of your site. Twinr and Median may require manual updates, especially if you change layouts or navigation.
With MobiLoud, you don’t need to worry. Ongoing updates, compliance, and resubmissions are handled for you. Twinr and Median expect you to manage these changes yourself, unless you pay for additional support.
MobiLoud is the clear winner for non-technical teams. Everything is done for you, from app build to launch and beyond. Twinr is no-code, but still requires time and effort to configure. Median assumes you have developers available.
While Twinr has the lowest sticker price, MobiLoud delivers the best return thanks to retention tools like push, faster launch timelines, and strategic support that actually drives user engagement. Median can work well with the right dev team, but often costs more in time and resources.
By now, the choice is clear. If you're looking for a fast, low-effort way to turn your website into a powerful mobile app, with built-in push notifications, a seamless native experience, and full support from a team that does the heavy lifting, MobiLoud is the best option.
You don’t need to rebuild your site. You don’t need to manage another platform. And you don’t need to guess at how to drive results. That’s because MobiLoud is a strategic partner, not just another SaaS tool.
Ready to take the next step to launching your own mobile app?
Get a free, interactive preview of your app or book a consultation to talk through your goals, timeline, and ROI with one of our product experts. You could be live in the App Store in 30 days or less – so let’s make it happen.
