How long does it take to build an app?
The time to build an app depends on scope, platforms, design, integrations and how quickly feedback arrives. A small first version can take a few weeks of focused work, while larger products take months. The best way to plan is to split the work into milestones, each with a clear result.
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What decides the timeline
- Scope: more features and more screens mean more weeks. Cutting scope is the fastest way to ship sooner.
- Platforms: one web app is quicker than web plus iPhone plus Android.
- Design: ready design files save time. Designing from scratch adds a phase.
- Integrations: each outside service, such as payments or maps, needs setup and testing.
- Clarity: a precise brief avoids rework. See how to write a project brief.
- Feedback speed: waiting days for answers can double the calendar time of a phase.
- Store review: iPhone and Android apps need review before release, which adds waiting time outside the developer's control.
- Developer availability: full-time and part-time work give very different calendars.
An example plan in weeks
The plan below is an illustration for a small first version of a web or mobile app. It is not a promise or a measured average. Your own plan will differ.
| Topic | Example length | Result you can check |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Brief and plan | 1 week | Clear feature list, screens sketched, milestones agreed |
| 2. Design | 1 to 2 weeks | Clickable screens for the core flow |
| 3. Foundation | 1 to 2 weeks | Accounts, login, database and hosting working |
| 4. Core feature | 2 to 4 weeks | The main job of the product works end to end |
| 5. Extras and payments | 1 to 3 weeks | Payments, emails and the most needed extras |
| 6. Testing and fixes | 1 to 2 weeks | Bugs fixed, tested on real devices |
| 7. Launch | 1 week or more | Live site or store submission, with review time for apps |
1. Brief and plan
- Example length
- 1 week
- Result you can check
- Clear feature list, screens sketched, milestones agreed
2. Design
- Example length
- 1 to 2 weeks
- Result you can check
- Clickable screens for the core flow
3. Foundation
- Example length
- 1 to 2 weeks
- Result you can check
- Accounts, login, database and hosting working
4. Core feature
- Example length
- 2 to 4 weeks
- Result you can check
- The main job of the product works end to end
5. Extras and payments
- Example length
- 1 to 3 weeks
- Result you can check
- Payments, emails and the most needed extras
6. Testing and fixes
- Example length
- 1 to 2 weeks
- Result you can check
- Bugs fixed, tested on real devices
7. Launch
- Example length
- 1 week or more
- Result you can check
- Live site or store submission, with review time for apps
Illustration only. Real durations depend on your scope and on how fast both sides respond.
Store review time: what the stores state
Review is the one waiting time that no developer controls. Both stores publish a statement about it. Treat these as typical statements and not as promises, because an incomplete submission can be delayed or rejected and then needs another round.
| Topic | What the store states |
|---|---|
| Apple App Store | App Review typically reviews at least 50% of submissions in less than 24 hours and 90% in less than 48 hours. Incomplete submissions may be delayed or not passSource: Apple: App Review. Checked on |
| Google Play | Some developer accounts can see review times of up to seven days or longer in exceptional casesSource: Google Play Console Help. Checked on |
Apple App Store
- What the store states
- App Review typically reviews at least 50% of submissions in less than 24 hours and 90% in less than 48 hours. Incomplete submissions may be delayed or not pass
Google Play
- What the store states
- Some developer accounts can see review times of up to seven days or longer in exceptional cases
A sensible plan keeps a buffer for at least one rejected submission, and the developer submits early with complete privacy texts and test access. Web apps and websites have no store review, which is one reason they often reach users sooner.
Why milestones help with time
Large plans hide delays until late. Short milestones show progress early. If one step slips, you notice within weeks, not months, and can decide what to cut.
Each milestone is funded before work starts and runs 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 or 8 weeks. Milestones are from 50 to 2,000 each in your project currency. Longer products are split into several milestones in a row. The milestone planner helps you test how your plan fits, and how to split a project into milestones explains the method.
How to ship sooner
- Build the smallest useful version first. See what is an MVP.
- Pick one platform to start with.
- Use standard design patterns instead of custom ones.
- Prepare content, logos and accounts before work starts.
- Give feedback within a day or two.
- Hold back new ideas for the next milestone.
What can slow you down
- Changing the scope in the middle of a milestone.
- Missing access to accounts, such as app store or domain accounts.
- Unclear payment or legal rules in your industry.
- Fixing old code that someone else wrote. See take over an existing codebase.
To see how time links to money, read how much does it cost to build an app. Different project kinds also have different shapes, for example a mobile app versus a website.
Frequently asked questions
What is the fastest way to launch?
Keep scope small, start with one platform, use standard design and respond quickly to questions. A narrow first version beats a big one that never ships.
Link to this answerWhy do projects run late?
Most delays come from changing scope, slow feedback or missing access. A clear brief and short milestones reduce all three.
Link to this answerHow long does one milestone last?
Each milestone is funded before work starts and runs 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 or 8 weeks.
Link to this answerDoes app store review add time?
Yes. Phone apps are reviewed before release, and the waiting time is outside anyone's control. Plan some buffer before your launch date.
Link to this answerDo AI tools make it faster?
They can speed up early drafts. Testing, security and fixing still need time and human review.
Link to this answerRelated pages
- How Much Does It Cost to Build an App?What drives the cost of an app, SaaS, website or game, and how to turn a rough idea into a real quote you can compare and trust.
- How to Split a Project Into MilestonesSplit a software project into milestones that each deliver something you can see and approve. Rules, an example plan and a free planner tool.
- What Is an MVP? A Plain Guide for FoundersAn MVP is the smallest version of a product that real users can try. Learn what it includes, what it leaves out and how to plan one.
- Free milestone planner for your projectTurn your project into an editable plan of milestones with lengths that fit the rules. Runs in your browser, stores nothing and estimates no prices.
- Build a mobile app with a developerPlan an iPhone and Android app: typical technologies, an example milestone plan, what to put in the brief and how to spot a developer who fits.