How Long Does It Take to Build an App?

Rough Ranges

A focused MVP — a genuinely minimal first version, scoped to test one core idea — typically takes 8–16 weeks from a finalised scope to App Store or Google Play submission. A full-featured application with a custom backend, multiple user roles, and several integrations typically runs 16–32 weeks. These are ranges, not commitments — the actual number depends entirely on your specific scope.

What Extends a Timeline

• Backend complexity — a custom backend with business logic takes longer than a thin API over a simple database.
• Number of integrations — each third-party service is its own scope of work, testing, and edge cases.
• Design maturity — starting from finished designs is faster than designing and building in parallel.
• App Store review — Apple's review process typically adds days, occasionally longer if the app is rejected and needs changes.
• Scope changes mid-build — the single biggest cause of timelines slipping past the original estimate.

What Doesn't Extend It (If Scoped Well)

A well-scoped MVP shouldn't slip because of "unknowns" discovered halfway through — that's a scoping failure, not an inherent property of app development. Time spent properly defining scope before development starts is what keeps a timeline honest.

Getting a Real Timeline

The only accurate way to get a timeline is to scope the actual project — platforms, backend, integrations, design status. Ranges are a starting point for expectations, not a substitute for that conversation.