One issue that mobile apps have is that they can be installed and uninstalled very quickly. Unlike a website, which marketers are in control of, an app is controlled by the mobile user themselves. That prime real estate on a users smartphone or tablet is a great way of keeping a brand or service at the forefront of customers minds, but once it is relegated to the app graveyard, or worse still deleted all together, there’s little you can do.

There are of course a huge variety of reasons why people uninstall apps, but Utest has come up with the top five reasons based on their observations of testing mobile apps. Read them before you build an app and you could save yourself a lot of heartache…

Freezing or crashing
There really isn’t anything more frustrating than an app that constantly freezes, crashes or hangs, no surprise then that it’s the number one reason why users bin mobile apps. It often happens when a new update is launched, but when reviews going back months complain of similar issues there’s little stopping users from getting rid. Reassuringly, a recent study found that 79% of users would retry an app once or twice if it failed to work the first time. But, only 16% will give it more than two attempts. Mobile developers should test their apps, identify the cause, and make fixing the bug a top priority in order to avoid a mass exodus.

Intuition
The whole point of an app is to make life easier or more enjoyable, so if it accomplishes neither it’s unlikely to be a popular choice. Usability is key here, the aim of the app might well be an easier or more enjoyable life, but if using it causes frustration or is a complex, time-consuming experience then it defeats the object. Keeping navigation simple and easy, ensuring buttons and icons are big enough to tap and that it’s obvious what they’re for will all help.

Security
A hot topic at the moment, if a users believes an app is collecting personal information, without there consent it’ll very quickly be resigned to the bin. There’s been a lot of debate and discussion on this one in the last few years and whilst technically it may be legal to access a users calender or collect data from their address book or GPS information, users simply don’t like it.

The mobile web version’s easier
Though it’s now pretty rare, some apps just don’t perform as well as the mobile web version. With the time and money invested into websites and the advent of HMTL5 and responsive web design it’s easy to see why some mobile apps make take a back seat.

Optimisation
This one is a particular bug-bear for tablet users, who find that smartphone apps are simply ‘ported’, limiting user experience. Whilst it’s a cheaper option than redeveloping an app for bigger screens it harms the apps credentials and frustrates users.