“Developing an app can surely be a complex and time-consuming process, but it’s worth it when you see the finished product.” so, let’s get started to understand – How long does it take to make an app?
Today, it has become essential for businesses to have a mobile app. With millions of people using smartphones and tablets, your unique app idea might have a vast potential market. Mobile apps constantly accelerate change in the marketplace, addressing customers and business operations.
The demand and revenue for mobile applications in the business landscape will reach USD 613 billion by 2025, according to Statista. Therefore, it’s high time to look closely at every possible factor that impacts the mobile app development time and process.
In this blog post, we’ll break down app development time and how established businesses or early-stage start-ups can save time & cost in the mobile app development timeline & process.
So read on to find out more!
When it comes to app development, one of the most important questions you probably have is – “What is the average time to develop an App? Right?
Well, the answer isn’t as simple as you might think. It all depends on several factors, such as the type and complexity of the App, the number of features you want to include, your budget, and more.
Generally speaking, it takes four to six months to develop a simple mobile app. But if you’re looking to create a more complex app with multiple features, it could take up to a year or even longer.
Of course, the time it takes to develop an app also depends on the size and experience of your development team. A small team of experienced developers can usually build an app quicker than a large team of inexperienced developers.
So, today let’s break down time for every stage of App development.
Let’s get started!
The mobile app development timeline depends on various stages of the app development process. The average app development time of an Android app is about 16 to 18 weeks and the average time to make an app is about 20 to 22 weeks.
So, these are the stages of the mobile app development process; let’s dive into it.
The first and foremost step is to come up with an initial idea. You might have one idea that can change the world, but you might not know how to start with it.
So every business needs to discuss the idea with a team of professionals who can help turn that idea into a reality and get their feedback on it.
This step will answer the questions like –
This whole process depends on the one-to-one discussion therefore, it might take up to 2 weeks and a minimum of 1 week to get your answers.
After getting all the answers, you can move to the next step, i.e., market research.
Conducting market research is a very important initial stage to creating a shared understanding of the market.
It gives you an overview of your target audience, problems, user expectations, market competition, and what your App’s success should look like.
This usually involves sub-stages such as:
These sub-stages can take anywhere from 1 to 2 weeks, depending on the size and scope of your project.
It will also help you understand what type of App you want to build – at this stage, you can choose either iOS or Android when developing a Native or Hybrid app.
Native apps are developed specifically for one platform and take full advantage of all the platform’s features. At the same time, hybrid apps are developed for multiple platforms and can run on a web view as well.
Strategic planning is crucial to developing a roadmap for your app development journey. This will include setting your App’s goals, objectives, and KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). It will help you understand what needs to be done and when it needs to be done.
This stage also includes some sub-stages that are as follows –
So how long does it take to build an app? This whole strategic process can take anywhere from a minimum of up to one week to a maximum of up to two weeks.
Once you are done with your strategic planning and preparing the roadmap, you can move to the next stage, i.e., wireframing.
A wireframe is a low-fidelity visual representation of your App’s proposed features and screens. It is important to bring your App to life first and then understand how it will work in the future.
Visual representation of your App will help you determine the type of layout, hierarchy, and navigational structure it will have before starting with the actual development process.
This stage also includes some sub-stages such as:
This whole wireframing process can take anywhere from a minimum of up to two weeks to a maximum of up to four weeks.
The UX and UI design in mobile apps improve the user experience that interacts with and influences the users. User experience (UX) is how users interact with and feel about your App. On the other hand, the User interface (UI) is what users see when they use your App.
The design part will establish the look and feel of your App, i.e., how your App will look, what colors to use, typography, etc.
This stage also includes some sub-stages such as:
This whole design process can take around 2 to 4 weeks, depending on the number of pages, features, and integrations involved.
Now that we’ve completed all the essential stages of mobile app development, it’s time to start with the actual development process.
Now hire iOS developers and they will start coding the frontend and backend of your App according to UI/UX designs and wireframes.
Front-end development deals with your App’s design, layout, and interactivity. And backend development is all about the database, server-side scripts, and APIs.
This stage also includes some sub-stages such as:
if you calculate the app development process time can take around 3 to 4 weeks for a simple app and up to 7 to 8 weeks for a complex app with multiple features and integrations.
Testing is one of the most crucial stages of mobile app development as it ensures the quality of your App. It is essential to test your App at every stage of development to avoid any errors, bugs, or issues.
This stage also includes some sub-stages such as:
The testing process can take around 2 to 3 weeks for a simple app and up to four weeks for a complex app.
The development team will work on fixing any bugs, errors, or issues with the testing results. Once all the bugs are fixed, your App is ready to be launched! It will then be submitted to google play or the app store, depending on the platform.
After you’ve developed an app, the next step is to get it published in one of your preferred app stores. There are two leading app marketplaces, Google Play Store and Apple App Store. Apple’s and Google’s approval processes take time in submission & review, so you must be patient and follow some guidelines, such as:
Play Store will review it by a mix of Human and Automated auditors. This review process usually takes between 24 and 48 hours. Your App will appear on the Google Play Store a few hours after approval.
Apple App Store will take a little longer to review your App. It usually takes 24 to 48 hours for simple apps and up to two weeks for more complex apps with many features. Your App will appear on the App Store within 24 hours of approval.
Once you get approval for your App, it will be available for download in the app store. And that’s it! You’ve successfully launched your mobile App.
The most time-consuming stage in mobile app development is the design phase. This is where developers work on the user interface and experience of the App.
They have to ensure that the App is easy to use and navigate while also ensuring that it looks good. This can take several weeks or even months to get right.
After the design phase, the next most time-consuming stage is the development phase. This is where the code for the App is actually written. Developers have to consider all of the features the App needs to have and make sure that they are coded correctly. This stage can also take several weeks to complete.
The last stage of mobile app development is the testing phase. In this stage, developers test the App to ensure it works correctly on all devices and in all conditions.
They also have to ensure that there are no bugs or glitches in the App. This stage can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.
Overall, it can take several months to develop a mobile app. However, the time it takes can vary depending on the App’s complexity and the development team’s experience.
The most common answer to this question is “It depends.” Since it is a human-centric task heavily reliant on people’s skills, experience, and time availability – it is impossible to give a single definite answer.
But, with the experience of our team at Arka Softwares, we can give you some insights into the expected delays.
One of the first and most important steps is communication between a client and an agency. Whatever time we take into consideration, in reality, communication might often take longer.
Why?
Because it’s not that easy to explain your idea verbally, it can be challenging for a client to understand the mobile app development process and all the necessary steps involved.
To avoid miscommunications, we always recommend our clients use some kind of project management tools like Jira, Trello, or Asana to track the progress of their project and provide clear requirements.
The most significant delays often happen in the middle of the project when people’s opinions and ideas change. Allowing for some flexibility is essential, but it would help if you tried to avoid making changes in the middle of the project because it can significantly prolong the development process and increase costs.
So, It’s better to be sure about your project requirements and ideas before starting the calculate app development process time to avoid delays
Including emerging technologies like AR, VR, Beacons, iBeacons, etc., can increase the development time because these technologies are still fresh and require additional research and development.
If you want to include some of these new technologies in your project, be prepared for long delays and a higher budget.
Depending on the industry you’re in, there might be specific regulations and standards that need to be met. This can add extra time to your project, as your development team will need to research and comply with these standards.
So, if you’re looking to develop a mobile app for a regulated industry, such as healthcare, finance, or automotive – be prepared for some delays.
Now that you know some of the main factors impacting your App development timeline let’s look at how you can speed up the process.
If you want to get your project management done quickly and efficiently, hiring an experienced development team is essential. A team of professionals will know how to avoid common mistakes and delays, so they can get your project done in a shorter time.
Agile methodology is a popular way to speed up the development process by breaking down the project into smaller parts and working on them concurrently. This way, you can launch your App faster and start getting feedback from users sooner.
In some cases, you can use pre-built components to speed up your development process. This is especially helpful if you’re building a simple App with no complex features. Using pre-built components can avoid starting from scratch, saving you a lot of time.
Automated testing is a great way to speed up your development process by catching errors and bugs early on. This can save you a lot of time in the long run, as you won’t need to go back and fix them later. It also helps in improving the security of the mobile application.
Arka Softwares is one of the leading mobile app development companies in Dallas with 10+ years of experience in the industry. We are well known for providing high-quality solutions to our clients as per their requirements.
We have a team of skilled and experienced professionals who are experts in the latest technologies and trends and can offer comprehensive solutions for your project.
At Arka, we have served many startups and global brands in different industries and understand time vs. cost considerations for each project. Our development process is flexible and efficient, and we always work toward meeting our client’s deadlines.
Now you know the answer to the question – how long does it take to develop an iOS or Android App? You know what to expect. And depending on the factors discussed in this blog, you may correlate the time and cost of development for your own mobile app project.
Before moving any further, you must remember there is no one-size-fits-all approach to app development. The average time to develop an app with Research, Design & Development, and Pre-launch stages is around 3 – 4 months.
If you want to get your project done quickly and efficiently, hire an experienced and reputed mobile app development company like Arka Softwares. We have a team of over 100+ professionals who are experts in their field and can help you get your project done on time and within your budget.
Contact us today for a free consultation!
This is the end of the blog post. Thank you for reading! We hope you enjoyed it and found it informative. We would love to hear from you!
Jeeto11
The app quickly earned over 1,000 downloads within two months of launch, and users have responded positively. ARKA Softwares boasted experienced resources who were happy to share their knowledge with the internal team.
Archithrones
While the development is ongoing, the client is pleased with the work thus far, which has met expectations. ARKA Softwares puts the needs of the client first, remaining open to feedback on their work. Their team is adaptable, responsive, and hard-working.
Service Provider
I started my project with Arka Softwares because it is a reputed company. And when I started working with them for my project, I found out that they have everything essential for my work. The app is still under development and but quite confident and it will turn out to be the best.
