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How Long Does It Take to Create a New App?

Specno
February 21, 2024

Our exciting method for deploying your MVP in record time, building iteratively and giving you the choice of how long it takes to create a new app

From start to deployment, how long does it take to create a new app?

It’s important because you want to move fast but still get the best quality and value out of any new build. You have a number of options when it comes to developing a new product.

At Specno, we’re known for moving really fast while maintaining the best quality – so how long exactly should you plan for when looking to introduce a new product?

How long does it take to create an app?

In most cases today, we can create and deploy an entirely new, fully functional MVP app in just 4–5 months (6–8 for more complex builds). This is an amazing value because it includes your product concept validation, system scoping, system design, UX/UI design and building (actual development).

You have options:

  • Option 1: Low-Code: Concept Validation + Low-Code: Includes design and is best suited for prototyping and MVPs, simple apps, internal tools etc.
  • Option 2: Full-Code: Concept Validatin + App Design + App Development: 100% custom builds.

Also see the benefits of cross-platform vs native app development and the ultimate MVP method for e-commerce.

We’ve broken it down for you in a full app creation timeline:

App Development Timeline

8 Weeks for Concept Validation

Validating a new product idea through Specno’s concept validation takes around 8 weeks. That’s start-to-finish, with everything you need to 1) know the market for your product, 2) how to reach them, 3) how to build the product and 4) a detailed plan to scale that business to where you need it to be in the next 12–18 months. Plus: Have a pitch deck you can take almost as-is to apply for funding.

See here why you need to test an app idea first and how long it takes to validate your idea.

8–12 Weeks for Low-Code Development

This is what allows us to deploy MVPs 3 times faster than normal full-code projects – and you can start off most new apps using low-code development first, and then do full-code versions later (if needs be). It takes only 8 weeks to deploy a fully functional MVP of a simple app, 12 weeks for a mid-level app, and just 16-20 weeks for a complex build.

The benefit is that this includes UX/UI design, and it’s not only 3 times faster but also 60%–90% cheaper to build, too.

See how long it takes to build a low-code app.

Full-Code Development

For full-code development projects, you need dedicated App Design and Development time, which is a little more involved because it’s so customised. See all the benefits of custom software. Also explore the benefits of cross-platform vs native app development.

1–3 Months for App Design

They say UX and UI design can make or break your product – it doesn’t matter how good your tech is, if people struggle with the interface or it doesn’t appeal to them, they don’t want to use it. 

That’s why professional app design takes about 1–3 months, which you can break down as: a simple app takes circa 1 month, a mid-Level app around 2 months, and a more complex product, circa 3 months.

See here the complete breakdown of your app design time.

3–12 Months for App Development

Again, dependent on your scoring and requirements. Building a new app full-code takes anywhere between 3 and 12 months of app development and/or web app development. As a general guide, simpler apps might take closer to 3 months to complete, mid-level products around 6 months and more complex builds around 12 months.

See here the complete timeline, breakdown and phases of your app development time

Get us to develop your app

There’s a lot that goes into developing an app that actually works the first time, and that’s why we at Specno spent years building one of the best multi-speciality app development teams.

Got an idea? Let’s build it…

Let's talk about
your next project

Specno Team