App Development Timeline: How Long Does It Take To Make an App?

Mobile applications drive continual market transformation by addressing consumer and business activity. With 3.96 billion active mobile app users worldwide, it is indisputable that businesses require the same amount of attention as in the past. You might be concerned about how long it takes to make an app. Consequently, it is time to investigate each variable that could affect the mobile app development process.

Understanding the benefits of having a mobile app for your business can increase your likelihood of getting started. Typically, enterprises and startups inquire about the process and cost of app development. Nonetheless, we are now moving on to another key aspect: the schedule for developing an application, the required resources, and all the effort involved. Accordingly, the topic today is: how long does it take to make an app?

I. How Much Time Does It Take To Develop an App?

1. The Time Needed for Scope Definition and Requirements

Scope and requirements gathering is the initial phase in the development of any application.

You wish to record the app’s feature list and develop its precise requirements and scope. If you are skilled, you can develop a tiny app in one to two weeks, a medium-sized app in two to three weeks, and a large app in four to five weeks. Wondering how long does it take to make an app? You will need to evaluate the market and determine which features are essential for your mobile application.

Small App

1-2 weeks

Mid Size App

2-3 weeks

Big Size App

3-4 weeks

2. How Long Does It Take To Make an App: Complete UI/UX Design?

The design is the most important aspect of designing a mobile application.

The procedure necessitates the creation of wireframes for the mobile application based on the requirements, as well as their review and modification. After wireframes are completed, the graphical user interface design for the application must be finalized, including font, color, theme, and graphics. Completing UI/UX design is essential when thinking about how long it takes to make an app.

This approach requires 3–4 weeks for a simple app, 6-7 weeks for a medium-sized app, and 9–10 weeks for a larger app design process involving multiple UI and UX specialists.

Small App

2-3 weeks

Mid Size App

5-6 weeks

Big Size App

9-10 weeks

3. How Long Do App Development and Testing Take?

Most startups and individuals want to develop applications with as many features as possible. The feature list and the style of the company will determine the time it takes to develop the app. You will need to develop both the mobile application and its backend. All development, including iOS App, Android App, and the backend, should occur simultaneously.

A smaller version can be completed in 2 months, a medium-sized app may take between three and three-and-a-half months, and a large app may take between 5 and 6 months. This requires technical architecture, UI programming, backend configuration, functional implementation, integration, and testing. During this procedure, you should have 5-10 alpha testers.

Small App

6-7 weeks

Mid Size App

14-15 weeks

Big Size App

20-22 weeks

4. How Much Time Is Required To Do Beta Testing and Deployment?

Once your software has been fully constructed, you should do beta testing to identify any remaining flaws. Beta testing might take anywhere from one to three weeks, depending on the size of the app.

Ensure you have a list of beta testers prepared, and test the product very aggressively to finish it.

Small App

1 week

Mid Size App

2 weeks

Big Size App

3 weeks

II. 4 Efficient Ways to Accelerate the App Development Process

1. Devote Time to Partner Communication

Communication occupies the majority of the app development process. Prepare for an upsurge in Slack messages and Zoom meetings as soon as you begin a relationship with an outsourced partner.

It is unavoidable. You are the one who participates in the final decision-making, so by reacting quickly and expressing your opinion clearly and on time, you save yourself time. Firms wonder how long it takes to make an app. You should spend time on communication.

2. Focus on Core Value and Start With MVP

There are two techniques to develop the application. You can attempt to develop all of the desired features with minimal effort, or you can deliver minimal features to maximum quality. I recommend you take option two.

Especially if your objective is to launch quickly, the solution is straightforward: develop a minimum viable product (MVP). Minimizing features and concentrating on a product’s fundamental value will always expedite shipping. Don’t be afraid to reserve certain features or customizations for future app releases.

These are the actions you can do to expedite the app development process. However, you are not the only factor that determines the speed. This is what your development business can offer you in return, and it’s what we do every day at Adamo Software.

3. Contact With the Correct in Charge Person

Instead of including the entire team in meetings and creating a large number of group chats, we’ve assigned a single person to be in charge of communication. Typically, it is a product manager or a solution architect. They keep you informed of the project’s status, any modifications, delays, or obstacles, and keep you on track with everything.

We do this to prevent mess. You, as a stakeholder, have a single point of contact for any project-related questions, clarifications, and updates. It saves so much time and reduces misunderstandings.

4. Meet Business Goals and Say “No” When Necessary

Throughout the projects, I’ve observed that knowing how to engage with stakeholders effectively is both a skill and an art. At Adamo Software, we never focus just on completing tasks. Instead, we collaborate with our customers.

If the client’s goal is to quickly test the idea, we do all possible to achieve this. Occasionally, saying “no” to certain ideas is a part of this process. We make extra efforts to keep our clientele apprised of the final objective. It may not be immediately apparent, but communicating correctly and having the business objective in mind will save you time.

III. Wrap-Up: So, How Long Does It Take To Make an App?

When you approach an outsourcing company for assistance with app development and inquire, “How long does it take to make an app?” You are aware of what to anticipate. 7 to 12 months is the usual time required to produce an app, including the phases of Discovery, Design & Development, and Pre-launch.

We discovered that the size of a team does not necessarily correlate with a shorter app development schedule. Nonetheless, there is always a method to accelerate the procedure.

If you have already conducted research or possess sufficient market knowledge, we can skip the Research and Validation phases. Design and Development are vital components, and the most efficient time-saving approaches involve improved communication. If you want to know how long it takes to make an app? Contact us.

Adamo Software is one of the premier software development companies in Vietnam. By utilizing the most up-to-date IT technology, our devoted developers bring the ideas of start-ups and SMEs to reality.

With extensive experience in more than 50 offshore outsourcing software development projects, we employ a quality-driven methodology. It employs innovative technical expertise to provide fast, valuable, and innovative solutions. Adamo’s customer-centric business model enables us to safeguard clients’ key values.