If you run an online business, you probably know you need a mobile app. As Prof. Scott Shane wrote in Entrepreneur last year, “having a web presence alone is no longer sufficient.” People rely on their smartphones more every day, doing everything from ordering their coffee to paying their bills from their mobile devices. As our lives converge in the palms of our hands, consumers expect the brands with which they interact to offer seamless, easy-to-use mobile experiences.

But business owners can get skittish around the idea of building an app. They’re not sure where to begin or how much it will cost, so they end up delaying this important decision.…