In this article
We get this question quite a bit: "When are you releasing an app?" The short, honest answer is that we probably never will. Instaustad is a website, and we intend to keep it that way.
It might seem counterintuitive in a world where every service wants a piece of your phone's home screen. But for the tools we build, a native mobile app doesn't solve a user problem — it just creates a development problem for us.
The Reality
A responsive website already does the job.
Asking Too Much
Most people use Instaustad when they have a specific need in a specific moment — like wanting to read a caption from a link someone sent them. Asking someone to open an app store, wait for a download, and install an app just for a quick lookup is completely backward. We want you to get your answer and move on, not clutter your phone.
Plus, apps ask for permissions. We don't need your camera, your location, or your contacts. Being a website is our way of proving that we only care about the link you're giving us, not tracking your device.
App Stores Move Slowly
When we fix a bug on the website, it's live for everyone instantly. If we had a native app, a bug fix would require submitting a new version to Apple or Google, waiting for a review process that can take days, and then hoping users actually update their app.
"Just making an app" sounds simple, but maintaining codebases for iOS, Android, and the web stretches a small team incredibly thin. We'd rather focus our energy on making one really excellent, fast, and reliable web tool than three mediocre versions of the same thing.
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