How Long Does It Take to Develop an App? (Android & iOS Edition)

Let’s start with the million-dollar question (or at least the $20,000+ one): how long does it take to develop an app?

We wish we had a sleek, one-size-fits-all answer like “7.5 weeks, 3 days, and a caffeine-fueled sprint.” But alas, app development doesn’t come with a universal timer. It’s not instant noodles—it’s more like slow-cooked biryani (with less rice and more debugging).

That being said, there are realistic timelines, industry averages, and very real delays caused by that one stakeholder who thinks app features grow on trees.

First Things First: What Impacts Development Time?

Whether you’re developing the next dating app that swipes back or a minimalist to-do list app for productivity junkies, the timeline depends on three major variables:

1. Scope & Complexity

2. Platform (Android, iOS, or both)

3. Development Approach (Native, Hybrid, Cross-platform)

You’d be surprised how often clients tell us, “It’s a simple app—like Uber but for pets.” (Spoiler: nothing is simple when you add location tracking, payments, live chat, and a “PawPal” rating system.)

Phase by Phase Breakdown

At Kanhasoft, we’ve seen app timelines vary from 3 months to 9+ months—sometimes longer if scope creep sneaks in like a raccoon through an open kitchen window.

Let’s break it down by phases:

1. Discovery & Planning (1–3 weeks)

This is where we sit down, sip coffee (or pretend to), and ask 47 questions to extract your vision. Wireframes, technical specs, user stories—it all starts here. Want to add a dark mode with unicorn animations? This is the time to confess.

2. UI/UX Design (2–4 weeks)

Designing isn’t just about making things pretty. It’s about intuitive layouts, emotional triggers, and finding exactly the right shade of blue that screams “trust me with your data.”

3. Development (6–20 weeks)

This is the meat and potatoes (or tofu and quinoa, if you’re that kind of team). Based on your features and platform choice—Android, iOS, or both—we start building the real thing.

If you’re only targeting iOS, an iPhone Application Development Company like us can deliver faster since there’s just one OS, one store, and fewer screen sizes to wrangle.

Going for Android? Buckle up. As an Android App Development Company, we know the fragmentation can feel like playing whack-a-mole with screen resolutions.

4. Testing & QA (2–4 weeks)

We try to break your app before your users do. Unit tests, UI tests, stress tests (and occasionally stress balls for the QA team). Every tap, scroll, and swipe gets scrutinized.

5. Deployment (1 week)

Launch day! Also known as the day we teach you the mysterious rituals of App Store and Play Store submission. We optimize metadata, take screenshots, and make sure the app doesn’t die on Android 8.1 for some reason.

So… What’s the Actual Timeline?

Let’s give you some rough real-world estimates based on app size and complexity:

Need both Android and iOS? You’re either doubling the time (if developed separately) or saving some with cross-platform tools like Flutter—though not every project should use it.

Native vs Hybrid: Does It Save Time?

Here’s where the dev-world debate gets heated (and occasionally passive-aggressive).

• Native apps (built separately for iOS and Android) give the best performance and user experience. But they do take longer.

• Hybrid or Cross-platform apps (like Flutter or React Native) can save time—especially if you’re partnering with a skilled Mobile App Development Company that knows how to leverage code reusability without making it look like a discount store UX.

Real Talk from the Trenches

Once, a client came to us for what he described as a “simple food delivery app.” Three months later, we had implemented:

• A custom kitchen management dashboard,

• Live rider tracking,

• Multilingual support (with right-to-left alignment, oh joy),

• And “Shake to Reorder” functionality. (Because tapping is too mainstream.)

It took 8 months—but when his app hit 10,000 users in the first week, the delay became a memory wrapped in dopamine.

Can You Speed It Up?

In theory, yes. In practice, rushing app development is like trying to cook biryani in a pressure cooker—it technically works, but someone’s going to cry.

That said, here’s how to accelerate without breaking things:

• Finalize requirements early (no surprises in week 9, please)

• Go cross-platform (if it fits your project)

• Hire a seasoned team (ahem, like Kanhasoft)

 Why Work With a Professional App Development Team?

Because developing apps isn’t just about writing code—it’s about translating your chaotic napkin sketches into usable, scalable, and loveable software.

A Mobile App Development like Kanhasoft doesn’t just bring technical chops—we also bring process maturity, timeline discipline, and a healthy fear of buggy releases.

Plus, we know the App Store’s rejection emails by heart (and how to avoid them).

Final Thought: It’s Not About Speed. It’s About Direction.

Sure, you can slap together an MVP in 4 weeks. But if you want an app that users will actually use (and not uninstall in 4.3 seconds), give it the time it deserves.

As we like to say at Kanhasoft: Speed is fun. Quality is legacy.

FAQs

Q1. What’s the average timeline for Android app development?
A: For basic to moderately complex Android apps, expect 3–6 months. More complex apps may take 9 months or longer, especially with custom integrations.

Q2. Is it faster to build for iOS than Android?
A: Often, yes. iOS has fewer device variations and stricter design guidelines. As an iPhone Application Development Company, we typically deliver iOS apps 15–20% faster than Android equivalents.

Q3. Can one team build both Android and iOS apps simultaneously?
A: Absolutely—especially if you’re working with a seasoned Mobile App Development Company like Kanhasoft. We often assign separate teams or use Flutter/React Native to speed things up.

Q4. Will cross-platform development reduce my timeline?
A: It can—if your app’s features align well with cross-platform capabilities. Otherwise, the savings may be offset by performance issues or platform-specific workarounds.

Q5. What causes delays in app development?
A: Scope creep, unclear requirements, third-party integration surprises, and feedback delays. Also, the infamous “Let’s add one more feature before launch” syndrome.