A realistic timeline depends on the size and complexity of your app, but most projects follow a similar structure with clear milestones and predictable pacing. Our goal is always the same: give you full transparency so you know exactly what is happening, when it will happen, and what to expect at each step.
Below is a general timeline based on hundreds of successful launches. Your exact proposal will outline your personalized month by month plan and fixed monthly pricing.
Typical project timeline for a brand new app
Most new app projects take 4 to 9 months from kickoff to launch depending on complexity, features, integrations, and platform count.
A simple or moderate mobile or web app
4 to 6 months
A larger or more complex product
6 to 9 months
A highly complex platform with deep integrations, dashboards, admin systems, or multi role logic
9 months or longer
Your exact timeline is always defined in your custom proposal after your complimentary 45 minute consultation.
Key milestones and what they include
1. Strategy and planning: 2 to 4 weeks
- Complimentary 45 minute consultation
- Formal proposal with exact timeline, scope, and fixed monthly pricing
- User personas
- Competitor analysis
- High level goals and success metrics
This phase ensures we start with clarity and your project has a strategic foundation.
2. UX architecture and wireframes: 3 to 6 weeks
- Site mapping or screen mapping
- Full wireframes of all screens
- Approval of navigation, layout, and core flows
This gives you a complete structural blueprint of your app before visuals or code.
3. High fidelity designs, product flows, and your NFP: 4 to 10 weeks
- Final UI design of every screen
- Branding, spacing, typography, states, and responsive behavior
- Detailed product flows and documentation
- A fully clickable non functional prototype (NFP)
Most partners use their NFP to validate the product or raise funding.
4. Development and engineering: 8 to 20 weeks
This runs in parallel with ongoing QA.
- Frontend development
- Backend and API development
- Database architecture
- Third party integrations
- Environment setup in your GCP and Firebase accounts, or AWS and Azure when appropriate
- Iterative releases to staging for your review
Complexity, number of platforms, and data requirements directly influence this timeframe.
5. QA, UAT, and refinements: 3 to 8 weeks
- Full functional testing
- Regression testing
- Device specific validation
- Edge case handling
- Your User Acceptance Testing (UAT)
- Fixes and stabilization
We do not move to launch until everything meets your acceptance criteria.
6. Deployment and store submission: 1 to 3 weeks
- Deploying to production servers in your accounts
- Preparing iOS and Android builds
- Submitting to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store
- Setting up analytics, crash reporting, and monitoring
- Uploading store assets and metadata if included in your scope
Apple typically takes 1 to 3 business days to review standard apps
Google Play typically takes a few hours up to 48 hours for new releases
Timelines may vary for apps with sensitive categories such as healthcare, finance, or social networking.
7. Post launch warranty (30 days)
Every project includes a complimentary 30 day bug and maintenance warranty where we:
- Monitor real world usage
- Fix bugs
- Make small adjustments to ensure everything works as intended
After this, you can choose ongoing maintenance, new features, part time or full time resources, retainers, or you can take everything internal.
Your exact timeline is defined in your proposal
We map out your full timeline, deliverables, and fixed monthly pricing in your proposal before work begins. You always know:
- How long each phase will take
- What is being delivered
- What you will approve
- How progress is measured
- When your app will launch
Nothing is ever left open ended.
If you want us to provide a personalized timeline for your specific app, we are happy to walk you through it during a complimentary 45 minute consultation over Zoom. You can schedule that directly through our consultation page.
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