Ask Lemmy

Sites, but it's just fedia and reddit for the most part. Exceptions are YouTube, mail, and calendar.

Most companies aren't allocating nearly enough funds to their website teams for responsive web pages that using their apps is a better experience, and that's by design.

But to clearly summarize your question, apps unless they are just a web app in a app container (looking at you Farmer's insurance)

Websites. I hate apps. I hate them trying to glean data from me, I hate then trying to shove ads down my throat while I'm already buying shit from them. I hate how I have to open a new app for everything instead of just another tab. I hate that many are tied solely to apps on my phone and refuse to use those platforms. I want to use my computer instead sometimes. Sometimes I don't want to tippy tap on a small screen. I hate apps with a passion, they are a fucking blight more often than not.

If its open source and privacy respecting then I'll use the app. If its not and I have to use the service then website

I've recently cleaned up my Android phone and switched from apps to websites where possible and it's a surprisingly good experience!

Most apps these days seem to be web browser wrappers ether way. Firefox on Android allows to turn any page into a self contained instance (like an app) which is very convenient. I can also install Ublock Origin to block ads and other firefox addons which is amazing. In particular I use addon called Stylus to adjust styling of some pages.

It definitely feels like we're going full circle now: early desktop apps -> web browser -> smartphones launch native apps -> back to web browser The only thing holding back web browsers is Apple purposefully breaking the web to protect their 30% appstore cut.

I have too many fucking apps on my phone already. I'd much rather use websites.

I usually just use the website in a mobile browser as I generally avoid websites that require an app. It's an unnecessary waste of space when the website could just work in a mobile browser but some developers, whether it's because of incompetence or it's actually intentional, either limit what features are available in mobile browsers or just make the website not work at all.

Apps I can't handle websites on my phone

Uhaul wanted me to download their app to return a truck after hours. I will at most use uhaul once a year, but I'm not moving more frequently than that. In cases like that I'll use websites. Same goes for restaurants and other stores

Most of the time it's the same thing.
I typically use apps if it's something I'll want to open on my own, and website for things I only ever open if I'm sent a link to it

I try to use mobile web versions saved as an app shortcut. When you install a real app it usually comes with a bunch of permissions needed and trackers collecting your info in the background. Bad for privacy and battery life. Classyshark helps scan the trackers and a firewall can disable wifi access on app by app basis but thats a lot more trouble than just not installing a bunch if junk apps.The exception is that I trust open source software from fdroid with a public github repo.

Mostly mobile web for everything, apps for a couple of restaurants/groceries and for tickets to concerts because that is unavoidable at this time.

For Lemmy, website.

Apps 💯

Mix of both. Messengers, Mastodon and YouTube, mostly apps (except when I want to listen to YT in the background). Maps and games, also apps. But for Lemmy I use the web frontend because I haven't yet found a convincing app and the web frontend is good enough.

I use a lot of web apps on my iPhone. Like for memos the moememos app adds nothing…

I still need to use Reddit for one particular subreddit and more I'm annoyed the mobile web version has been taken away.

I use the mobile versions instead of apps, largely because it's easier to block ads and better for one's privacy.

I hate using apps for things that could be websites, to the point that I don't use certain kinds of services that are app-only (e.g. e-scooter rentals).

Desktop websites. Mobile sites are just garbage.

Websites wherever possible.

I will fight the dark patterns trying to manipulate me into using the app also.

If I cannot do anything without the app I will not use said service.

Something I use infrequently: website 10/10 times

It’s only if I use something almost daily that I’ll install an app for it.

I might use an app, but when the app is just a browser with no additional effort, that enrages me

I mostly use websites in order to use ad blockers and many apps use far more storage than necessary. I mostly use apps when they have functionality that I want that the website is missing or when the app just offers a significantly better experience than the website.

Apps for things I use frequently. Websites are just inefficient in general.

I usually use apps but I still block the creepy tracking and stuff with DNS and disable location permissions.

The website, I prefer to switch on the desktop site than using an app. Only exceptions? FOSS apps that are on F-droid

Website.

The only exceptions are imdb

YouTube when on mobile

Gmail app when on mobile

Other then that use the website. If the company is too stupid to fix their website and make it use standards so it supports normal browsers and not just one specific browser, then I just don’t go there

I hate apps with a passion, desktop version is almost always better unless it's a shit website like tiktok or "x".

YouTube desktop has always been better than mobile for instance.

Usually apps.

Right now I'm trying Instagram and Facebook as website shortcuts. I watch reels on Instagram and people send event invites on Facebook (birthdays and whatnot) but I don't like having them installed. The reels scrolling fucks up very often but otherwise it's fine.

In the end I don't know why I'm bothering, since I use messenger with a few people and I can't seem to use that without an app (or going to my PC every time).

I very rarely adopt apps anymore, most of what I do with my phone is in Firefox or the default utilities.

Most apps invoke my inner Dennis Reynolds.