How Long Does It Take To Make An App?

It is hard to imagine our lives without applications. We use various applications for work purposes as well as for personal ones. Due to such great demand, many businesses develop applications to remain successful in their field.

In this article, we will bring you through the whole process of app-making and show the relevant and working ways to speed up app development.

Introduction

Statista reports that there are currently 3.55 million apps available for download on Google’s Play Store and another 1.6 million on Apple’s App Store, increasing yearly. Undoubtedly, the popularity of applications will only grow.

When developing a mobile application, your organization should consider various factors. The key is that you must realize the app development process to predict its timing. Every firm wants to know when they will be able to debut their mobile application on the market; thus, careful and extensive preparation is vital.

1. Discovery

App discovery, the first of the app development phases, establishes the groundwork for design, development, and deployment. Discovery phase aims are similar to strategy development in that they are:

• To achieve a clear understanding of your goals and vision through extensive study, discussion, and analysis of your concept.
• To envision the app’s entire scope, define a feature set that will accelerate app targets and provide meaningful value to users.

1.1. How long does it take to research the app idea?

This stage is undeniably essential in setting the project in the right direction and brainstorming whether your idea is viable and has potential. The research stage takes about 2-3 weeks on average.

To turn your idea into an app store-ready product, you must first:

• Run market research to evaluate your product idea and claims about users’ interests and behaviors.
• Conduct Business Analysis to define and highlight all app requirements.
• Perform analysis of competitors and potential threats on the market.
• Describe the app features as user stories – a summary of the app’s functionality from the user’s point of view.

1.2. How long does it take to validate the idea?

The validation part follows the research stage. Validating your app idea might take up to 2 weeks. Collecting genuine customer feedback is necessary before investing additional money in this project.

1.3. How long does it take to create a product strategy?

Product strategy entails considerably more than a detailed product development plan. It defines your company’s aims and how the product will help you achieve them.

On average, two weeks are needed to develop the product strategy, which includes:

• Timeline and cost estimation
• Technical design documentation.
• Product’s Roadmap

1.4. How long does it take to prototype the app?

The prototype is a preliminary attempt to visualize a viable solution. Typically, it specifies the appearance of your app and may include a few significant functions. Prototyping allows you to experiment with your product’s concept. A clickable prototype takes around two weeks to create.

1.5. How long does it take to validate the app prototype?

This takes one week to verify your prototype, examine it with at least 3-5 users, get feedback, and discover insights such as:

• how highly consumers value the features;
• whether your product is tough to use;
• whether navigation is simple.

2. Design & Development

During this stage, designers and developers collaborate to ensure that the app fits the demands of the users and functions well on both the front-end and back-end.

2.1. How long does it take to design the app?

The design stage typically takes 2 to 3 months. When designing an app, UX designers should be attentive to users’ wants and provide them exactly what they want while adhering to the central business goal. The more screens you require for your app, the longer it will take the team to develop them.

2.2. How long does it take to code the app?

The development of an app is divided into two stages: the front end and the back end. The front end of an app is what the user sees and interacts with while using it. In contrast, the back end refers to all the background activities when engaging with an app.

Three common factors influence that affect the speed of coding the application:

• The app’s complexity
• The number of user roles
• The technology stack

3. Product Launch

After extensive research, idea validation, a step-by-step product strategy, verified prototypes, a finished design, and flawlessly built software, we have a product ready for launching.

3.1. How long does it take to prepare your app for launch?

The launch preparations are often separated into two stages: beta and alpha release. The alpha release is an early pre-release variant of the app, often completed by the organization’s testers, while beta testing is usually done by the end users.

This period might last from two weeks to a month.

4. Four Ways to Speed Up The App Development Process

Here are the solutions that could be provided when a customer is dissatisfied with the timeframe for app development and wishes to speed up time.

#1. Stakeholders should devote some time on communication

When you begin working with an outsourcing partner, be prepared for an increase in the number of messages and calls in your calendar from the start. You save time by replying quickly and communicating your point of view correctly and on time.

#2. Focus on core moments and start with MVP

If you want to launch quickly, the solution is simple: create an MVP. The goal of an MVP is to begin with, a simple use case, validate it, and then determine whether to proceed in a different path or grow this concept into a product solution.

#3. Set the contact faces

Try to designate someone in charge of communication instead of incorporating the entire team in meetings and establishing plenty of group conversations. Assign a product manager or solution architect to keep in contact with the customer. They will provide project status updates, convey any changes, delays, or issues, and generally keep you on track.

#4. Meet business goals and say ‘no’ when needed

Saying ‘no’ to some ideas is sometimes a necessary part of the process. It is vital to weigh all the pros and cons carefully, be bold, and give up some ideas that can only complicate the application development process and not bring any benefits.

Conclusion

We revealed how long it takes to build an app, and shared some lifehacks how to expedite the app-making procedure. So, in general, the development of the application takes from 7 to 12 months, depending on the complexity of the application and the technical stack. The critical factors for the app development process are precise specifications, fast replies, and shared responsibilities.

Hire the Leobit team, which can quickly and efficiently develop an application of any complexity for you. We work responsibly and carefully to develop the best solution for you.