Website or custom web application?
How to tell whether your organization needs a website or a purpose-built application.
Start with the need, not the technology
A successful digital project begins with your goals, users, content, and operational needs — not a visual trend or a particular technology.
In general, choose a website when the primary need is to inform, build trust, improve discoverability, collect inquiries, accept donations, or support booking.
Consider a custom application when…
- Users need to sign in and manage accounts
- You need to manage organization-specific data or workflows
- People need personalized dashboards or portals
- You need reporting that no off-the-shelf tool provides
- Scheduling or program processes are complex and specialized
A note on responsibility
A custom application creates additional security and maintenance responsibilities. It should include risk assessment, access controls, logging, monitoring, and tested recovery procedures. If you only need information, contact, giving, or straightforward booking, a well-designed website is often the simpler and better choice.
This guide is provided for general information and is not legal, tax, or compliance advice. Specific requirements depend on your organization and jurisdiction.
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