How Long Does It Take to Develop an App?

In today's increasingly mobile-first world, developing a mobile app is a must for your business to succeed and engage its audience. But unfortunately, if you're wondering “how long does it take to develop an app?” you won't always find a straightforward answer.

The reason is simple: effective mobile app development is so complex because no two apps are alike. The features and functionality of your app have to be adjusted to fit your business, value proposition, and audience. Your app will certainly need useful features that bring real value to users. The interface must be intuitive and welcoming, not to mention on-brand for your business. And of course, it needs to be free of bugs and updated regularly to keep up with technical requirements and user expectations.

Getting there is a months-long process, but the payoff is well worth that time investment. Mobile apps will reach more than $500 billion in global revenue this year, with user spending in app stores continuing to increase annually for the foreseeable future.  

To achieve success with a mobile app, you’ll need an app your audience loves and that aligns with your business needs—this won’t happen overnight. These two objectives help us to flesh out our question with some more detail; how long does it take to develop an app that hits all the marks for long-term, sustainable business success?

The answer to this question will depend upon which of two possible options suits you best:

1. Partnering with an app developer that links into your existing software expertise.
2. Outsourcing the entire app development process to a developer who will build it on your behalf.

Naturally, each comes with different timing considerations, so we've split the question into two parts to discuss each of these scenarios separately.

How Long Does It Take to Develop an App with Existing App Development Expertise?

When linking your existing app development expertise with an external app developer, the question of how long it takes to develop an app is difficult to answer for one simple reason: this engagement tends to be entirely customized. Consider these potential scenarios:

• You have a great app idea but have yet to actualize it
• You need help developing an app idea, though you do have the software expertise to implement it
• You're looking specifically for UX or UI app design for a technical framework you can build without assistance
• You are looking for a consultation and expertise on the architecture of the mobile app you are building
• You're looking for help in finalizing and launching the app you've built for your audience

The right app developer for your needs will be happy to partner with you on each of these scenarios. But each one will come with different timing considerations that are difficult to forecast. Instead, it's important to find a developer that can consult with you on your needs, then provide a custom estimate as a result.

How Long Does It Take to Add Mobile App Development Expertise to Your Software Team?

This is probably the most common scenario for mid-sized businesses, and it also tends to be the longest and most in-depth process. In this situation, you might have an existing software development team but need the help of an external team of mobile experts to create an app. If this is the route you pursue, expect it to take at least nine to 12 months to develop your mobile app.

Related: Custom Mobile App Development and How It Can Help Make Your Business More Successful

This might seem like a long time; however, there are a number of important steps that need to be taken for the project to be successful. The mobile app development team will immerse themselves in your software processes—from joining daily meetings, to connecting directly with developers in order to understand the larger framework in which the app will function.

During the process, the app developer will become the mobile lead of the software team for the duration of the project. That means taking the lead on questions such as:

• What is the purpose of the mobile app, and how is that purpose unique within the larger software environment of the organization?
• What app features will be most relevant and important to achieve that purpose?
• How will the app integrate into the larger digital presence of the company from an audience perspective? 

An initial design and ideation might already be in place, leading to a more open-ended process without the typical design and discovery steps that a full-service app development might take. On the other hand, design and discovery may still be at least partially done if helpful to the client.

Crucially, becoming the mobile lead for the organization also means a more equal partnership with the client's software development team. After all, 91% of consumers don't want to download an app unless they have to, which might explain why the average user downloads no new apps in an average month.

For this integration to work, expect your app developer to push back against anything that doesn't help the user experience. Simply recreating a website as a mobile app is unlikely to succeed. Instead, a strategic partner will assist in creating a unique app with its own value proposition designed to fulfill audience needs. This is a further reason for the longer timeframe  of this process.

How Long Does it Take to Develop an App as a Startup?

If you are looking to create a product from scratch without existing internal software development expertise, expect it to take about five to nine months to develop your mobile app.

Even though a wide range of variables can affect the length of this project, this is the most streamlined app development process. You'll need to go through a few defined stages to ensure that the final product will appeal to your audience, follow best practices, and launch with the greatest possible chance of success. 

Step 1: Design and Discovery (4-6 Weeks)

Few startups come to the developer without any ideas for their app. But at the same time, those ideas are only the starting point on the road toward the creation of a fantastic app. Once you have a general idea, it's time to engage a developer for the initial design and discovery process.

This step is the app’s foundation. It starts with the refinement of the idea, followed by low-fidelity wireframes to outline what it might look like in a real-world environment. This is also when you'll get a more formal idea of the tech build plan and the cost of the app development.

The final part of this step is a click-through prototype that can load on a phone. It's the first time you'll be able to show the app to potential members of your target audience and get feedback.

From there, you'll be faced with a choice: take the plan and build it through another app developer, or stick with the same developer that you have partnered with to date. The choice is yours, but sticking with the same developer can help expedite the process by leveraging the existing expertise gained from the design and discovery stage in the actual build.

Step 2: Project Build (3-6 Months)

This is when the coding work starts. A prototype can give you initial ideas of where the product needs to go, which will inform the building process. The time to completion can change significantly based on a few important factors:

• The complexity and number of features in the app
• The number of platforms on which the app should launch—developing an Android app alone will be faster than building a parallel version for iOS at the same time
• The tech stack on which the app will be built

The way your developer approaches the app build also matters. A traditional 'waterfall' development philosophy may seem more streamlined at first, thanks to a linear process in which every step creates another piece of the app. But in reality, an agile development process can actually save your project time through its more flexible approach, which is why 71% of U.S. businesses now use that agile approach.

Related: How to Develop an App Idea: A Step-by-Step Guide

Because of that popularity, we will assume that your app developer embraces an agile framework. In that case, you can expect frequent check-ins during the process, including the development of multiple MVPs to test if the product is on the right track. That also means the project timeline may shift dynamically to ensure the best possible app within your set deadline.

Step 3: Launch Prep and Execution (2-4 Weeks)

Once the product is built, you still need to devote enough time to quality control and launch optimization. An agile process with frequent testing throughout the build can reduce the complexity of this step, but it remains important nonetheless.

First comes the testing. That includes putting your near-final product in front of your audience to iron out any bugs or website performance issues that may cause them to abandon it. 

It also includes ensuring that your mobile app follows all relevant guidelines for the app store on which you will upload it. Finally, it includes app store optimization—the process of making your app as findable and engaging as possible to prompt user downloads.

Once the app launches, you can expect periodic light maintenance, either with your app developer, your own team, or a maintenance developer you've hired. 

4 Tips to Speed Up the Development of A Mobile App

The answer to how long it takes to develop an app can vary, but certain steps are crucial if you want the product to succeed. Still, a few things can help you streamline the process even further without compromising on quality, as you work with an external development partner:

1. Be strategic from the start. Ground your idea in audience research, and be able to make the case as to why your app should be separate from your website.
2. Be open to external input. A custom app developer will push back when ideas need refinement or will be unpopular with audiences. The more open you are to this process, the faster the build can go.
3. Be ready for frequent communication. Especially when working with a developer that embraces an agile workflow, regular check-ins and ad-hoc conversations will be necessary to avoid delays and keep the project on track.
4. Be prepared to set feedback loops. Avoid delays that could come from not involving the right people at the right time. Whether decisions need to be made on the direction of the app or individual features and audience feedback, have the people who need to chime in and make the call ready to do so.

And of course, it pays to work with an app development company that wants the app to succeed as much as you do. The above timings are estimates based on our experience with clients in different industries and business sizes, and we'd love to bring that expertise and experience to your project as well. 

App development takes time. But when you work with Milo Mobile, that time will be well-spent on an app that will engage your audience and help you succeed. Ready to get started? Contact us today to discuss how we can help you craft a custom mobile app to give both you and your customers what you need.