Insights · 5 min read
How long does it take to build an app?
By Austin Hunter ·
The honest answer is "it depends on scope," but that isn't much use when you're planning a launch. Here's how the time actually breaks down, from a small studio that ships its own apps and builds them for clients.
Typical timelines
| Project | What it usually is | Typical time to launch |
|---|---|---|
| Focused MVP | One core workflow, sign-in, payments if needed | About 14 days of build time |
| First full version | Several user types, admin screens, a few integrations | A few weeks to a few months, in milestones |
| Larger business system | Dashboards, documents, integrations with existing systems | Several months, delivered in stages |
Those are build times once the scope is agreed. The calendar time around them is often what surprises people.
What adds time people forget
- Decisions: waiting on feedback, content or approvals is the most common delay, and it's on the client side.
- App store review: Apple and Google review new apps before release. A new Google Play developer account also has to run a closed test with real testers for 14 days before it can publish to everyone.
- Developer accounts: setting up Apple and Google accounts in your organization's name can take days, sometimes longer for verification.
- Integrations: getting access and test credentials for other systems (payments, accounting, an existing database) can take longer than the integration itself.
- Content and data: writing copy, gathering photos and migrating old records.
How to get to launch faster
- Cut the first version to the one workflow that proves the idea. Everything else goes on a list for version two.
- Name one person who can make decisions quickly.
- Start developer-account and store paperwork on day one, in parallel with the build.
- Prefer a web app or one cross-platform codebase over two native apps when the app doesn't need special device features.
Getting a real estimate
A timeline is only as good as the scope behind it. Send us who the users are, the must-have features and your deadline, and we'll come back with a fixed price and a schedule we can stand behind.