If it's a web app, and you don't need/want the app store distribution, then you probably want to build it as a web app and market it as such. The app store itse

If it's a web app, and you don't need/want the app store distribution, then you probably want to build it as a web app and market it as such. The app store itself is not much of a marketing tool unless you are already very popular. But then if it has no app store presence, how would you charge the user? I might build a few more features around the web service approach to take advantage of the rapid deployment benefit you mention, but probably not as a full blown web app. I don't know of any app doing the latter, but I'm not surprised if there is.