In today’s digital age, creating a mobile application has become a quintessential part of business and innovation. From startups to established enterprises, apps offer a direct and engaging way to connect with users. However, the journey from ideation to a fully functioning app involves many variables that can affect the app development timeline.
As an advertising and web development agency, a question we frequently get asked is “How long will it take to develop an app?” While we would love to look into a crystal ball and give our clients an exact date, the reality is that the timeline for app development can vary significantly based on multiple factors. As a rule of thumb though, we estimate that simpler apps with fewer features will take us at least a month, while more robust, complex apps will require several months to a year to produce to ensure a high-quality user experience.
To get a better sense of how long your app would take, here are some important factors to consider.
Factors Influencing App Development Time
Existing Brand
If you’re creating an app for your business, odds are you already have an existing brand in place, complete with fonts, colors, iconography and messaging. Those brand elements will be woven into your app, so it’s important for the development team to have those guidelines. If your app is your business idea and a brand hasn’t been established yet, Rivers’ creative team can help. We have extensive experience developing brands that are authentic and resonate with audiences. On average, we need a few weeks to work with you to understand the look and feel you want, plus time to research the competitive landscape so we can develop your brand before starting on the design of your app.
App Complexity
Simple apps with basic functionalities like content delivery and push notifications may take a few weeks. Apps with custom features, database integration, and API connections are moderately complex and require a few months. For a highly complex app with advanced features like AI integration, real-time data processing and intricate algorithms, the development could take a year or more.
Our team can help you home in on the use case for your app to determine the functionality it needs. If time is of the essence, we can also prioritize which functions you would like us to build out first for the initial launch, and then create a calendar for future releases that add capabilities with each update.
Design Requirements
One of the fastest ways to launch an app is to start with a pre-designed template. Sites like Jotform and Uizard have hundreds of free templates for apps that do scheduling, booking, event registration, sales ordering, inventory and much more.
If you want a more custom app, the Rivers team can help. We have User Interface and User Experience (UI and UX) specialists, developers, content strategists, copywriters, designers and animators to facilitate every step of your app’s creation.
Platform Compatibility
Unless all your users will be accessing your app from the same platform, you will need to develop it to work on iOS, Android and the web. Rivers has extensive experience on all three platforms, and to save you time, we can use cross-platform frameworks like React Native and Flutter so the code we write can be reused.
Integration Needs
Thanks to third-party services, APIs and hardware components, you don’t have to build every element of your app from scratch. For map functionality, you can use Google Maps API, for payments you can add PayPal API and each social media platform has APIs available too. Pulling these elements into your app offers users a more robust experience; however, integrating them adds complexity and time.
Ready-made integrations or those with well-documented and actively maintained APIs can streamline development. The documentation should provide an example of every call and parameter, and responses for each call, as well as an explanation for each API request and examples of error messages. It should also include code samples for commonly used languages such as Java, JavaScript, PHP and Python.
Testing and Iterations
Rivers always makes sure our apps perform as expected, which is why we thoroughly test, fix bugs and iterate based on user feedback. This step of our process involves conducting quality tests on different types of devices and operating systems to ensure the app behaves as intended.
Strategies for Expediting App Development
If you’re strapped for time and need to launch your app as soon as possible, Rivers’ development team has strategies to get your app live faster.
The MVP approach focuses on a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) that has just the core features you need so you can launch quickly. More advanced features can be added in subsequent updates based on user feedback and your roadmap.
Our team adheres to the agile methodology, which means we have practices in place for iterative development, continuous testing and quick adaptations to changes. This allows us to catch any issues quickly and early. Using prebuilt frameworks, libraries and APIs enables us to accelerate development without compromising quality. Plus, our team has decades of combined experience, so you’re guaranteed to work with professionals who are as meticulous as they are efficient.
On each project, our team members have well-defined roles including project manager, UI/UX designer, front and backend developer, quality assurance tester and DevOps engineer. This team structure ensures nothing slips through the cracks, so your app sticks to its timeline.
Your team can also do a bit of prep work prior to engaging us that can save on development time. Clarify the idea for your app, including defining its purpose, target audience and key features. Conduct market research to better understand your app’s value prop, market trends, competitors and user preferences. An app is an investment in your business, so be sure to allocate sufficient budget and resources for development, marketing and maintenance. If you need help with any of these steps, Rivers’ team of experts is happy to assist.
As we’ve covered, app development timelines depend on various factors, but strategic planning, experienced teams, agile methodologies and the efficient use of resources can expedite the process. By understanding these dynamics and collaborating with the Rivers team, you can successfully navigate the app development landscape and bring your innovative ideas to life in a competitive digital market. Contact us today to get started!