When you are planning to invest in mobile app development, one common question that may arise from your mind is how long does it take to build a mobile app? And there is not an accurate answer for this query because time of completing app development may vary based on the mobile app features, technology, complexity and team. In this blog, let us discuss the app development timeline, and factors that impact the app development.

Mobile App Development Timeline

Understanding the timeline of mobile app development is primarily important. On average, for simple apps with basic features it may take two to three months for app development. And complex apps, with advanced features may need more time for planning, development, testing, and deployment. Here is a general breakdown,

Simple mobile apps may take 2 to 3 months for completion
Medium complexity apps may take 3 to 6 months
Complex mobile apps can take 6 to 9+ months for development time

Main Stages of Mobile App Development

1. App Development Idea and Planning

App development idea and planning is the primary stage in mobile app development and it may take one to two weeks. Proper planning helps for a smooth development process and to avoid over cost for successful app development. This phase contains,

Market research
Competitor analysis
Defining target audience
Finalizing features

2. UI/UX Design

One of the most important stages in mobile app development is Designing and it may take two to three weeks to complete. Design is an important role for improving user engagement. A well designed mobile app helps to enhance usability and retention. During UI/UX design stage,

Wireframes are created
App flow is designed
UI mockups are developed

3. App Development

App development is the important stage and coding work can be done and this may take two to six months for completion. And also app development completion time may vary based on app complexity and features added. In this app development stage works includes,

Frontend development for user interface
Backend development work for server, database, APIs
Features will be integrated

4. Testing and Quality Assurance

Before launching the app, the testing stage may take two to four weeks for completing quality checking. Proper testing helps to provide a smooth user experience and also helps for avoiding post launch problems. In testing some of the works are,

Bug fixing
Performance testing
Security checks
Device compatibility testing

5. Deployment and Launch

After testing is completed, Deployment and launching is the final stage of the app development process. And approval time for iOS apps will take more due to strict review guidelines. In deployment and launching stage mobile app is submitted to app stores like,

Google play store for Android
App store for iOS

Factors That Affect App Development Time

1. App Complexity

The complexity of the app is the important factor that affects app development time. The more complexity of an app will take more time for app development completion.

Simple apps contains features like login, basic UI, and limited features
Medium apps may contain features like payment integration, APIs, and dashboards
Complex apps that contain real time features, AI, and chat systems.

2. Number of Features Added

Another important factor is features that can impact the app development time. Adding more features takes more time to complete the app development. Some of the features like,

Push notifications
Payment gateways
GPS tracking
Chat option

3. Platform Used For App Development

Cross-platform frameworks help to reduce time for app development by using a single codebase for multiple platforms. The platform you choose also impacts the timeline,

Native apps using Android and iOS platforms may take more time for app development
For Cross platform apps using Flutter and React Native helps for completing app development quickly

4. Development Team Size

Choosing a highly experienced and skilled team helps to deliver apps quickly and efficiently. Choosing a skilled team helps for the smoother app development process. A mobile app development team contains,

UI/UX designers
Developers
QA testers
Project managers

5. Third-Party Integrations

Integrating third party tools in an app can increase the app complexity and time for app development. Some of the third party integrations for app development are,

Payment gateways
Social media logins
Analytics tools

How to Speed Up Mobile App Development

You can speed up the mobile app development by using some of the strategies like,

Start with an MVP

It’s better to start with an MVP with basic features. By following this app development time can be reduced and supports you for testing your idea faster.

Use Cross-Platform Development

For cross platform development use latest frameworks like Flutter which helps to complete the app development quickly with a single codebase.

Plan Clearly according to Your App Requirements

It’s important to plan clearly from day one of app development. It’s suggested to avoid frequent changes during app development because it may affect the overall timeline of the app development project.

Choose the Right Development Partner

Selecting the right app development company is crucial for speeding up app development. A highly experienced and skilled app development team supports the implementation of exact planning, execution, and delivering apps quickly.

Practical Example of App Development Timeline

Here is a practical example of a App development timeline for a medium complexity app for business with medium features,

Planning – 2 weeks
Design – 2 weeks
Development – 12 weeks
Testing – 3 weeks
Launch – 1 week

Why Rushing App Development Is a Mistake

It’s recommended not to rush the app development and it’s a major mistake in the mobile app development process. A well designed mobile app with proper planning of timeline helps for high quality, better performance, and high scalability. We may know that most of the businesses try to rush up app development, but actually it may leads to,

Poor user experience
Bugs and crashes
Security vulnerabilities
Higher maintenance costs

Conclusion

Thus from the above blog discussed, we may get an answer about how long it takes to build a mobile app? Like its based on business requirements, features, goals, and app development process. Thus developing a basic app can take two to three months, and developing a complex app may take six to nine months or more based on app requirements. If you are looking for the leading mobile app development company in Chennai, Choose Smarter Technologies for quality mobile app development solutions.

How Long Does It Take to Build a Mobile App?