So, you have decided that your business is in need of a Mobile App to match your customer’s needs? But how long will it take to develop the app?

It is the most common question that I get from business owners and start-up founders who are planning to get a mobile application developed for their business.

The timeline required to develop a mobile app depends primarily on the size of the app.

Broadly, we can say that there are 3 types of mobile apps, simple or small apps, medium sized apps, and large complex apps.

Small apps have features such as user login option, a news feed, and the option to connect and interact with friends.

A medium-sized app will have all the features mentioned above in addition to sharing settings (sharing on external platforms such as social media), geolocation, video support, and integration options.

The most complex apps would additionally feature multiple languages, robust settings, photo/video editing, and algorithms allowing to receive tailor-made content.

The more complex an application is, the longer it takes to develop.

The timeline range to develop an app will hence vary between a month to six months or more depending upon the features you need and how complex your requirements are.

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It is hence advisable to develop the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) first because this will help you to get to the market with a minimalistic set of features within the quickest possible time.

Once the MVP gets launched, and you start getting traction with investors on board, you can then look forward to developing the complete app with all the features that you initially envisaged.

So, this brings our discussion to the following conclusion:

1. A mobile app can be developed in 1 Month to 6 months or more depending upon the features needed.

2. An app that has robust features will take more time to complete which in effect would mean more cost because the effort is directly proportional to cost.

3. It is better to first start with MVP or Version 1.0 of the app so that you can go to the market quickly and check out how your potential users feel about the product. Constructive criticism from your potential users/customers is the ladder to future success.

4. A team of cross-technology experts helps you in speeding up the development process.

5. With a team having the right skills and experience, you can achieve more efficient timelines. So, spend a good time choosing your development team and do some good research before you sign above the dotted line.

It is very important to remember that while developing the MVP, too many features can cause problems.

Don’t forget that a long list of features will increase the timeline drastically along with the costs.

The goal of the feature list must be to rule out unnecessary elements as much as possible, only keep the key features that will help you find the right market for your application.

This approach will help you stay within your timeline and budget.