How long does it take to build an app?

A simple app takes about 8 to 12 weeks to build, a mid-complexity app 3 to 5 months, and a complex platform 6 to 9 months or more. Those timelines include planning, design, development, testing and app store submission. Most business apps we build land between 6 and 16 weeks, because the first version is scoped around the features that matter for launch.

Timelines slip for predictable reasons, and nearly all of them are decisions, not code. Here's where the time goes and how to keep it from stretching.

Timelines by type of app

Rough ranges from real projects:

• Simple app, 8 to 12 weeks: a handful of screens, user accounts, one core feature, a basic admin. Think a booking app for one business, or a companion app for an existing service.

• Mid-complexity app, 3 to 5 months: several user types, payments, notifications, integrations with other systems, a proper admin panel. Most e-commerce, delivery and service marketplace apps sit here.

• Complex platform, 6 to 9 months or more: real-time features, multiple apps (customer, provider, admin), heavy integrations, compliance requirements, or AI at the core.

These assume a small, experienced team working steadily. A single freelancer takes longer. A huge team doesn't always go faster, because coordination has its own cost.

Where the time goes, phase by phase

Every app goes through the same phases, whether the team names them or not.

Discovery: 1 to 3 weeks

Deciding what the first version does, who uses it, and what's left out. It feels slow. It's the phase that saves the most time later, because every question answered here is a question not answered by rebuilding something.

Design: 2 to 4 weeks

Screen designs and a clickable prototype you can tap through on your phone. Design often overlaps with the start of development, since backend work doesn't depend on colours and fonts.

Development: 6 to 20 weeks

The biggest block. Good teams deliver in one or two week cycles and show you working software each time, so you can react early instead of at the end.

Testing: 2 to 3 weeks, plus ongoing

Testing happens throughout, but there's a focused stretch at the end on real devices: cheap Android phones, older iPhones, slow networks. This is where most "it worked on my phone" surprises get caught.

Store submission: a few days to 2 weeks

Apple typically reviews apps within a day or two, though first submissions can bounce back with questions. On Google Play, new personal developer accounts must run a closed test with at least 12 testers for 14 days before going public, so start that during development, not after.

What a 12-week project looks like

Here's a typical plan for a mid-sized business app with customer accounts, bookings, payments and a small admin panel:

• Weeks 1 and 2: discovery. Users, flows, scope and a list of what's out.

• Weeks 2 to 4: design and a clickable prototype. Backend setup starts in parallel.

• Weeks 4 to 10: development in two-week cycles, each ending with a build you can install and try.

• Weeks 10 and 11: focused testing on real devices, fixes, and store listings.

• Week 12: submission, review and launch, with the Google Play closed test already running since week 8.

Notice the overlaps. Design and backend run together, and store testing starts before the app is finished. That overlap is how good teams keep projects short without rushing any single phase.

What makes app projects run late

In our experience, delays come from a short list:

• Slow feedback. If each design round waits a week for approval, a 3-week design phase becomes 8.

• Scope that grows quietly. "Can we just add..." five times is a new month of work.

• Integrations with older systems. Connecting to a legacy ERP or a vendor with poor documentation is the most common technical surprise.

• Content that arrives late. Product photos, legal text, pricing and translations often turn up after the code is ready.

• Third-party approvals. Payment gateway onboarding, WhatsApp template approvals and business verification can each take days to weeks.

None of these are about developers typing slower. They're about decisions and dependencies.

The fix is mostly planning. Ask your team, in week one, for a list of everything they need from you and by when: content, accounts, approvals, sample data. Then treat that list as seriously as the build plan.

How to launch sooner

A few habits consistently shorten projects:

• Cut the first version hard. Launch with the flows that prove the idea and make money. Everything else goes on a list for version two.

• Name one decision-maker on your side, with time set aside each week.

• Start slow approvals on day one: developer accounts, payment gateway onboarding, domain and email setup.

• Use cross-platform development, so iOS and Android ship together from one codebase.

• Consider launching as a web app first if speed matters more than being in the stores. Our post on web app vs mobile app covers when that works.

How timeline and cost are related

Time is the biggest driver of cost, because most of an app's budget is people's time. A 10-week app with a team of three costs roughly half what a 20-week app with the same team costs.

That's why cutting scope is the most effective way to cut both. Our guide to app development cost has the price ranges for each type of app.

Questions about app development timelines

Can an app be built in a month?

A very simple app or a prototype can be built in four to six weeks, if the scope is tight and decisions come quickly. Most business apps with payments, accounts and an admin panel need longer to be built and tested properly.

Why do app projects take longer than quoted?

Usually because scope grows during the project, feedback takes longer than planned, or integrations turn out harder than expected. A detailed scope and a weekly review rhythm prevent most delays.

Does building for iOS and Android double the time?

Not with cross-platform frameworks like Flutter or React Native, which build both from one codebase. Separate native apps take noticeably longer and cost more.

How long does app store approval take?

Apple usually reviews within one or two days. Google Play review is often similar, but new personal developer accounts need a 14-day closed test with at least 12 testers first.

Get a timeline for your app

Tell us what you want to build and when you'd like to launch. Our web and app development team will send a written scope with a realistic timeline and a fixed price.