How Long Does It Take to Build an App?
In short: a simple MVP app can be ready within a few weeks; a more complex app with accounts, a backend, payments and integrations usually takes several months. The calendar time is driven less by coding speed than by three things: how tightly the first version is scoped, how quickly decisions and approvals come back, and the fixed waiting times you cannot skip – store review and, for new personal Google Play accounts, a mandatory 14-day closed test. Plan for those from the start and your launch date becomes predictable.
This guide breaks an app project into phases, shows what each one depends on, lists the external waiting times and explains how to shorten the schedule without cutting quality.
Typical timeline by type of app
Every brief is different, so treat this as a planning frame rather than a promise. These are the categories we use on our app development page:
| Type of project | What it usually includes | Realistic calendar time |
|---|---|---|
| Simple MVP | One core feature, simple sign-up, basic UI, iOS and Android | A few weeks |
| Startup app | User accounts, backend and database, admin panel, push notifications, integrations | Weeks to months, depending on scope |
| Business app | Custom workflows, API integrations, analytics, scalable architecture | Several months |
| Enterprise / fintech | Security-focused architecture, payment flows, compliance, complex integrations | Set in a project plan, often phased |
After an initial consultation we prepare a realistic timeline for your specific scope – it is the only number worth planning a launch around.
The phases of an app project
1. Consultation and discovery
Understanding the idea, the target users and the business model. The output is a shared picture of what the product must do. This phase is short, but skipping it is the most common cause of rework later.
2. MVP and feature planning
Turning the idea into a prioritised feature list and a realistic first version. Every feature you move to "later" here saves calendar time in every following phase. Our MVP guide explains how to decide what to keep.
3. UX/UI design
User flows, screens and visual design. Speed depends mostly on feedback: a single decision-maker who approves screens within a day or two keeps design moving; a committee does not.
4. Development
Building the app for Android and iOS, plus the backend, user accounts, integrations and admin tools. Integrations with third parties (payments, identity, CRMs) often depend on the other party's onboarding – start those requests early.
5. Testing
Stability, usability, device compatibility, performance and bug fixing. You should receive test builds to install on your own phones well before launch.
6. Publication
Store listings, screenshots, privacy information and submission to the App Store and Google Play – with the waiting times described below.
7. Support and growth
Monitoring, fixes and new features based on real user data. This phase does not end; plan it before launch.
Waiting times you cannot skip
| Step | What the platform says | How to plan |
|---|---|---|
| Apple App Review | Apple typically reviews at least 50% of submissions in under 24 hours and 90% in under 48 hours; incomplete submissions take longer | Leave a buffer of several days and prepare the listing and demo account in advance |
| Google Play review | For certain developer accounts, review can take up to seven days, or longer in exceptional cases | Submit early; do not book a launch event for the day after submission |
| Google Play testing requirement | Personal developer accounts created after 13 November 2023 need a closed test with at least 12 testers opted in for 14 consecutive days before applying for production | Use an organisation account where possible, or start the closed test two to three weeks before launch |
| Developer accounts | Apple Developer Program enrolment (99 USD per year) and a Google Play account (US$25 one-time) | Open both in your company's name in the first week – organisation verification can take time |
| Third-party onboarding | Payment and identity providers often require agreements before production access (for example BankID and Swish through a bank) | Start applications during design, not after development |
What to prepare before kickoff
The fastest projects are the ones where the client side is ready before development starts. A short list that saves weeks:
- A one-page brief – the problem, the users, must-have features and what is explicitly out of scope.
- Examples you like – two or three apps whose flow or look is close to what you want.
- Brand assets – logo files, colours and fonts, or a decision that the app will define them.
- Content owners – who writes texts, legal pages, onboarding screens and translations.
- Accounts – Apple Developer Program and Google Play Console in your company's name, plus domain and email for support.
- Third-party access – API documentation and test credentials for every system the app connects to.
Store submission checklist
Store review only starts when the submission is complete, and an incomplete one is the most common reason for a delayed launch. Both stores ask for more than the app binary:
| Item | App Store (Apple) | Google Play |
|---|---|---|
| Listing | Name, subtitle, description, keywords, screenshots | Title, short and full description, screenshots, feature graphic |
| Privacy | Privacy policy URL and the App Privacy details ("nutrition label") | Privacy policy URL and the Data safety form |
| Ratings | Age rating questionnaire | Content rating questionnaire |
| Review access | Demo account and notes if the app requires login | Login credentials for review if access is restricted |
| Testing | TestFlight builds for your team before submission | Internal or closed testing track (mandatory 14-day closed test for new personal accounts) |
Prepare these in parallel with development so that the day the build is ready is also the day it can be submitted.
What makes app projects late
- Scope creep. Features added after design is approved ripple through development and testing.
- Slow approvals. A week waiting for feedback is a week added to the schedule.
- Late integrations. Discovering in development that a payment provider needs a bank agreement.
- Missing content. Texts, translations, legal pages and store screenshots that nobody owned.
- Store surprises. Rejections for incomplete metadata, missing demo accounts or privacy information.
- Underestimated testing. Testing on a single phone is not testing.
How to launch faster without cutting corners
- Start with an MVP. Launch the core, learn from real users, then expand. It is the approach we recommend for most new products.
- Choose cross-platform where it fits. One codebase for iOS and Android usually shortens development compared with two native apps – see native vs. cross-platform.
- Name one product owner with authority to approve designs and priorities quickly.
- Prepare accounts and agreements in week one – store accounts, payment providers, identity providers, domains and hosting.
- Write the store listing early and test on real devices throughout, not only at the end.
- Agree the post-launch plan so the first fixes ship within days, not weeks.
How time and cost relate
Time and budget move together: the scope that adds weeks also adds cost. Our published starting prices are MVP Start from €4,900, Startup App from €9,900 and Business App from €19,900, with enterprise and fintech projects priced individually. A faster delivery requirement is one of the factors in the price – the app cost calculator asks when you want to launch for exactly that reason. More detail in our mobile app development cost guide.
Planning a launch date? Send us your brief and we will come back with a realistic scope and timeline.
FAQ
How long does it take to build an app?
A simpler MVP can be ready within a few weeks; more complex applications with accounts, backend, payments and integrations usually take several months. A realistic timeline is set after a consultation, once the scope is clear.
How long does it take to build an MVP?
A tightly scoped MVP with one core feature can be built within a few weeks. Each additional integration, user role or custom design element adds time, which is why scoping is the most important step.
How long does App Store review take?
Apple says it typically reviews at least 50% of submissions in less than 24 hours and 90% in less than 48 hours. Incomplete submissions take longer, so prepare the listing, privacy details and any demo account before submitting.
How long does Google Play review take?
Google says that for certain developer accounts review can take up to seven days or longer in exceptional cases. New personal developer accounts also need a 14-day closed test with at least 12 testers before they can apply for production access.
Can I speed up app development by paying more?
To a point. Urgent delivery can be planned in, but fixed waiting times such as store review and testing requirements do not shrink. The most effective way to launch sooner is a smaller first version.
What happens after the app is launched?
Monitoring, bug fixes, OS updates and new features. We provide one year of free technical support for every completed app, followed by an optional long-term service contract.
Sources (checked 2 November 2026): Apple — App Review and Apple Developer Program enrollment; Google Play Console Help — review times, testing requirements for new personal developer accounts, registration fee. VIA Marketing timelines, process and prices as published on via-marketing.cz/en/mobile-apps.
Planning an app?
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