How long does it take to have a mobile application developed?
Welcome!
I’m happy to share my 14+ years of experience developing mobile applications with you to give you a better idea of how long it will take to have your mobile app developed.
I’ll start this blog by giving you a very general structure of the timeline to develop a mobile app. Please understand that these are averages. Every project has various levels of detail and complexity.
Design and Discovery: 3-4 weeks
This is the first phase of the process where the development team and designers work closely with the stakeholders to understand the project scope, vision, and details of what will be in the MVP. In this phase, design gets completed near 90%. This helps the technical team understand all the features in the app, how many screens, and various levels of technical challenges in developing the app.
This phase also allows the team to give the client a much more detailed estimation since many details have been worked through, and there is a clear understanding of how the app will be built.
Development: 4-5 months
In this pivotal phase of the development cycle, our team of programmers lays the groundwork for the app's functionality. This involves setting up the necessary infrastructure, backend systems, and databases as per the specifications outlined in the discovery phase. With a solid foundation in place, we then proceed to implement the various features envisioned in the app's design. This phase marks the transition from conceptualization to tangible development, where each element of the app begins to take shape according to the predetermined plan.
Testing: 2-3 weeks
QA testing is a constant within the development team during the cycle of development. However, when a project is close to being completed, more rigorous testing is needed. This usually includes a larger QA testing team from the agency, but also testing from the client. It is highly suggested the client puts together a pool of users that will help test in a beta or pilot phase. As this testing phase is happening, the development team is being reported issues internally and through the clients' testing pool to address bugs as they are reported.
A lot of times in the testing phase, the client will come up with additional ideas to improve the app's experience based on user feedback. Sometimes this will extend the initial timeline. We encourage improvements from our clients so long as we don’t lose sight of the MVP and get-to-market plan.
Summary: 5-6 months
At times, if there is a special event, or marketing plan that we need to align to a release date, we can speed up the process by eliminating features that aren’t as critical at launch, then continue to iterate through launch and beyond and release more key features in weeks following the initial MVP launch date.
With a history of launching hundreds of mobile apps spanning since the inception of app stores, we stand as industry experts. Our competitive edge lies in our unparalleled expertise across various sectors within the mobile app industry. Leveraging our refined process, we offer highly competitive prices matched with top-tier talent. Join forces with us, and together, let's embark on the journey of building success.